On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?

Silence still from Tommy.

> > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > >
> > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > So?
> > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > >
> > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > >
> > >
> > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> >
> > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> >
> > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> >
> > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> >
> > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> >
> > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> >
> > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> >
> > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > >
> > > On LinkedIn …
> >
> > Stalking by Tommy.
> >
> > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> >
> > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> >
> > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> >
> > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> >
> > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> >
> > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> >
> > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> >
> > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> >
> > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> >
> > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> >
> > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > They were referrals for the most part.
> >
> > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> >
> > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> >
> > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> >
> > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> >
> > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
>
> Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> to move there.

On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E.. wrote:
> > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick"..
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time..
> > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > >
> > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > So?
> > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > >
> > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > >
> > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > >
> > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > >
> > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > >
> > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > >
> > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > >
> > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > >
> > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > >
> > > > On LinkedIn …
> > >
> > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > >
> > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > >
> > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > >
> > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > >
> > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > >
> > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > >
> > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > >
> > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > >
> > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > >
> > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > >
> > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > >
> > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > >
> > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > >
> > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > >
> > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > >
> > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > >
> > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> >
> > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > to move there.
> Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > consulting trips.
> "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > That was less than 5% of the work.
> 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > beyond my capabilities.
> LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
>
> -hh

On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E.. wrote:
> > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick"..
> > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time..
> > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > >
> > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > So?
> > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > >
> > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > >
> > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > >
> > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > >
> > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > >
> > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > >
> > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > >
> > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > >
> > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > >
> > > > On LinkedIn …
> > >
> > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > >
> > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > >
> > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > >
> > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > >
> > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > >
> > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > >
> > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > >
> > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > >
> > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > >
> > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > >
> > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > >
> > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > >
> > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > >
> > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > >
> > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > >
> > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > >
> > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> >
> > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > to move there.
> Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > consulting trips.
> "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > That was less than 5% of the work.
> 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > beyond my capabilities.
> LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
>
> -hh

On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 8:00:17 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E.. wrote:
> > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > So?
> > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > >
> > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > >
> > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > >
> > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > >
> > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > >
> > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > >
> > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > >
> > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > > >
> > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > >
> > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > >
> > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > >
> > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > >
> > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > >
> > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > >
> > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > >
> > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > >
> > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > >
> > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > >
> > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > >
> > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > >
> > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > >
> > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > >
> > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > >
> > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > >
> > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > >
> > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > >
> > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > to move there.
> > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > consulting trips.
> >
> > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> >
> > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> >
> > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> >
> > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> >
> > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?

On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E.. wrote:
> > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > So?
> > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > >
> > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > >
> > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > >
> > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > >
> > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > >
> > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > >
> > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > >
> > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > > >
> > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > >
> > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > >
> > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > >
> > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > >
> > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > >
> > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > >
> > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > >
> > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > >
> > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > >
> > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > >
> > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > >
> > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > >
> > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > >
> > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > >
> > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > >
> > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > >
> > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > >
> > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > >
> > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > to move there.
> > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > consulting trips.
> > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > beyond my capabilities.
> > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> >
>
> Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.

On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> >> …
> > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > to move there.
> > >
> > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > ….
> >
> > I hope your retirement projections are better.
>
> They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
>
> > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
>
> It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?

Apparently, Tommy is busy still calculating out his numbers for that simple ‘what if.’
Frankly, I didn’t think it was that hard of a question, for when the revenue is roughly
the same (or better) with zero labor required, most folks would say it’s a no-brainer.

In the meantime, the “Nashton Mystery Machine” is coming due on the clock for it to
be replaced (yeah, it’s been ten years already), so I’m open to product suggestions.

-hh

On 2024-02-01 03:24, -hh wrote:
> On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
>> On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
>>> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
>>>> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
>>>> …
>>>>> Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
>>>>> started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
>>>>> to move there.
>>>>
>>>> Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
>>>> oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
>>>> have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
>>> ….
>>>
>>> I hope your retirement projections are better.
>>
>> They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
>> limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
>>
>>> WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
>>> out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
>>
>> It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
>> repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
>> longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
>> before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
>
> Apparently, Tommy is busy still calculating out his numbers for that simple ‘what if.’
> Frankly, I didn’t think it was that hard of a question, for when the revenue is roughly
> the same (or better) with zero labor required, most folks would say it’s a no-brainer.
>
> In the meantime, the “Nashton Mystery Machine” is coming due on the clock for it to
> be replaced (yeah, it’s been ten years already), so I’m open to product suggestions.

Well... ...oddly enough for someone who races cars and teaches others to
race cars, I find myself strangely disinterested in learning about
current offerings.

I used to read Road&Track every month, and eagerly read every page about
every car they tested, but I just don't anymore.

I had a good time in 2022 (I think it was 2022) teaching a student who
brought his Audi SQ7, but honestly I thought it was a bit ridiculous as
a car one would actually buy. Very capable, to be sure, but too big, too
heavy... ...just too much.

On Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 11:57:22 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> On 2024-02-01 03:24, -hh wrote:
> > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> >> On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> >>> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> >>>> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> >>>> …
> >>>>> Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> >>>>> started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> >>>>> to move there.
> >>>>
> >>>> Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> >>>> oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> >>>> have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> >>> ….
> >>>
> >>> I hope your retirement projections are better.
> >>
> >> They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> >> limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> >>
> >>> WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> >>> out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> >>
> >> It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> >> repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> >> longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> >> before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
> >
> > Apparently, Tommy is busy still calculating out his numbers for that simple ‘what if.’
> > Frankly, I didn’t think it was that hard of a question, for when the revenue is roughly
> > the same (or better) with zero labor required, most folks would say it’s a no-brainer.
> > replacement
> > In the meantime, the “Nashton Mystery Machine” is coming due on the clock for it to
> > be replaced (yeah, it’s been ten years already), so I’m open to product suggestions.
>
> Well... ...oddly enough for someone who races cars and teaches others to
> race cars, I find myself strangely disinterested in learning about
> current offerings.

Well, getting older doesn’t help. I think a lot of it is recognizing that there’s
basic capabilities and competencies which result in a lot of product that’s
not in top tier, allowing it to be cognitively ignored.

> I used to read Road&Track every month, and eagerly read every page about
> every car they tested, but I just don't anymore.

AutoWeek was my read; they’ve stopped publishing paper and IIRC that’s
why I’m now getting Car & Driver. Okay enough but it’s not like I make it
a point to read each issue the day it arrives.

> I had a good time in 2022 (I think it was 2022) teaching a student who
> brought his Audi SQ7, but honestly I thought it was a bit ridiculous as
> a car one would actually buy. Very capable, to be sure, but too big, too
> heavy... ...just too much.

The Q7 (& it’s twins) is a big platform, which a few customers will need,
but is also largely an example of American “supersize” in everyday life.
Reminds me of a coworker who ‘needed’ a GMC Suburban because
they had one teenager child. Naturally, both they & their spouse were
tipping 250lbs…a coincidence! /s

And also an example of the gratuitous horsepower of the last ~decade,
at the expense of fuel efficiency. The SQ7 has 500 HP; similarly, one
candidate I’m looking at has varying tiers where the slowest one apparently
has a 5 sec 0-60mph. While that would be fun to torque Nashton with, its
not really needed for public road driving. But marketing is marketing, etc..

Good news is that turbo-4’s have gotten a lot better in minimizing lag off
of a dead stop…but the likes of SUVs are still pushing a lot of air from an
efficiency standpoint, if that matters much based on one’s annual driving.
I’ve seen miles decline a lot during the CoVid telework change, so the
cost factor here isn’t as much of a factor..even at $4-$5/gallon. Plus it
also helps to live in a “compact” region where lots is close by, too.

-hh

On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > > So?
> > > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > > >
> > > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > > >
> > > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > > >
> > > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > > >
> > > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > > >
> > > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > > >
> > > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > > >
> > > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > > >
> > > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > > >
> > > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > > >
> > > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > > >
> > > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > > >
> > > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > > >
> > > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > > >
> > > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > > >
> > > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > > >
> > > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > > >
> > > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > > >
> > > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > > >
> > > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > > >
> > > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > > >
> > > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > > >
> > > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > > >
> > > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > > >
> > > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > > >
> > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > to move there.
> > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > > consulting trips.
> > > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > > beyond my capabilities.
> > > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> > > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> > >
> >
> > Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.
> Nah, it’s already been parametrically narrowed down that your average wage
> was under $100K/yr, and IIRC more like $78K, so “six digits” would be easily
> 20% higher.
> > I hope your retirement projections are better.
> They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
>
> -hh

On Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:15:46 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > > > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite..
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > > > So?
> > > > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > > > >
> > > > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > > > >
> > > > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > > > >
> > > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > > to move there.
> > > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > > > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > > > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > > > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > > > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > > > consulting trips.
> > > > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > > > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > > > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > > > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > > > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > > > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > > > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > > > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > > > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > > > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > > > beyond my capabilities.
> > > > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > > > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > > > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim.. For example, I never said where
> > > > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > > > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > > > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > > > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > > > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.
> > Nah, it’s already been parametrically narrowed down that your average wage
> > was under $100K/yr, and IIRC more like $78K, so “six digits” would be easily
> > 20% higher.
> > > I hope your retirement projections are better.
> > They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> > limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> > > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > > out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> > It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> > repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> > longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?

On Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 6:25:12 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> On Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:15:46 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website....
> > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > > > > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > > > > So?
> > > > > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www..hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > > > to move there.
> > > > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > > > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > > > > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > > > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > > > > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > > > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > > > > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > > > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > > > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > > > > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > > > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > > > > consulting trips.
> > > > > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > > > > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > > > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > > > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > > > > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > > > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > > > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > > > > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > > > > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > > > > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > > > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > > > > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > > > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits.. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > > > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > > > > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > > > > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > > > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > > > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > > > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > > > > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > > > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > > > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > > > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > > > > beyond my capabilities.
> > > > > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > > > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > > > > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > > > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > > > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > > > > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> > > > > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > > > > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > > > > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > > > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > > > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > > > > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > > > > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.
> > > Nah, it’s already been parametrically narrowed down that your average wage
> > > was under $100K/yr, and IIRC more like $78K, so “six digits” would be easily
> > > 20% higher.
> > > > I hope your retirement projections are better.
> > > They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> > > limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> > > > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > > > out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> > > It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> > > repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> > > longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
> Silence from Tommy on the $200K at age 63 question.
> > Just to make your head spin a little fast I offer the following.
> >
> > To get off to a good start we paid off the house in 2003. Knowing that we had no debt was a confidence booster.
> >
> > Your parametric "wage narrowing" is a joke as is the claim that taking that Chicago
> > job was a good idea for speeding up retirement.
> You're the one who tried to brag that the AVMA was a six-figure job. You've not only
> admitted that that was more than you were making where you were, but the other numbers
> you've provided have enabled a parametric estimate of at least how much more.
> > The limits on retirement contributions at the offered Chicago salary were a fraction
> > of what I was able to put away in a self-employed 401k.
> And the AVMA didn't offer any pension? Because the reason why the tax code allows
> self-employed businesses to have such higher 401k provisions is because there isn't an
> employer pension.
> > By putting away the max in my own 401k in 2003-2023 (last 2 years were 0) through my own
> > contributions and capital appreciation I built what is now an IRA worth well over $1 million today.
> Which if we KISS apply the 4% rule for an annuity equivalent is a pension of just $40K/year.
> > If I take what we put in minus RMD withdrawals the non-discounted net cash IRA outlay
> > has been $197k. I about 4 years the net will be zero. An employee plan with its lower
> > contributions would never have done that for IRA current value or past and future $RMD.
> But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
>
> Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> ended up with, which would be $500K ...
>
> ... and the ramifications of this are that the the employer's pension portion only needs
> to be just $20K/year to be at break-even. Less, if there was also an employer match
> going into the 401k.
> > And, of course, there are 4 other retirement accounts and a substantial amount of other
> > investments not in qualified plans. The wife worked for a while too after we got married in 2002.
> > Over that same 2003-2023 span we had one lean year with under $150k income.
> > The average was $204k. The decision to save as much as possible was very deliberate.
> Except that you've just admitted that there were 4 other retirement accounts plus RMDs
> that were all contributors to these income totals, which parametrically means that your
> years of working as a consultant must have always been *less* than the numbers you
> just stated above. Golly, more parameterizing.
> > We currently receive monthly: 2 pension, 2 Social Security, 5 RMD and 1 dividend payments.
> Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> to about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr out of your $204K/yr average,
> and there's still the RMDs to subtract off (and dividends) before one gets down to just
> what the average consultant gig was paying per year.
> > My ex-employer also heavily subsidizes our Medicare Supplement plans and pays for
> > my Part B premiums, all tax free.
> IIRC, I can expect to have ~five years of 100% free healthcare, after which it drops to
> just 70% subsidized. What did I win? /s
> > And, our investments' market value continues to grow long term. The 2023-2024 YoY growth
> > after the 2022 slump is over $500k. An unusual yoyo 2 years to be sure, but it all keeps the mind active.
> Golly, you already know what your 2024 growth was? /s
>
> Nah, its more likely that you're counting all of 2022, plus YTD, rather than just YoY, so as to
> squeeze out a slightly bigger number from the past five weeks' gains to try to brag about.
> > Life was much simpler when I got only a salary, bonuses and stock options. I say that,
> > but AMT liabilities arising from Incentive Stock Options income and later reclaiming AMT
> > after the ISO's stopped was a bit complicated and risky. Not to mention that you may
> > need to borrow the money to pay for the exercise and then wait at least a year to sell
> > to get LTCG treatment on a gain that may not materialize. See:
> >
> > https://www.esofund.com/blog/amt-tax-calculator#:~:text=If%20you%20exercise%20incentive%20stock%20options%20%28ISOs%29%20you,value%20at%20the%20time%20of%20exercise%20as%20income.
> >
> > https://www.brightonjones.com/blog/amt-stock-options/
> >
> > It took me over 10 years to reclaim the AMT I paid, but it was a nice Federal tax liability offset while it lasted.
> Of course, there's other ways to manage stock options which are less likely to trigger
> AMTs (plus AMT has temporarily disappeared as a real factor, due to the 2017 TCJA).
> > But more to the point, moving to Chicago would have meant losing family and friend
> > connections, downsizing, higher taxes and living expenses. It is likely that at that time,
> > having just paid off the house, we would need to mortgage a home in the Chicago suburbs.
> > Moving was never seriously considered for many reasons.
> Because one can never make new friends/etc. Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy
> is <200 miles. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that you mentioned it and how it was a "six figure"
> income opportunity, as that paramaterizes that you were earning less at the time.
> > I also enjoyed working for myself. It gave me the freedom to do jobs my way. I turned
> > engagements down too. You should try it, very liberating.
> Perhaps I already am, and just haven't bragged about it.
> > As for the consulting international trip count my underestimate is the result of those
> > forgotten ones being not very memorable. The few I did remember were mostly the
> > ones with the wife. The rest were just work. Fly somewhere, a meeting or two, fly
> > home. BFD. When working for Lilly those OUS trips often included 1-2 weeks, multiple
> > projects, and multiple destinations. More memorable, and some downtime to sightsee.
> Routine business travel does get tuned out ... but then not invoked in brag attempts.
> Given how you've kept such meticulous records and even counted air segments, its
> not really a particularly believable excuse.
> > Have you ever run a run your own business to the extent of having a self-employed 401k?
> I've never been laid off to have been compelled to strike out on my own to need to: with
> an existent employer 401k, any side business affairs don't need to incur the overhead to
> go duplicate that capability, as it is easy with multiple income streams to leverage them
> so as to facilitate shifting of expenses/income to maximize tax-advantaged accounts, etc.
>
>
> -hh

On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 10:16:10 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> On Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 6:25:12 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > On Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:15:46 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > > > > > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > > > > > So?
> > > > > > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > > > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > > > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > > > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > > > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > > > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > > > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > > > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > > > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > > > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > > > > to move there.
> > > > > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > > > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > > > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > > > > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > > > > > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > > > > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > > > > > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > > > > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > > > > > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > > > > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > > > > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > > > > > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > > > > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > > > > > consulting trips.
> > > > > > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > > > > > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > > > > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > > > > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > > > > > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > > > > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > > > > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > > > > > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > > > > > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > > > > > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > > > > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > > > > > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > > > > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > > > > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > > > > > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > > > > > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > > > > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > > > > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > > > > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > > > > > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > > > > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > > > > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > > > > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > > > > > beyond my capabilities.
> > > > > > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > > > > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > > > > > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > > > > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > > > > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > > > > > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> > > > > > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > > > > > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > > > > > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > > > > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > > > > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > > > > > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > > > > > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.
> > > > Nah, it’s already been parametrically narrowed down that your average wage
> > > > was under $100K/yr, and IIRC more like $78K, so “six digits” would be easily
> > > > 20% higher.
> > > > > I hope your retirement projections are better.
> > > > They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> > > > limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> > > > > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > > > > out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> > > >
> > > > It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> > > > repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> > > > longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
> >
> > Silence from Tommy on the $200K at age 63 question.

On 2024-02-02 00:27, -hh wrote:
> On Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 11:57:22 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
>> On 2024-02-01 03:24, -hh wrote:
>>> On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
>>>> On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
>>>>> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
>>>>>> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
>>>>>> …
>>>>>>> Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
>>>>>>> started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
>>>>>>> to move there.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
>>>>>> oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
>>>>>> have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
>>>>> ….
>>>>>
>>>>> I hope your retirement projections are better.
>>>>
>>>> They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
>>>> limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
>>>>
>>>>> WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
>>>>> out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
>>>>
>>>> It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
>>>> repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
>>>> longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
>>>> before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
>>>
>>> Apparently, Tommy is busy still calculating out his numbers for that simple ‘what if.’
>>> Frankly, I didn’t think it was that hard of a question, for when the revenue is roughly
>>> the same (or better) with zero labor required, most folks would say it’s a no-brainer.
>>> replacement
>>> In the meantime, the “Nashton Mystery Machine” is coming due on the clock for it to
>>> be replaced (yeah, it’s been ten years already), so I’m open to product suggestions.
>>
>> Well... ...oddly enough for someone who races cars and teaches others to
>> race cars, I find myself strangely disinterested in learning about
>> current offerings.
>
> Well, getting older doesn’t help. I think a lot of it is recognizing that there’s
> basic capabilities and competencies which result in a lot of product that’s
> not in top tier, allowing it to be cognitively ignored.

I think you'd agree that there's a lot that getting older "doesn't help"
with...

....but what's the alternative.

;-)

>
>> I used to read Road&Track every month, and eagerly read every page about
>> every car they tested, but I just don't anymore.
>
> AutoWeek was my read; they’ve stopped publishing paper and IIRC that’s
> why I’m now getting Car & Driver. Okay enough but it’s not like I make it
> a point to read each issue the day it arrives.

I always preferred R&T to C&D and I can't even tell you why I've almost
never read AutoWeek. Probably laziness.

;-)

>
>> I had a good time in 2022 (I think it was 2022) teaching a student who
>> brought his Audi SQ7, but honestly I thought it was a bit ridiculous as
>> a car one would actually buy. Very capable, to be sure, but too big, too
>> heavy... ...just too much.
>
> The Q7 (& it’s twins) is a big platform, which a few customers will need,
> but is also largely an example of American “supersize” in everyday life.
> Reminds me of a coworker who ‘needed’ a GMC Suburban because
> they had one teenager child. Naturally, both they & their spouse were
> tipping 250lbs…a coincidence! /s
>
> And also an example of the gratuitous horsepower of the last ~decade,
> at the expense of fuel efficiency. The SQ7 has 500 HP; similarly, one
> candidate I’m looking at has varying tiers where the slowest one apparently
> has a 5 sec 0-60mph. While that would be fun to torque Nashton with, its
> not really needed for public road driving. But marketing is marketing, etc.
>
> Good news is that turbo-4’s have gotten a lot better in minimizing lag off
> of a dead stop…but the likes of SUVs are still pushing a lot of air from an
> efficiency standpoint, if that matters much based on one’s annual driving.
> I’ve seen miles decline a lot during the CoVid telework change, so the
> cost factor here isn’t as much of a factor..even at $4-$5/gallon. Plus it
> also helps to live in a “compact” region where lots is close by, too.

I understand about efficiency. As much as I love the 135i, it still
stings when I realize I'm filling it up every week (pretty much) with 50
litres.

But you're right about turbo-lag having mosly been handled. The
twin-scroll turbo in the N55 engine basically feels like it doesn't have
lag—at least not if I'm driving in my own "sport mode"; meaning I'm
keeping the RPM nearer the HP peak than I would typically do when
cruising in the highway. I won't fault a turbo for lagging a little when
I'm in 6th gear and only turning just a couple of thousand revs.

:-)

On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 5:07:08 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> On 2024-02-02 00:27, -hh wrote:
> > On Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 11:57:22 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> >> On 2024-02-01 03:24, -hh wrote:
> >>> On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> >>>> On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> >>>>> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> >>>>>> On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E.. wrote:
> >>>>>> …
> >>>>>>> Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> >>>>>>> started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> >>>>>>> to move there.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> >>>>>> oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> >>>>>> have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> >>>>> ….
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I hope your retirement projections are better.
> >>>>
> >>>> They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> >>>> limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> >>>>
> >>>>> WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> >>>>> out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> >>>>
> >>>> It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> >>>> repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> >>>> longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> >>>> before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
> >>>
> >>> Apparently, Tommy is busy still calculating out his numbers for that simple ‘what if.’
> >>> Frankly, I didn’t think it was that hard of a question, for when the revenue is roughly
> >>> the same (or better) with zero labor required, most folks would say it’s a no-brainer.
> >>> replacement
> >>> In the meantime, the “Nashton Mystery Machine” is coming due on the clock for it to
> >>> be replaced (yeah, it’s been ten years already), so I’m open to product suggestions.
> >>
> >> Well... ...oddly enough for someone who races cars and teaches others to
> >> race cars, I find myself strangely disinterested in learning about
> >> current offerings.
> >
> > Well, getting older doesn’t help. I think a lot of it is recognizing that there’s
> > basic capabilities and competencies which result in a lot of product that’s
> > not in top tier, allowing it to be cognitively ignored.
>
> I think you'd agree that there's a lot that getting older "doesn't help"
> with...
>
> ...but what's the alternative.
>
> ;-)

Yup. Comes back to being aware of where one’s at and the future ahead,
such as informed by the retirement “smile” curve for budgeting, where it
starts as the “go go” years before progressing to the “go slow” years and
then finally the “no go” end. As such, there’s a finite number of ‘cars next’
before it will be no more.

> >> I used to read Road&Track every month, and eagerly read every page about
> >> every car they tested, but I just don't anymore.
> >
> > AutoWeek was my read; they’ve stopped publishing paper and IIRC that’s
> > why I’m now getting Car & Driver. Okay enough but it’s not like I make it
> > a point to read each issue the day it arrives.
>
> I always preferred R&T to C&D and I can't even tell you why I've almost
> never read AutoWeek. Probably laziness.
>
> ;-)

I found AutoWeek to have been few enough pages each publication such
that I’d pick it up & read through it when it arrived, as opposed to it being
set aside like many of my monthlies have..where it can then sit for weeks.

> >> I had a good time in 2022 (I think it was 2022) teaching a student who
> >> brought his Audi SQ7, but honestly I thought it was a bit ridiculous as
> >> a car one would actually buy. Very capable, to be sure, but too big, too
> >> heavy... ...just too much.
> >
> > The Q7 (& it’s twins) is a big platform, which a few customers will need,
> > but is also largely an example of American “supersize” in everyday life.
> > Reminds me of a coworker who ‘needed’ a GMC Suburban because
> > they had one teenager child. Naturally, both they & their spouse were
> > tipping 250lbs…a coincidence! /s
> >
> > And also an example of the gratuitous horsepower of the last ~decade,
> > at the expense of fuel efficiency. The SQ7 has 500 HP; similarly, one
> > candidate I’m looking at has varying tiers where the slowest one apparently
> > has a 5 sec 0-60mph. While that would be fun to torque Nashton with, its
> > not really needed for public road driving. But marketing is marketing, etc.
> >
> > Good news is that turbo-4’s have gotten a lot better in minimizing lag off
> > of a dead stop…but the likes of SUVs are still pushing a lot of air from an
> > efficiency standpoint, if that matters much based on one’s annual driving.
> > I’ve seen miles decline a lot during the CoVid telework change, so the
> > cost factor here isn’t as much of a factor..even at $4-$5/gallon. Plus it
> > also helps to live in a “compact” region where lots is close by, too.
>
> I understand about efficiency. As much as I love the 135i, it still
> stings when I realize I'm filling it up every week (pretty much) with 50
> litres.

Telework really crashed our mileages; I figure it cut at least 15,000
miles off our annual totals … at ~25mpg, that’s ~600 gallons, for a
ballpark savings of somewhere around $2K/yr.

> But you're right about turbo-lag having mosly been handled. The
> twin-scroll turbo in the N55 engine basically feels like it doesn't have
> lag—at least not if I'm driving in my own "sport mode"; meaning I'm
> keeping the RPM nearer the HP peak than I would typically do when
> cruising in the highway. I won't fault a turbo for lagging a little when
> I'm in 6th gear and only turning just a couple of thousand revs.
>
> :-)

I’ve found the most noticeable delta between a single vs double scroll is
from a stop. Sure, one could double-pedal it to bring the rpm’s up before
launch, but this is for mundane around-town stuff. I still wonder why anyone
would actually pay extra to add “launch control.

-hh

On 2024-02-05 16:16, -hh wrote:
>>>> Well... ...oddly enough for someone who races cars and teaches others to
>>>> race cars, I find myself strangely disinterested in learning about
>>>> current offerings.
>>>
>>> Well, getting older doesn’t help. I think a lot of it is recognizing that there’s
>>> basic capabilities and competencies which result in a lot of product that’s
>>> not in top tier, allowing it to be cognitively ignored.
>>
>> I think you'd agree that there's a lot that getting older "doesn't help"
>> with...
>>
>> ...but what's the alternative.
>>
>> ;-)
>
> Yup. Comes back to being aware of where one’s at and the future ahead,
> such as informed by the retirement “smile” curve for budgeting, where it
> starts as the “go go” years before progressing to the “go slow” years and
> then finally the “no go” end. As such, there’s a finite number of ‘cars next’
> before it will be no more.

Truth.

>
>>>> I used to read Road&Track every month, and eagerly read every page about
>>>> every car they tested, but I just don't anymore.
>>>
>>> AutoWeek was my read; they’ve stopped publishing paper and IIRC that’s
>>> why I’m now getting Car & Driver. Okay enough but it’s not like I make it
>>> a point to read each issue the day it arrives.
>>
>> I always preferred R&T to C&D and I can't even tell you why I've almost
>> never read AutoWeek. Probably laziness.
>>
>> ;-)
>
> I found AutoWeek to have been few enough pages each publication such
> that I’d pick it up & read through it when it arrived, as opposed to it being
> set aside like many of my monthlies have..where it can then sit for weeks.

I think I've identified a fundamental difference between us:

I love to binge:

TV Shows

Books

Magazines.

If I get a magazine, I'll read it from cover to cover in the next 24
hours... ...or less.

>
>>>> I had a good time in 2022 (I think it was 2022) teaching a student who
>>>> brought his Audi SQ7, but honestly I thought it was a bit ridiculous as
>>>> a car one would actually buy. Very capable, to be sure, but too big, too
>>>> heavy... ...just too much.
>>>
>>> The Q7 (& it’s twins) is a big platform, which a few customers will need,
>>> but is also largely an example of American “supersize” in everyday life.
>>> Reminds me of a coworker who ‘needed’ a GMC Suburban because
>>> they had one teenager child. Naturally, both they & their spouse were
>>> tipping 250lbs…a coincidence! /s
>>>
>>> And also an example of the gratuitous horsepower of the last ~decade,
>>> at the expense of fuel efficiency. The SQ7 has 500 HP; similarly, one
>>> candidate I’m looking at has varying tiers where the slowest one apparently
>>> has a 5 sec 0-60mph. While that would be fun to torque Nashton with, its
>>> not really needed for public road driving. But marketing is marketing, etc.
>>>
>>> Good news is that turbo-4’s have gotten a lot better in minimizing lag off
>>> of a dead stop…but the likes of SUVs are still pushing a lot of air from an
>>> efficiency standpoint, if that matters much based on one’s annual driving.
>>> I’ve seen miles decline a lot during the CoVid telework change, so the
>>> cost factor here isn’t as much of a factor..even at $4-$5/gallon. Plus it
>>> also helps to live in a “compact” region where lots is close by, too.
>>
>> I understand about efficiency. As much as I love the 135i, it still
>> stings when I realize I'm filling it up every week (pretty much) with 50
>> litres.
>
> Telework really crashed our mileages; I figure it cut at least 15,000
> miles off our annual totals … at ~25mpg, that’s ~600 gallons, for a
> ballpark savings of somewhere around $2K/yr.

I don't even want to think about how high the bill would be without
telework. But visiting my sister-in-law and niece on a regular
basis—formerly 45 minutes away, now more like 75—puts a serious numbers
of miles on the BMW.

>
>> But you're right about turbo-lag having mosly been handled. The
>> twin-scroll turbo in the N55 engine basically feels like it doesn't have
>> lag—at least not if I'm driving in my own "sport mode"; meaning I'm
>> keeping the RPM nearer the HP peak than I would typically do when
>> cruising in the highway. I won't fault a turbo for lagging a little when
>> I'm in 6th gear and only turning just a couple of thousand revs.
>>
>> :-)
>
> I’ve found the most noticeable delta between a single vs double scroll is
> from a stop. Sure, one could double-pedal it to bring the rpm’s up before
> launch, but this is for mundane around-town stuff. I still wonder why anyone
> would actually pay extra to add “launch control.

Are you a fan of Top Gear?

They talked about launch control and how silly it is in everyday
driving. I won't pretend to remember the precise words, but basically
they talked about how big a prat you'd look, sitting at a stoplight,
revving the engine to 3000-4000 RPM,

On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 7:46:43 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> On 2024-02-05 16:16, -hh wrote:
> >>>> Well... ...oddly enough for someone who races cars and teaches others to
> >>>> race cars, I find myself strangely disinterested in learning about
> >>>> current offerings.
> >>>
> >>> Well, getting older doesn’t help. I think a lot of it is recognizing that there’s
> >>> basic capabilities and competencies which result in a lot of product that’s
> >>> not in top tier, allowing it to be cognitively ignored.
> >>
> >> I think you'd agree that there's a lot that getting older "doesn't help"
> >> with...
> >>
> >> ...but what's the alternative.
> >>
> >> ;-)
> >
> > Yup. Comes back to being aware of where one’s at and the future ahead,
> > such as informed by the retirement “smile” curve for budgeting, where it
> > starts as the “go go” years before progressing to the “go slow” years and
> > then finally the “no go” end. As such, there’s a finite number of ‘cars next’
> > before it will be no more.
> Truth.
> >
> >>>> I used to read Road&Track every month, and eagerly read every page about
> >>>> every car they tested, but I just don't anymore.
> >>>
> >>> AutoWeek was my read; they’ve stopped publishing paper and IIRC that’s
> >>> why I’m now getting Car & Driver. Okay enough but it’s not like I make it
> >>> a point to read each issue the day it arrives.
> >>
> >> I always preferred R&T to C&D and I can't even tell you why I've almost
> >> never read AutoWeek. Probably laziness.
> >>
> >> ;-)
> >
> > I found AutoWeek to have been few enough pages each publication such
> > that I’d pick it up & read through it when it arrived, as opposed to it being
> > set aside like many of my monthlies have..where it can then sit for weeks.
>
> I think I've identified a fundamental difference between us:
>
> I love to binge:
>
> TV Shows
>
> Books
>
> Magazines.
>
> If I get a magazine, I'll read it from cover to cover in the next 24
> hours... ...or less.

I’d love to be able to do that, but competing interests for time, especially in the
pre-CoVid commuting era: get home, check Mail, make dinner, pay bills, do
chores, etc. Saturday mornings used to be a respite; often would spend the
time then on Photoshop/Web development creation.

> >>>> I had a good time in 2022 (I think it was 2022) teaching a student who
> >>>> brought his Audi SQ7, but honestly I thought it was a bit ridiculous as
> >>>> a car one would actually buy. Very capable, to be sure, but too big, too
> >>>> heavy... ...just too much.
> >>>
> >>> The Q7 (& it’s twins) is a big platform, which a few customers will need,
> >>> but is also largely an example of American “supersize” in everyday life.
> >>> Reminds me of a coworker who ‘needed’ a GMC Suburban because
> >>> they had one teenager child. Naturally, both they & their spouse were
> >>> tipping 250lbs…a coincidence! /s
> >>>
> >>> And also an example of the gratuitous horsepower of the last ~decade,
> >>> at the expense of fuel efficiency. The SQ7 has 500 HP; similarly, one
> >>> candidate I’m looking at has varying tiers where the slowest one apparently
> >>> has a 5 sec 0-60mph. While that would be fun to torque Nashton with, its
> >>> not really needed for public road driving. But marketing is marketing, etc.
> >>>
> >>> Good news is that turbo-4’s have gotten a lot better in minimizing lag off
> >>> of a dead stop…but the likes of SUVs are still pushing a lot of air from an
> >>> efficiency standpoint, if that matters much based on one’s annual driving.
> >>> I’ve seen miles decline a lot during the CoVid telework change, so the
> >>> cost factor here isn’t as much of a factor..even at $4-$5/gallon. Plus it
> >>> also helps to live in a “compact” region where lots is close by, too.
> >>
> >> I understand about efficiency. As much as I love the 135i, it still
> >> stings when I realize I'm filling it up every week (pretty much) with 50
> >> litres.
> >
> > Telework really crashed our mileages; I figure it cut at least 15,000
> > miles off our annual totals … at ~25mpg, that’s ~600 gallons, for a
> > ballpark savings of somewhere around $2K/yr.
>
> I don't even want to think about how high the bill would be without
> telework. But visiting my sister-in-law and niece on a regular
> basis—formerly 45 minutes away, now more like 75—puts a serious
> numbers of miles on the BMW.

Understood. I was on a routine for a few years of ~500 mile weekends
~1X/month to help take care of my mom.

> >> But you're right about turbo-lag having mosly been handled. The
> >> twin-scroll turbo in the N55 engine basically feels like it doesn't have
> >> lag—at least not if I'm driving in my own "sport mode"; meaning I'm
> >> keeping the RPM nearer the HP peak than I would typically do when
> >> cruising in the highway. I won't fault a turbo for lagging a little when
> >> I'm in 6th gear and only turning just a couple of thousand revs.
> >>
> >> :-)
> >
> > I’ve found the most noticeable delta between a single vs double scroll is
> > from a stop. Sure, one could double-pedal it to bring the rpm’s up before
> > launch, but this is for mundane around-town stuff. I still wonder why anyone
> > would actually pay extra to add “launch control.
>
> Are you a fan of Top Gear?

I’m aware of it and have seen some clips, but didn’t have the TV
channel to regularly watch it.

> They talked about launch control and how silly it is in everyday
> driving. I won't pretend to remember the precise words, but basically
> they talked about how big a prat you'd look, sitting at a stoplight,
> revving the engine to 3000-4000 RPM,

Yup, pretty much a novelty gimmick AFAIC for wannabe's like Nashton
who believe that 0-60/etc is the sole meaningful performance metric.

Thus said, looks like if I were to stick with the same make/model as
present, the decade has improved the 0-60mph by 0.6sec…probably
the classical “keeping up with the Jones” spec creep over time.

-hh

On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 1:43:08 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 10:16:10 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > On Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 6:25:12 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > On Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:15:46 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E.. wrote:
> > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia..ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > > > > > > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > > > > > > So?
> > > > > > > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > > > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > > > > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > > > > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > > > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > > > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > > > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > > > > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > > > > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > > > > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > > > > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > > > > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > > > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > > > > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > > > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > > > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > > > > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > > > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > > > > > to move there.
> > > > > > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > > > > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > > > > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > > > > > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > > > > > > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > > > > > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > > > > > > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > > > > > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > > > > > > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > > > > > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > > > > > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > > > > > > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > > > > > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > > > > > > consulting trips.
> > > > > > > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > > > > > > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > > > > > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > > > > > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > > > > > > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > > > > > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > > > > > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > > > > > > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > > > > > > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > > > > > > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > > > > > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > > > > > > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > > > > > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > > > > > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > > > > > > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > > > > > > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > > > > > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > > > > > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > > > > > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > > > > > > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > > > > > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > > > > > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > > > > > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > > > > > > beyond my capabilities.
> > > > > > > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > > > > > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > > > > > > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > > > > > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > > > > > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > > > > > > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> > > > > > > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > > > > > > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > > > > > > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > > > > > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > > > > > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > > > > > > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > > > > > > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.
> > > > > Nah, it’s already been parametrically narrowed down that your average wage
> > > > > was under $100K/yr, and IIRC more like $78K, so “six digits” would be easily
> > > > > 20% higher.
> > > > > > I hope your retirement projections are better.
> > > > > They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> > > > > limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> > > > > > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > > > > > out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> > > > >
> > > > > It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> > > > > repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> > > > > longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
> > >
> > > Silence from Tommy on the $200K at age 63 question.
> Still
> > > > Just to make your head spin a little fast I offer the following.
> > > >
> > > > To get off to a good start we paid off the house in 2003. Knowing that we had no debt was a confidence booster.
> > > >
> > > > Your parametric "wage narrowing" is a joke as is the claim that taking that Chicago
> > > > job was a good idea for speeding up retirement.
> > > You're the one who tried to brag that the AVMA was a six-figure job. You've not only
> > > admitted that that was more than you were making where you were, but the other numbers
> > > you've provided have enabled a parametric estimate of at least how much more.
> > > > The limits on retirement contributions at the offered Chicago salary were a fraction
> > > > of what I was able to put away in a self-employed 401k.
> > > And the AVMA didn't offer any pension? Because the reason why the tax code allows
> > > self-employed businesses to have such higher 401k provisions is because there isn't an
> > > employer pension.
> > > > By putting away the max in my own 401k in 2003-2023 (last 2 years were 0) through my own
> > > > contributions and capital appreciation I built what is now an IRA worth well over $1 million today.
> > > Which if we KISS apply the 4% rule for an annuity equivalent is a pension of just $40K/year.
> > > > If I take what we put in minus RMD withdrawals the non-discounted net cash IRA outlay
> > > > has been $197k. I about 4 years the net will be zero. An employee plan with its lower
> > > > contributions would never have done that for IRA current value or past and future $RMD.
> > > But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > >
> > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > ended up with, which would be $500K ...
> > >
> > > ... and the ramifications of this are that the the employer's pension portion only needs
> > > to be just $20K/year to be at break-even. Less, if there was also an employer match
> > > going into the 401k.
> > > > And, of course, there are 4 other retirement accounts and a substantial amount of other
> > > > investments not in qualified plans. The wife worked for a while too after we got married in 2002.
> > > > Over that same 2003-2023 span we had one lean year with under $150k income.
> > > > The average was $204k. The decision to save as much as possible was very deliberate.
> > > Except that you've just admitted that there were 4 other retirement accounts plus RMDs
> > > that were all contributors to these income totals, which parametrically means that your
> > > years of working as a consultant must have always been *less* than the numbers you
> > > just stated above. Golly, more parameterizing.
> > > > We currently receive monthly: 2 pension, 2 Social Security, 5 RMD and 1 dividend payments.
> > > Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > to about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr out of your $204K/yr average,
> > > and there's still the RMDs to subtract off (and dividends) before one gets down to just
> > > what the average consultant gig was paying per year.
> > >
> > > > My ex-employer also heavily subsidizes our Medicare Supplement plans and pays for
> > > > my Part B premiums, all tax free.
> > >
> > > IIRC, I can expect to have ~five years of 100% free healthcare, after which it drops to
> > > just 70% subsidized. What did I win? /s
> That 'heavily subsidized' is probably the $6K/year that Tommy mentioned in July 2019
> as a 2016 change in his retirement benefits. At that time he also noted that it apparently
> wasn't indexed to inflation. Hopefully that has changed for the better for him.
> > > > And, our investments' market value continues to grow long term. The 2023-2024 YoY growth
> > > > after the 2022 slump is over $500k. An unusual yoyo 2 years to be sure, but it all keeps the mind active.
> > >
> > > Golly, you already know what your 2024 growth was? /s
> > >
> > > Nah, its more likely that you're counting all of 2022, plus YTD, rather than just YoY, so as to
> > > squeeze out a slightly bigger number from the past five weeks' gains to try to brag about.
> > >
> > > > Life was much simpler when I got only a salary, bonuses and stock options. I say that,
> > > > but AMT liabilities arising from Incentive Stock Options income and later reclaiming AMT
> > > > after the ISO's stopped was a bit complicated and risky. Not to mention that you may
> > > > need to borrow the money to pay for the exercise and then wait at least a year to sell
> > > > to get LTCG treatment on a gain that may not materialize. See:
> > > >
> > > > https://www.esofund.com/blog/amt-tax-calculator#:~:text=If%20you%20exercise%20incentive%20stock%20options%20%28ISOs%29%20you,value%20at%20the%20time%20of%20exercise%20as%20income.
> > > >
> > > > https://www.brightonjones.com/blog/amt-stock-options/
> > > >
> > > > It took me over 10 years to reclaim the AMT I paid, but it was a nice Federal tax liability offset while it lasted.
> > > Of course, there's other ways to manage stock options which are less likely to trigger
> > > AMTs (plus AMT has temporarily disappeared as a real factor, due to the 2017 TCJA).
> > > > But more to the point, moving to Chicago would have meant losing family and friend
> > > > connections, downsizing, higher taxes and living expenses. It is likely that at that time,
> > > > having just paid off the house, we would need to mortgage a home in the Chicago suburbs.
> > > > Moving was never seriously considered for many reasons.
> > > Because one can never make new friends/etc. Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy
> > > is <200 miles. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that you mentioned it and how it was a "six figure"
> > > income opportunity, as that paramaterizes that you were earning less at the time.
> > > > I also enjoyed working for myself. It gave me the freedom to do jobs my way. I turned
> > > > engagements down too. You should try it, very liberating.
> > > Perhaps I already am, and just haven't bragged about it.
> > > > As for the consulting international trip count my underestimate is the result of those
> > > > forgotten ones being not very memorable. The few I did remember were mostly the
> > > > ones with the wife. The rest were just work. Fly somewhere, a meeting or two, fly
> > > > home. BFD. When working for Lilly those OUS trips often included 1-2 weeks, multiple
> > > > projects, and multiple destinations. More memorable, and some downtime to sightsee.
> > > Routine business travel does get tuned out ... but then not invoked in brag attempts.
> > > Given how you've kept such meticulous records and even counted air segments, its
> > > not really a particularly believable excuse.
> > > > Have you ever run a run your own business to the extent of having a self-employed 401k?
> > > I've never been laid off to have been compelled to strike out on my own to need to: with
> > > an existent employer 401k, any side business affairs don't need to incur the overhead to
> > > go duplicate that capability, as it is easy with multiple income streams to leverage them
> > > so as to facilitate shifting of expenses/income to maximize tax-advantaged accounts, etc.
> > >
> > >
> >
> > I'm going to answer just these comments:
> > "But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> >
> > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > ended up with, which would be $500K"
> >
> > I never got to the stage of asking about fringe benefits. The prospect of relocating to
> > Chicago killed it. As the AVMA is a not-for-profit I doubt that the retirement benefits
> > were very generous.
> So you didn't even look? Pity, for there's a 2016 comment on Glassdoor that says that their
> employer 401k match is up to 10%, which for a $100K+ salary is an additional +$10K+/year,
> which is a 40% increase in contributions (using 2016's limit of $24K, an employer's 10% of
> $100K = +$10K = $34K/$24K = 1.42 = a +42% higher rate of investment.
> > Also I was already almost 57 at the time, so it was going to be short term there, not
> > much chance to build up credits or a 401k
> So? The point was only that it would be *shorter* than what you actually did, which was age 75+.
> > Your 500k assumes that I would have worked there well past age 65.
> But not to age 75 (actually 78), which is where your current 401k balance comes from.
>
> Now using Glassdoor's reported 10% employer match, the accumulation rate would
> have been substantially (+42%) higher than than what was modeled in the $500K KISS,
> and that (plus whatever employer pension) is how working years get chopped off.
> Keeping it simple by ignoring progressive compounding/etc from more money earlier,
> figure roughly 20 years/1.42 = 14 years, which is ~6 years earlier for retirement.
> > And, you are assuming things about an AVMA 401k plan. Sorry, but again you
> > assume facts not in evidence. ie, you lied
> False: I simply noted that the baseline parameterization didn't assume that there
> was any employer match from AVMA to sweeten the deal.
>
> But now that we know that they do, we can update those numbers, as seen above.
> And this is just from the 401k benefits portion, still not counting any additional pension.
> > "Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy is <200 miles."
> > Are you f'ing kidding. You cannot use CAP aircraft for personal flying!
> Except for how you've previously admitted to using one of CAP's vans for personal use,
> so we know that you're already predisposed to trying such things.
> > "Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr"
> >
> > LOL again! The pensions and SS add up to under $100k. The rest is dividends and RMD's.
> > Which is the payoff for all that fun I had consulting.
> Tommy, on Jan 26, 2024, 8:04:32 PM: "I get within a few dollars of the maximum for age
> claiming at 66." which if you're telling the truth is ~$45K of that claimed "under $100K",
> which means that the other three sum to <$55K and would average just $18.3K each.
>
> An average SS pension is ~$1500/mo = $18K/yr, so assuming that for the Mrs, the balance
> after SS is just $37K/yr for the sum of the two pensions. Since you've bragged about your
> Eli Lilly "golden parachute" & pension from working there for 23 years, if it alone was less
> than $35K, it would IMO be just an average pension amount.
> > You are spending a lot of time stalking my finances.
> Merely because you've invested so much here in telling everyone about your finances
> and how we're apparently supposed to be impressed and jealous of you. It's been
> a modestly entertaining math puzzle.
> > All to no avail. You will never have the complete picture, and if you did there are many
> > alternatives you could suggest. What I did worked.
> It did "work" ... eventually ... taking you into your upper 70s, which is clearly why
> the aforementioned question is *still* being dodged by Tommy:
> "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> Well?
>
> -hh

On Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 11:47:36 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 1:43:08 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 10:16:10 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > On Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 6:25:12 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > On Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:15:46 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > > > > > > > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > > > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > > > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > > > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > > > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > > > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > > > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > > > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > > > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > > > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > > > > > > > So?
> > > > > > > > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > > > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > > > > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > > > > > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > > > > > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > > > > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > > > > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > > > > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > > > > > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > > > > > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > > > > > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > > > > > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > > > > > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > > > > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > > > > > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > > > > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > > > > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > > > > > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > > > > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > > > > > > to move there.
> > > > > > > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > > > > > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > > > > > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > > > > > > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > > > > > > > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > > > > > > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > > > > > > > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > > > > > > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > > > > > > > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > > > > > > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > > > > > > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > > > > > > > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > > > > > > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > > > > > > > consulting trips.
> > > > > > > > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > > > > > > > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > > > > > > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > > > > > > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > > > > > > > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > > > > > > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > > > > > > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > > > > > > > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > > > > > > > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > > > > > > > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > > > > > > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > > > > > > > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > > > > > > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > > > > > > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > > > > > > > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > > > > > > > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > > > > > > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C.. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > > > > > > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > > > > > > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > > > > > > > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > > > > > > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > > > > > > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > > > > > > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > > > > > > > beyond my capabilities.
> > > > > > > > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > > > > > > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > > > > > > > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > > > > > > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > > > > > > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > > > > > > > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> > > > > > > > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > > > > > > > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > > > > > > > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > > > > > > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > > > > > > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > > > > > > > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > > > > > > > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.
> > > > > > Nah, it’s already been parametrically narrowed down that your average wage
> > > > > > was under $100K/yr, and IIRC more like $78K, so “six digits” would be easily
> > > > > > 20% higher.
> > > > > > > I hope your retirement projections are better.
> > > > > > They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> > > > > > limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> > > > > > > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > > > > > > out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> > > > > > repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> > > > > > longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > > > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
> > > >
> > > > Silence from Tommy on the $200K at age 63 question.
> > Still
> > > > > Just to make your head spin a little fast I offer the following.
> > > > >
> > > > > To get off to a good start we paid off the house in 2003. Knowing that we had no debt was a confidence booster.
> > > > >
> > > > > Your parametric "wage narrowing" is a joke as is the claim that taking that Chicago
> > > > > job was a good idea for speeding up retirement.
> > > > You're the one who tried to brag that the AVMA was a six-figure job.. You've not only
> > > > admitted that that was more than you were making where you were, but the other numbers
> > > > you've provided have enabled a parametric estimate of at least how much more.
> > > > > The limits on retirement contributions at the offered Chicago salary were a fraction
> > > > > of what I was able to put away in a self-employed 401k.
> > > > And the AVMA didn't offer any pension? Because the reason why the tax code allows
> > > > self-employed businesses to have such higher 401k provisions is because there isn't an
> > > > employer pension.
> > > > > By putting away the max in my own 401k in 2003-2023 (last 2 years were 0) through my own
> > > > > contributions and capital appreciation I built what is now an IRA worth well over $1 million today.
> > > > Which if we KISS apply the 4% rule for an annuity equivalent is a pension of just $40K/year.
> > > > > If I take what we put in minus RMD withdrawals the non-discounted net cash IRA outlay
> > > > > has been $197k. I about 4 years the net will be zero. An employee plan with its lower
> > > > > contributions would never have done that for IRA current value or past and future $RMD.
> > > > But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > > >
> > > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > > ended up with, which would be $500K ...
> > > >
> > > > ... and the ramifications of this are that the the employer's pension portion only needs
> > > > to be just $20K/year to be at break-even. Less, if there was also an employer match
> > > > going into the 401k.
> > > > > And, of course, there are 4 other retirement accounts and a substantial amount of other
> > > > > investments not in qualified plans. The wife worked for a while too after we got married in 2002.
> > > > > Over that same 2003-2023 span we had one lean year with under $150k income.
> > > > > The average was $204k. The decision to save as much as possible was very deliberate.
> > > > Except that you've just admitted that there were 4 other retirement accounts plus RMDs
> > > > that were all contributors to these income totals, which parametrically means that your
> > > > years of working as a consultant must have always been *less* than the numbers you
> > > > just stated above. Golly, more parameterizing.
> > > > > We currently receive monthly: 2 pension, 2 Social Security, 5 RMD and 1 dividend payments.
> > > > Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > > to about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr out of your $204K/yr average,
> > > > and there's still the RMDs to subtract off (and dividends) before one gets down to just
> > > > what the average consultant gig was paying per year.
> > > >
> > > > > My ex-employer also heavily subsidizes our Medicare Supplement plans and pays for
> > > > > my Part B premiums, all tax free.
> > > >
> > > > IIRC, I can expect to have ~five years of 100% free healthcare, after which it drops to
> > > > just 70% subsidized. What did I win? /s
> >
> > That 'heavily subsidized' is probably the $6K/year that Tommy mentioned in July 2019
> > as a 2016 change in his retirement benefits. At that time he also noted that it apparently
> > wasn't indexed to inflation. Hopefully that has changed for the better for him.

On Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 3:12:56 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> On Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 11:47:36 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 1:43:08 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 10:16:10 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > On Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 6:25:12 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > On Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:15:46 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > > > > > > > > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > > > > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > > > > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > > > > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > > > > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > So?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > > > > > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027.. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > > > > > > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ...
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > > > > > > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > > > > > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > > > > > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > > > > > > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > > > > > > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > > > > > > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > > > > > > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > > > > > > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > > > > > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > > > > > > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > > > > > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > > > > > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > > > > > > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > > > > > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > > > > > > > to move there.
> > > > > > > > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > > > > > > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > > > > > > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > > > > > > > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > > > > > > > > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > > > > > > > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > > > > > > > > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > > > > > > > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > > > > > > > > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > > > > > > > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > > > > > > > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > > > > > > > > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > > > > > > > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > > > > > > > > consulting trips.
> > > > > > > > > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > > > > > > > > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > > > > > > > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > > > > > > > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > > > > > > > > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > > > > > > > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > > > > > > > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > > > > > > > > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > > > > > > > > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > > > > > > > > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > > > > > > > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > > > > > > > > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > > > > > > > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > > > > > > > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > > > > > > > > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > > > > > > > > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > > > > > > > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > > > > > > > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > > > > > > > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > > > > > > > > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > > > > > > > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > > > > > > > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > > > > > > > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > > > > > > > > beyond my capabilities.
> > > > > > > > > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > > > > > > > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > > > > > > > > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > > > > > > > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > > > > > > > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > > > > > > > > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> > > > > > > > > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > > > > > > > > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > > > > > > > > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > > > > > > > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > > > > > > > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > > > > > > > > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > > > > > > > > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.
> > > > > > > Nah, it’s already been parametrically narrowed down that your average wage
> > > > > > > was under $100K/yr, and IIRC more like $78K, so “six digits” would be easily
> > > > > > > 20% higher.
> > > > > > > > I hope your retirement projections are better.
> > > > > > > They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> > > > > > > limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> > > > > > > > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > > > > > > > out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> > > > > > > repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> > > > > > > longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > > > > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
> > > > >
> > > > > Silence from Tommy on the $200K at age 63 question.
> > > Still
> > > > > > Just to make your head spin a little fast I offer the following..
> > > > > >
> > > > > > To get off to a good start we paid off the house in 2003. Knowing that we had no debt was a confidence booster.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Your parametric "wage narrowing" is a joke as is the claim that taking that Chicago
> > > > > > job was a good idea for speeding up retirement.
> > > > > You're the one who tried to brag that the AVMA was a six-figure job. You've not only
> > > > > admitted that that was more than you were making where you were, but the other numbers
> > > > > you've provided have enabled a parametric estimate of at least how much more.
> > > > > > The limits on retirement contributions at the offered Chicago salary were a fraction
> > > > > > of what I was able to put away in a self-employed 401k.
> > > > > And the AVMA didn't offer any pension? Because the reason why the tax code allows
> > > > > self-employed businesses to have such higher 401k provisions is because there isn't an
> > > > > employer pension.
> > > > > > By putting away the max in my own 401k in 2003-2023 (last 2 years were 0) through my own
> > > > > > contributions and capital appreciation I built what is now an IRA worth well over $1 million today.
> > > > > Which if we KISS apply the 4% rule for an annuity equivalent is a pension of just $40K/year.
> > > > > > If I take what we put in minus RMD withdrawals the non-discounted net cash IRA outlay
> > > > > > has been $197k. I about 4 years the net will be zero. An employee plan with its lower
> > > > > > contributions would never have done that for IRA current value or past and future $RMD.
> > > > > But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > > > >
> > > > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > > > ended up with, which would be $500K ...
> > > > >
> > > > > ... and the ramifications of this are that the the employer's pension portion only needs
> > > > > to be just $20K/year to be at break-even. Less, if there was also an employer match
> > > > > going into the 401k.
> > > > > > And, of course, there are 4 other retirement accounts and a substantial amount of other
> > > > > > investments not in qualified plans. The wife worked for a while too after we got married in 2002.
> > > > > > Over that same 2003-2023 span we had one lean year with under $150k income.
> > > > > > The average was $204k. The decision to save as much as possible was very deliberate.
> > > > > Except that you've just admitted that there were 4 other retirement accounts plus RMDs
> > > > > that were all contributors to these income totals, which parametrically means that your
> > > > > years of working as a consultant must have always been *less* than the numbers you
> > > > > just stated above. Golly, more parameterizing.
> > > > > > We currently receive monthly: 2 pension, 2 Social Security, 5 RMD and 1 dividend payments.
> > > > > Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > > > to about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr out of your $204K/yr average,
> > > > > and there's still the RMDs to subtract off (and dividends) before one gets down to just
> > > > > what the average consultant gig was paying per year.
> > > > >
> > > > > > My ex-employer also heavily subsidizes our Medicare Supplement plans and pays for
> > > > > > my Part B premiums, all tax free.
> > > > >
> > > > > IIRC, I can expect to have ~five years of 100% free healthcare, after which it drops to
> > > > > just 70% subsidized. What did I win? /s
> > >
> > > That 'heavily subsidized' is probably the $6K/year that Tommy mentioned in July 2019
> > > as a 2016 change in his retirement benefits. At that time he also noted that it apparently
> > > wasn't indexed to inflation. Hopefully that has changed for the better for him.
> FWIW, I did a verification check on my own benefits; the permanent "70% subsidy" part has a
> cap of $15K/year in 2024, so more expensive plans can have a lower contribution percentage.
> > > > > > And, our investments' market value continues to grow long term. The 2023-2024 YoY growth
> > > > > > after the 2022 slump is over $500k. An unusual yoyo 2 years to be sure, but it all keeps the mind active.
> > > > >
> > > > > Golly, you already know what your 2024 growth was? /s
> > > > >
> > > > > Nah, its more likely that you're counting all of 2022, plus YTD, rather than just YoY, so as to
> > > > > squeeze out a slightly bigger number from the past five weeks' gains to try to brag about.
> > > > >
> > > > > > Life was much simpler when I got only a salary, bonuses and stock options. I say that,
> > > > > > but AMT liabilities arising from Incentive Stock Options income and later reclaiming AMT
> > > > > > after the ISO's stopped was a bit complicated and risky. Not to mention that you may
> > > > > > need to borrow the money to pay for the exercise and then wait at least a year to sell
> > > > > > to get LTCG treatment on a gain that may not materialize. See:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > https://www.esofund.com/blog/amt-tax-calculator#:~:text=If%20you%20exercise%20incentive%20stock%20options%20%28ISOs%29%20you,value%20at%20the%20time%20of%20exercise%20as%20income.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > https://www.brightonjones.com/blog/amt-stock-options/
> > > > > >
> > > > > > It took me over 10 years to reclaim the AMT I paid, but it was a nice Federal tax liability offset while it lasted.
> > > > > Of course, there's other ways to manage stock options which are less likely to trigger
> > > > > AMTs (plus AMT has temporarily disappeared as a real factor, due to the 2017 TCJA).
> > > > > > But more to the point, moving to Chicago would have meant losing family and friend
> > > > > > connections, downsizing, higher taxes and living expenses. It is likely that at that time,
> > > > > > having just paid off the house, we would need to mortgage a home in the Chicago suburbs.
> > > > > > Moving was never seriously considered for many reasons.
> > > > > Because one can never make new friends/etc. Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy
> > > > > is <200 miles. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that you mentioned it and how it was a "six figure"
> > > > > income opportunity, as that paramaterizes that you were earning less at the time.
> > > > > > I also enjoyed working for myself. It gave me the freedom to do jobs my way. I turned
> > > > > > engagements down too. You should try it, very liberating.
> > > > > Perhaps I already am, and just haven't bragged about it.
> > > > > > As for the consulting international trip count my underestimate is the result of those
> > > > > > forgotten ones being not very memorable. The few I did remember were mostly the
> > > > > > ones with the wife. The rest were just work. Fly somewhere, a meeting or two, fly
> > > > > > home. BFD. When working for Lilly those OUS trips often included 1-2 weeks, multiple
> > > > > > projects, and multiple destinations. More memorable, and some downtime to sightsee.
> > > > > Routine business travel does get tuned out ... but then not invoked in brag attempts.
> > > > > Given how you've kept such meticulous records and even counted air segments, its
> > > > > not really a particularly believable excuse.
> > > > > > Have you ever run a run your own business to the extent of having a self-employed 401k?
> > > > > I've never been laid off to have been compelled to strike out on my own to need to: with
> > > > > an existent employer 401k, any side business affairs don't need to incur the overhead to
> > > > > go duplicate that capability, as it is easy with multiple income streams to leverage them
> > > > > so as to facilitate shifting of expenses/income to maximize tax-advantaged accounts, etc.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > I'm going to answer just these comments:
> > > > "But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > > >
> > > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > > ended up with, which would be $500K"
> > > >
> > > > I never got to the stage of asking about fringe benefits. The prospect of relocating to
> > > > Chicago killed it. As the AVMA is a not-for-profit I doubt that the retirement benefits
> > > > were very generous.
> > >
> > > So you didn't even look? Pity, for there's a 2016 comment on Glassdoor that says that their
> > > employer 401k match is up to 10%, which for a $100K+ salary is an additional +$10K+/year,
> > > which is a 40% increase in contributions (using 2016's limit of $24K, an employer's 10% of
> > > $100K = +$10K = $34K/$24K = 1.42 = a +42% higher rate of investment.
> > >
> > > > Also I was already almost 57 at the time, so it was going to be short term there, not
> > > > much chance to build up credits or a 401k
> > >
> > > So? The point was only that it would be *shorter* than what you actually did, which was age 75+.
> > >
> > > > Your 500k assumes that I would have worked there well past age 65.
> > >
> > > But not to age 75 (actually 78), which is where your current 401k balance comes from.
> > >
> > > Now using Glassdoor's reported 10% employer match, the accumulation rate would
> > > have been substantially (+42%) higher than than what was modeled in the $500K KISS,
> > > and that (plus whatever employer pension) is how working years get chopped off.
> > > Keeping it simple by ignoring progressive compounding/etc from more money earlier,
> > > figure roughly 20 years/1.42 = 14 years, which is ~6 years earlier for retirement.
> > >
> > > > And, you are assuming things about an AVMA 401k plan. Sorry, but again you
> > > > assume facts not in evidence. ie, you lied
> > >
> > > False: I simply noted that the baseline parameterization didn't assume that there
> > > was any employer match from AVMA to sweeten the deal.
> > >
> > > But now that we know that they do, we can update those numbers, as seen above.
> > > And this is just from the 401k benefits portion, still not counting any additional pension.
> > >
> > > > "Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy is <200 miles."
> > > > Are you f'ing kidding. You cannot use CAP aircraft for personal flying!
> > >
> > > Except for how you've previously admitted to using one of CAP's vans for personal use,
> > > so we know that you're already predisposed to trying such things.
> > >
> > > > "Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > > about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr"
> > > >
> > > > LOL again! The pensions and SS add up to under $100k. The rest is dividends and RMD's.
> > > > Which is the payoff for all that fun I had consulting.
> > >
> > > Tommy, on Jan 26, 2024, 8:04:32 PM: "I get within a few dollars of the maximum for age
> > > claiming at 66." which if you're telling the truth is ~$45K of that claimed "under $100K",
> > > which means that the other three sum to <$55K and would average just $18.3K each.
> > >
> > > An average SS pension is ~$1500/mo = $18K/yr, so assuming that for the Mrs, the balance
> > > after SS is just $37K/yr for the sum of the two pensions. Since you've bragged about your
> > > Eli Lilly "golden parachute" & pension from working there for 23 years, if it alone was less
> > > than $35K, it would IMO be just an average pension amount.
> > >
> > > > You are spending a lot of time stalking my finances.
> > >
> > > Merely because you've invested so much here in telling everyone about your finances
> > > and how we're apparently supposed to be impressed and jealous of you. It's been
> > > a modestly entertaining math puzzle.
> > >
> > > > All to no avail. You will never have the complete picture, and if you did there are many
> > > > alternatives you could suggest. What I did worked.
> > >
> > > It did "work" ... eventually ... taking you into your upper 70s, which is clearly why
> > > the aforementioned question is *still* being dodged by Tommy:
> > > "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> > > Well?
> > >
> > >
> > First, I took N410CV on a short familiarization flight right after it arrived from the factory.
> > I paid for the flight; fuel used and an hourly maintenance fee. This is encouraged. It was fun.
> > (So was the 1.1 hour orientation flight for a CAP cadet yesterday.) CAP has a program for
> > familiarization and proficiency flights, the corporate C mission. I used it.
> Dodge, because N410CV wasn't a CAP van. IIRC, both ed and myself caught your 'indiscretion.'
> > Second, the decision to stay here and strike out on my own rather than take a job and
> > move to Chicago was not solely financial. As Yogi once said, "When You Come to a Fork
> > in the Road, Take It". You can theorize all want about what that AVMA job might have
> > meant financially, but it was "The Road Not Taken" per R. Frost.
> So? How does that actually justify you not even researching the benefits of a job offer
> that you've voluntarily bragged about its "six digit" pay?
> > Your financial assumptions are pure speculation.
> No, they're parameterizations of things that you've claimed. As I've said before,
> they're based on numbers which you've voluntarily bragged about: if you've bragged
> about being over 5ft tall on one occasion, and said you're under 6ft tall on another,
> it parameterizes your height to be between 5'0" and 6'0" and it wouldn't be inaccurate
> to say that your height is roughly 5'6", plus or minus 6".
> > Among other things, how do I know the job would have turned out to be something
> > I really wanted to do? My experience doing some consulting with NGOs like AVMA
> > was that they have an agenda to push, and don't mind stretching the truth to influence
> > opinion and legislation. Not my cuppa.
> All of those questions are irrelevant, because you still invoked them for a reason, such as
> to "name drop" what their job offer was, to try to imply what you were worth.
>
>
> > You can drive yourself nuts second guessing decisions. I have never looked back ..
>
> ...never - - except for this past week's "six digits" offer from AVMA from two decades ago ... /s
> > My financial advisor worked with us to invest to get to where we are today.
> Which was working to age ~76, and also implies that:
> "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> ...is a scenario which was quite far out of your reach.
> > In the meantime, because the consulting was not full-time (you assumed AVMA full-time
> > for 9 or 10 years?) and the wife also was able to retire early, we enjoyed the income and ...
>
> No, I merely was parameterizing on what you focused on: money.
> Given how late in life you worked until your financial advisor was confident
> (as per your own comment, above), even if working at AVMA had been ten
> years, that still would have been age ~67 or so, at least a half decade less
> time than what you ultimately ended up doing.
>
> Plus it might have also been tenable for you to have a side consulting gig too, but it
> appears that you simply didn't really bother to check out their offer in any real detail.
>
> > ... [we had the] freedom to travel from 2003 to today ...
>
> For all of 4 international business trips that she accompanied you on over those ~20 years.
> Wowzers! /s
>
> In any event, it does come down to "Now or Never" for you, to wrap up your harder travel
> ambitions before they become untenable. As I'd advised you a few years ago, there's things
> like the maximum age to rent a car in Ireland (75), which are doors which are closed/ing for you.
> > while I was earning the assets to fully retire 2 years ago.
> At age 76, if it was after June 2022. Average retirement age in the US is age 64 (63F/65M).
> > Maybe AVMA was a better option financially. But in SO many other ways it was not.
> The answer depends on what you could have chosen to do with extra years of earlier
> retirement, which again invokes the question that you've been dodging:
> "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> -hh

On Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 3:12:56 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> On Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 11:47:36 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 1:43:08 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 10:16:10 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > On Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 6:25:12 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > On Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:15:46 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > > > > > > > > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > > > > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > > > > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > > > > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > > > > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > So?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > > > > > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027.. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > > > > > > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ...
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > > > > > > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > > > > > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > > > > > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > > > > > > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > > > > > > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > > > > > > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > > > > > > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > > > > > > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > > > > > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > > > > > > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > > > > > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > > > > > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > > > > > > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > > > > > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > > > > > > > to move there.
> > > > > > > > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > > > > > > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > > > > > > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > > > > > > > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > > > > > > > > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > > > > > > > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > > > > > > > > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > > > > > > > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > > > > > > > > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > > > > > > > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > > > > > > > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > > > > > > > > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > > > > > > > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > > > > > > > > consulting trips.
> > > > > > > > > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > > > > > > > > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > > > > > > > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > > > > > > > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > > > > > > > > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > > > > > > > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > > > > > > > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > > > > > > > > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > > > > > > > > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > > > > > > > > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > > > > > > > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > > > > > > > > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > > > > > > > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > > > > > > > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > > > > > > > > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > > > > > > > > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > > > > > > > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > > > > > > > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > > > > > > > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > > > > > > > > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > > > > > > > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > > > > > > > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > > > > > > > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > > > > > > > > beyond my capabilities.
> > > > > > > > > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > > > > > > > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > > > > > > > > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > > > > > > > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > > > > > > > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > > > > > > > > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> > > > > > > > > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > > > > > > > > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > > > > > > > > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > > > > > > > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > > > > > > > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > > > > > > > > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > > > > > > > > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.
> > > > > > > Nah, it’s already been parametrically narrowed down that your average wage
> > > > > > > was under $100K/yr, and IIRC more like $78K, so “six digits” would be easily
> > > > > > > 20% higher.
> > > > > > > > I hope your retirement projections are better.
> > > > > > > They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> > > > > > > limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> > > > > > > > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > > > > > > > out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> > > > > > > repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> > > > > > > longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > > > > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
> > > > >
> > > > > Silence from Tommy on the $200K at age 63 question.
> > > Still
> > > > > > Just to make your head spin a little fast I offer the following..
> > > > > >
> > > > > > To get off to a good start we paid off the house in 2003. Knowing that we had no debt was a confidence booster.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Your parametric "wage narrowing" is a joke as is the claim that taking that Chicago
> > > > > > job was a good idea for speeding up retirement.
> > > > > You're the one who tried to brag that the AVMA was a six-figure job. You've not only
> > > > > admitted that that was more than you were making where you were, but the other numbers
> > > > > you've provided have enabled a parametric estimate of at least how much more.
> > > > > > The limits on retirement contributions at the offered Chicago salary were a fraction
> > > > > > of what I was able to put away in a self-employed 401k.
> > > > > And the AVMA didn't offer any pension? Because the reason why the tax code allows
> > > > > self-employed businesses to have such higher 401k provisions is because there isn't an
> > > > > employer pension.
> > > > > > By putting away the max in my own 401k in 2003-2023 (last 2 years were 0) through my own
> > > > > > contributions and capital appreciation I built what is now an IRA worth well over $1 million today.
> > > > > Which if we KISS apply the 4% rule for an annuity equivalent is a pension of just $40K/year.
> > > > > > If I take what we put in minus RMD withdrawals the non-discounted net cash IRA outlay
> > > > > > has been $197k. I about 4 years the net will be zero. An employee plan with its lower
> > > > > > contributions would never have done that for IRA current value or past and future $RMD.
> > > > > But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > > > >
> > > > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > > > ended up with, which would be $500K ...
> > > > >
> > > > > ... and the ramifications of this are that the the employer's pension portion only needs
> > > > > to be just $20K/year to be at break-even. Less, if there was also an employer match
> > > > > going into the 401k.
> > > > > > And, of course, there are 4 other retirement accounts and a substantial amount of other
> > > > > > investments not in qualified plans. The wife worked for a while too after we got married in 2002.
> > > > > > Over that same 2003-2023 span we had one lean year with under $150k income.
> > > > > > The average was $204k. The decision to save as much as possible was very deliberate.
> > > > > Except that you've just admitted that there were 4 other retirement accounts plus RMDs
> > > > > that were all contributors to these income totals, which parametrically means that your
> > > > > years of working as a consultant must have always been *less* than the numbers you
> > > > > just stated above. Golly, more parameterizing.
> > > > > > We currently receive monthly: 2 pension, 2 Social Security, 5 RMD and 1 dividend payments.
> > > > > Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > > > to about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr out of your $204K/yr average,
> > > > > and there's still the RMDs to subtract off (and dividends) before one gets down to just
> > > > > what the average consultant gig was paying per year.
> > > > >
> > > > > > My ex-employer also heavily subsidizes our Medicare Supplement plans and pays for
> > > > > > my Part B premiums, all tax free.
> > > > >
> > > > > IIRC, I can expect to have ~five years of 100% free healthcare, after which it drops to
> > > > > just 70% subsidized. What did I win? /s
> > >
> > > That 'heavily subsidized' is probably the $6K/year that Tommy mentioned in July 2019
> > > as a 2016 change in his retirement benefits. At that time he also noted that it apparently
> > > wasn't indexed to inflation. Hopefully that has changed for the better for him.
> FWIW, I did a verification check on my own benefits; the permanent "70% subsidy" part has a
> cap of $15K/year in 2024, so more expensive plans can have a lower contribution percentage.
> > > > > > And, our investments' market value continues to grow long term. The 2023-2024 YoY growth
> > > > > > after the 2022 slump is over $500k. An unusual yoyo 2 years to be sure, but it all keeps the mind active.
> > > > >
> > > > > Golly, you already know what your 2024 growth was? /s
> > > > >
> > > > > Nah, its more likely that you're counting all of 2022, plus YTD, rather than just YoY, so as to
> > > > > squeeze out a slightly bigger number from the past five weeks' gains to try to brag about.
> > > > >
> > > > > > Life was much simpler when I got only a salary, bonuses and stock options. I say that,
> > > > > > but AMT liabilities arising from Incentive Stock Options income and later reclaiming AMT
> > > > > > after the ISO's stopped was a bit complicated and risky. Not to mention that you may
> > > > > > need to borrow the money to pay for the exercise and then wait at least a year to sell
> > > > > > to get LTCG treatment on a gain that may not materialize. See:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > https://www.esofund.com/blog/amt-tax-calculator#:~:text=If%20you%20exercise%20incentive%20stock%20options%20%28ISOs%29%20you,value%20at%20the%20time%20of%20exercise%20as%20income.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > https://www.brightonjones.com/blog/amt-stock-options/
> > > > > >
> > > > > > It took me over 10 years to reclaim the AMT I paid, but it was a nice Federal tax liability offset while it lasted.
> > > > > Of course, there's other ways to manage stock options which are less likely to trigger
> > > > > AMTs (plus AMT has temporarily disappeared as a real factor, due to the 2017 TCJA).
> > > > > > But more to the point, moving to Chicago would have meant losing family and friend
> > > > > > connections, downsizing, higher taxes and living expenses. It is likely that at that time,
> > > > > > having just paid off the house, we would need to mortgage a home in the Chicago suburbs.
> > > > > > Moving was never seriously considered for many reasons.
> > > > > Because one can never make new friends/etc. Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy
> > > > > is <200 miles. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that you mentioned it and how it was a "six figure"
> > > > > income opportunity, as that paramaterizes that you were earning less at the time.
> > > > > > I also enjoyed working for myself. It gave me the freedom to do jobs my way. I turned
> > > > > > engagements down too. You should try it, very liberating.
> > > > > Perhaps I already am, and just haven't bragged about it.
> > > > > > As for the consulting international trip count my underestimate is the result of those
> > > > > > forgotten ones being not very memorable. The few I did remember were mostly the
> > > > > > ones with the wife. The rest were just work. Fly somewhere, a meeting or two, fly
> > > > > > home. BFD. When working for Lilly those OUS trips often included 1-2 weeks, multiple
> > > > > > projects, and multiple destinations. More memorable, and some downtime to sightsee.
> > > > > Routine business travel does get tuned out ... but then not invoked in brag attempts.
> > > > > Given how you've kept such meticulous records and even counted air segments, its
> > > > > not really a particularly believable excuse.
> > > > > > Have you ever run a run your own business to the extent of having a self-employed 401k?
> > > > > I've never been laid off to have been compelled to strike out on my own to need to: with
> > > > > an existent employer 401k, any side business affairs don't need to incur the overhead to
> > > > > go duplicate that capability, as it is easy with multiple income streams to leverage them
> > > > > so as to facilitate shifting of expenses/income to maximize tax-advantaged accounts, etc.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > I'm going to answer just these comments:
> > > > "But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > > >
> > > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > > ended up with, which would be $500K"
> > > >
> > > > I never got to the stage of asking about fringe benefits. The prospect of relocating to
> > > > Chicago killed it. As the AVMA is a not-for-profit I doubt that the retirement benefits
> > > > were very generous.
> > >
> > > So you didn't even look? Pity, for there's a 2016 comment on Glassdoor that says that their
> > > employer 401k match is up to 10%, which for a $100K+ salary is an additional +$10K+/year,
> > > which is a 40% increase in contributions (using 2016's limit of $24K, an employer's 10% of
> > > $100K = +$10K = $34K/$24K = 1.42 = a +42% higher rate of investment.
> > >
> > > > Also I was already almost 57 at the time, so it was going to be short term there, not
> > > > much chance to build up credits or a 401k
> > >
> > > So? The point was only that it would be *shorter* than what you actually did, which was age 75+.
> > >
> > > > Your 500k assumes that I would have worked there well past age 65.
> > >
> > > But not to age 75 (actually 78), which is where your current 401k balance comes from.
> > >
> > > Now using Glassdoor's reported 10% employer match, the accumulation rate would
> > > have been substantially (+42%) higher than than what was modeled in the $500K KISS,
> > > and that (plus whatever employer pension) is how working years get chopped off.
> > > Keeping it simple by ignoring progressive compounding/etc from more money earlier,
> > > figure roughly 20 years/1.42 = 14 years, which is ~6 years earlier for retirement.
> > >
> > > > And, you are assuming things about an AVMA 401k plan. Sorry, but again you
> > > > assume facts not in evidence. ie, you lied
> > >
> > > False: I simply noted that the baseline parameterization didn't assume that there
> > > was any employer match from AVMA to sweeten the deal.
> > >
> > > But now that we know that they do, we can update those numbers, as seen above.
> > > And this is just from the 401k benefits portion, still not counting any additional pension.
> > >
> > > > "Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy is <200 miles."
> > > > Are you f'ing kidding. You cannot use CAP aircraft for personal flying!
> > >
> > > Except for how you've previously admitted to using one of CAP's vans for personal use,
> > > so we know that you're already predisposed to trying such things.
> > >
> > > > "Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > > about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr"
> > > >
> > > > LOL again! The pensions and SS add up to under $100k. The rest is dividends and RMD's.
> > > > Which is the payoff for all that fun I had consulting.
> > >
> > > Tommy, on Jan 26, 2024, 8:04:32 PM: "I get within a few dollars of the maximum for age
> > > claiming at 66." which if you're telling the truth is ~$45K of that claimed "under $100K",
> > > which means that the other three sum to <$55K and would average just $18.3K each.
> > >
> > > An average SS pension is ~$1500/mo = $18K/yr, so assuming that for the Mrs, the balance
> > > after SS is just $37K/yr for the sum of the two pensions. Since you've bragged about your
> > > Eli Lilly "golden parachute" & pension from working there for 23 years, if it alone was less
> > > than $35K, it would IMO be just an average pension amount.
> > >
> > > > You are spending a lot of time stalking my finances.
> > >
> > > Merely because you've invested so much here in telling everyone about your finances
> > > and how we're apparently supposed to be impressed and jealous of you. It's been
> > > a modestly entertaining math puzzle.
> > >
> > > > All to no avail. You will never have the complete picture, and if you did there are many
> > > > alternatives you could suggest. What I did worked.
> > >
> > > It did "work" ... eventually ... taking you into your upper 70s, which is clearly why
> > > the aforementioned question is *still* being dodged by Tommy:
> > > "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> > > Well?
> > >
> > >
> > First, I took N410CV on a short familiarization flight right after it arrived from the factory.
> > I paid for the flight; fuel used and an hourly maintenance fee. This is encouraged. It was fun.
> > (So was the 1.1 hour orientation flight for a CAP cadet yesterday.) CAP has a program for
> > familiarization and proficiency flights, the corporate C mission. I used it.
> Dodge, because N410CV wasn't a CAP van. IIRC, both ed and myself caught your 'indiscretion.'
> > Second, the decision to stay here and strike out on my own rather than take a job and
> > move to Chicago was not solely financial. As Yogi once said, "When You Come to a Fork
> > in the Road, Take It". You can theorize all want about what that AVMA job might have
> > meant financially, but it was "The Road Not Taken" per R. Frost.
> So? How does that actually justify you not even researching the benefits of a job offer
> that you've voluntarily bragged about its "six digit" pay?
> > Your financial assumptions are pure speculation.
> No, they're parameterizations of things that you've claimed. As I've said before,
> they're based on numbers which you've voluntarily bragged about: if you've bragged
> about being over 5ft tall on one occasion, and said you're under 6ft tall on another,
> it paramaterizes your height to be between 5'0" and 6'0" and it wouldn't be inaccurate
> to say that your height is roughly 5'6", plus or minus 6".
> > Among other things, how do I know the job would have turned out to be something
> > I really wanted to do? My experience doing some consulting with NGOs like AVMA
> > was that they have an agenda to push, and don't mind stretching the truth to influence
> > opinion and legislation. Not my cuppa.
> All of those questions are irrelevant, because you still invoked them for a reason, such as
> to "name drop" what their job offer was, to try to imply what you were worth.
>
>
> > You can drive yourself nuts second guessing decisions. I have never looked back ..
>
> ...never - - except for this past week's "six digits" offer from AVMA from two decades ago ... /s
> > My financial advisor worked with us to invest to get to where we are today.
> Which was working to age ~76, and also implies that:
> "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> ...is a scenario which was quite far out of your reach.
> > In the meantime, because the consulting was not full-time (you assumed AVMA full-time
> > for 9 or 10 years?) and the wife also was able to retire early, we enjoyed the income and ...
>
> No, I merely was parameterizing on what you focused on: money.
> Given how late in life you worked until your financial advisor was confident
> (as per your own comment, above), even if working at AVMA had been ten
> years, that still would have been age ~67 or so, at least a half decade less
> time than what you ultimately ended up doing.
>
> Plus it might have also been tenable for you to have a side consulting gig too, but it
> appears that you simply didn't really bother to check out their offer in any real detail.
>
> > ... [we had the] freedom to travel from 2003 to today ...
>
> For all of 4 international business trips that she accompanied you on over those ~20 years.
> Wowzers! /s
>
> In any event, it does come down to "Now or Never" for you, to wrap up your harder travel
> ambitions before they become untenable. As I'd advised you a few years ago, there's things
> like the maximum age to rent a car in Ireland (75), which are doors which are closed/ing for you.
> > while I was earning the assets to fully retire 2 years ago.
> At age 76, if it was after June 2022. Average retirement age in the US is age 64 (63F/65M).
> > Maybe AVMA was a better option financially. But in SO many other ways it was not.
> The answer depends on what you could have chosen to do with extra years of earlier
> retirement, which again invokes the question that you've been dodging:
> "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> -hh

On Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 9:28:40 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> On Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 3:12:56 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > On Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 11:47:36 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 1:43:08 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 10:16:10 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > On Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 6:25:12 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > On Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:15:46 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most.. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > > > > > > > > > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > So?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > > > > > > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > > > > > > > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > > > > > > > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > > > > > > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > > > > > > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > > > > > > > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > > > > > > > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > > > > > > > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > > > > > > > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > > > > > > > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > > > > > > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > > > > > > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > > > > > > > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > > > > > > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > > > > > > > > to move there.
> > > > > > > > > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > > > > > > > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > > > > > > > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > > > > > > > > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > > > > > > > > > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > > > > > > > > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > > > > > > > > > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > > > > > > > > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > > > > > > > > > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > > > > > > > > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > > > > > > > > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > > > > > > > > > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > > > > > > > > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > > > > > > > > > consulting trips.
> > > > > > > > > > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > > > > > > > > > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > > > > > > > > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > > > > > > > > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > > > > > > > > > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > > > > > > > > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > > > > > > > > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > > > > > > > > > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > > > > > > > > > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > > > > > > > > > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > > > > > > > > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > > > > > > > > > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > > > > > > > > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > > > > > > > > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > > > > > > > > > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > > > > > > > > > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > > > > > > > > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > > > > > > > > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > > > > > > > > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > > > > > > > > > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > > > > > > > > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > > > > > > > > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X.. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > > > > > > > > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > > > > > > > > > beyond my capabilities.
> > > > > > > > > > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > > > > > > > > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > > > > > > > > > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > > > > > > > > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > > > > > > > > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > > > > > > > > > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> > > > > > > > > > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > > > > > > > > > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > > > > > > > > > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > > > > > > > > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > > > > > > > > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > > > > > > > > > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.
> > > > > > > > Nah, it’s already been parametrically narrowed down that your average wage
> > > > > > > > was under $100K/yr, and IIRC more like $78K, so “six digits” would be easily
> > > > > > > > 20% higher.
> > > > > > > > > I hope your retirement projections are better.
> > > > > > > > They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> > > > > > > > limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> > > > > > > > > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > > > > > > > > out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> > > > > > > > repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> > > > > > > > longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > > > > > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Silence from Tommy on the $200K at age 63 question.
> > > > Still
> > > > > > > Just to make your head spin a little fast I offer the following.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > To get off to a good start we paid off the house in 2003. Knowing that we had no debt was a confidence booster.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Your parametric "wage narrowing" is a joke as is the claim that taking that Chicago
> > > > > > > job was a good idea for speeding up retirement.
> > > > > > You're the one who tried to brag that the AVMA was a six-figure job. You've not only
> > > > > > admitted that that was more than you were making where you were, but the other numbers
> > > > > > you've provided have enabled a parametric estimate of at least how much more.
> > > > > > > The limits on retirement contributions at the offered Chicago salary were a fraction
> > > > > > > of what I was able to put away in a self-employed 401k.
> > > > > > And the AVMA didn't offer any pension? Because the reason why the tax code allows
> > > > > > self-employed businesses to have such higher 401k provisions is because there isn't an
> > > > > > employer pension.
> > > > > > > By putting away the max in my own 401k in 2003-2023 (last 2 years were 0) through my own
> > > > > > > contributions and capital appreciation I built what is now an IRA worth well over $1 million today.
> > > > > > Which if we KISS apply the 4% rule for an annuity equivalent is a pension of just $40K/year.
> > > > > > > If I take what we put in minus RMD withdrawals the non-discounted net cash IRA outlay
> > > > > > > has been $197k. I about 4 years the net will be zero. An employee plan with its lower
> > > > > > > contributions would never have done that for IRA current value or past and future $RMD.
> > > > > > But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > > > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > > > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > > > > ended up with, which would be $500K ...
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ... and the ramifications of this are that the the employer's pension portion only needs
> > > > > > to be just $20K/year to be at break-even. Less, if there was also an employer match
> > > > > > going into the 401k.
> > > > > > > And, of course, there are 4 other retirement accounts and a substantial amount of other
> > > > > > > investments not in qualified plans. The wife worked for a while too after we got married in 2002.
> > > > > > > Over that same 2003-2023 span we had one lean year with under $150k income.
> > > > > > > The average was $204k. The decision to save as much as possible was very deliberate.
> > > > > > Except that you've just admitted that there were 4 other retirement accounts plus RMDs
> > > > > > that were all contributors to these income totals, which parametrically means that your
> > > > > > years of working as a consultant must have always been *less* than the numbers you
> > > > > > just stated above. Golly, more parameterizing.
> > > > > > > We currently receive monthly: 2 pension, 2 Social Security, 5 RMD and 1 dividend payments.
> > > > > > Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > > > > to about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr out of your $204K/yr average,
> > > > > > and there's still the RMDs to subtract off (and dividends) before one gets down to just
> > > > > > what the average consultant gig was paying per year.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > My ex-employer also heavily subsidizes our Medicare Supplement plans and pays for
> > > > > > > my Part B premiums, all tax free.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > IIRC, I can expect to have ~five years of 100% free healthcare, after which it drops to
> > > > > > just 70% subsidized. What did I win? /s
> > > >
> > > > That 'heavily subsidized' is probably the $6K/year that Tommy mentioned in July 2019
> > > > as a 2016 change in his retirement benefits. At that time he also noted that it apparently
> > > > wasn't indexed to inflation. Hopefully that has changed for the better for him.
> > FWIW, I did a verification check on my own benefits; the permanent "70% subsidy" part has a
> > cap of $15K/year in 2024, so more expensive plans can have a lower contribution percentage.
> > > > > > > And, our investments' market value continues to grow long term. The 2023-2024 YoY growth
> > > > > > > after the 2022 slump is over $500k. An unusual yoyo 2 years to be sure, but it all keeps the mind active.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Golly, you already know what your 2024 growth was? /s
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Nah, its more likely that you're counting all of 2022, plus YTD, rather than just YoY, so as to
> > > > > > squeeze out a slightly bigger number from the past five weeks' gains to try to brag about.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Life was much simpler when I got only a salary, bonuses and stock options. I say that,
> > > > > > > but AMT liabilities arising from Incentive Stock Options income and later reclaiming AMT
> > > > > > > after the ISO's stopped was a bit complicated and risky. Not to mention that you may
> > > > > > > need to borrow the money to pay for the exercise and then wait at least a year to sell
> > > > > > > to get LTCG treatment on a gain that may not materialize. See:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > https://www.esofund.com/blog/amt-tax-calculator#:~:text=If%20you%20exercise%20incentive%20stock%20options%20%28ISOs%29%20you,value%20at%20the%20time%20of%20exercise%20as%20income.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > https://www.brightonjones.com/blog/amt-stock-options/
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > It took me over 10 years to reclaim the AMT I paid, but it was a nice Federal tax liability offset while it lasted.
> > > > > > Of course, there's other ways to manage stock options which are less likely to trigger
> > > > > > AMTs (plus AMT has temporarily disappeared as a real factor, due to the 2017 TCJA).
> > > > > > > But more to the point, moving to Chicago would have meant losing family and friend
> > > > > > > connections, downsizing, higher taxes and living expenses. It is likely that at that time,
> > > > > > > having just paid off the house, we would need to mortgage a home in the Chicago suburbs.
> > > > > > > Moving was never seriously considered for many reasons.
> > > > > > Because one can never make new friends/etc. Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy
> > > > > > is <200 miles. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that you mentioned it and how it was a "six figure"
> > > > > > income opportunity, as that paramaterizes that you were earning less at the time.
> > > > > > > I also enjoyed working for myself. It gave me the freedom to do jobs my way. I turned
> > > > > > > engagements down too. You should try it, very liberating.
> > > > > > Perhaps I already am, and just haven't bragged about it.
> > > > > > > As for the consulting international trip count my underestimate is the result of those
> > > > > > > forgotten ones being not very memorable. The few I did remember were mostly the
> > > > > > > ones with the wife. The rest were just work. Fly somewhere, a meeting or two, fly
> > > > > > > home. BFD. When working for Lilly those OUS trips often included 1-2 weeks, multiple
> > > > > > > projects, and multiple destinations. More memorable, and some downtime to sightsee.
> > > > > > Routine business travel does get tuned out ... but then not invoked in brag attempts.
> > > > > > Given how you've kept such meticulous records and even counted air segments, its
> > > > > > not really a particularly believable excuse.
> > > > > > > Have you ever run a run your own business to the extent of having a self-employed 401k?
> > > > > > I've never been laid off to have been compelled to strike out on my own to need to: with
> > > > > > an existent employer 401k, any side business affairs don't need to incur the overhead to
> > > > > > go duplicate that capability, as it is easy with multiple income streams to leverage them
> > > > > > so as to facilitate shifting of expenses/income to maximize tax-advantaged accounts, etc.
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I'm going to answer just these comments:
> > > > > "But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > > > >
> > > > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > > > ended up with, which would be $500K"
> > > > >
> > > > > I never got to the stage of asking about fringe benefits. The prospect of relocating to
> > > > > Chicago killed it. As the AVMA is a not-for-profit I doubt that the retirement benefits
> > > > > were very generous.
> > > >
> > > > So you didn't even look? Pity, for there's a 2016 comment on Glassdoor that says that their
> > > > employer 401k match is up to 10%, which for a $100K+ salary is an additional +$10K+/year,
> > > > which is a 40% increase in contributions (using 2016's limit of $24K, an employer's 10% of
> > > > $100K = +$10K = $34K/$24K = 1.42 = a +42% higher rate of investment.
> > > >
> > > > > Also I was already almost 57 at the time, so it was going to be short term there, not
> > > > > much chance to build up credits or a 401k
> > > >
> > > > So? The point was only that it would be *shorter* than what you actually did, which was age 75+.
> > > >
> > > > > Your 500k assumes that I would have worked there well past age 65..
> > > >
> > > > But not to age 75 (actually 78), which is where your current 401k balance comes from.
> > > >
> > > > Now using Glassdoor's reported 10% employer match, the accumulation rate would
> > > > have been substantially (+42%) higher than than what was modeled in the $500K KISS,
> > > > and that (plus whatever employer pension) is how working years get chopped off.
> > > > Keeping it simple by ignoring progressive compounding/etc from more money earlier,
> > > > figure roughly 20 years/1.42 = 14 years, which is ~6 years earlier for retirement.
> > > >
> > > > > And, you are assuming things about an AVMA 401k plan. Sorry, but again you
> > > > > assume facts not in evidence. ie, you lied
> > > >
> > > > False: I simply noted that the baseline parameterization didn't assume that there
> > > > was any employer match from AVMA to sweeten the deal.
> > > >
> > > > But now that we know that they do, we can update those numbers, as seen above.
> > > > And this is just from the 401k benefits portion, still not counting any additional pension.
> > > >
> > > > > "Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy is <200 miles."
> > > > > Are you f'ing kidding. You cannot use CAP aircraft for personal flying!
> > > >
> > > > Except for how you've previously admitted to using one of CAP's vans for personal use,
> > > > so we know that you're already predisposed to trying such things.
> > > >
> > > > > "Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > > > about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr"
> > > > >
> > > > > LOL again! The pensions and SS add up to under $100k. The rest is dividends and RMD's.
> > > > > Which is the payoff for all that fun I had consulting.
> > > >
> > > > Tommy, on Jan 26, 2024, 8:04:32 PM: "I get within a few dollars of the maximum for age
> > > > claiming at 66." which if you're telling the truth is ~$45K of that claimed "under $100K",
> > > > which means that the other three sum to <$55K and would average just $18.3K each.
> > > >
> > > > An average SS pension is ~$1500/mo = $18K/yr, so assuming that for the Mrs, the balance
> > > > after SS is just $37K/yr for the sum of the two pensions. Since you've bragged about your
> > > > Eli Lilly "golden parachute" & pension from working there for 23 years, if it alone was less
> > > > than $35K, it would IMO be just an average pension amount.
> > > >
> > > > > You are spending a lot of time stalking my finances.
> > > >
> > > > Merely because you've invested so much here in telling everyone about your finances
> > > > and how we're apparently supposed to be impressed and jealous of you. It's been
> > > > a modestly entertaining math puzzle.
> > > >
> > > > > All to no avail. You will never have the complete picture, and if you did there are many
> > > > > alternatives you could suggest. What I did worked.
> > > >
> > > > It did "work" ... eventually ... taking you into your upper 70s, which is clearly why
> > > > the aforementioned question is *still* being dodged by Tommy:
> > > > "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> > > > Well?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > First, I took N410CV on a short familiarization flight right after it arrived from the factory.
> > > I paid for the flight; fuel used and an hourly maintenance fee. This is encouraged. It was fun.
> > > (So was the 1.1 hour orientation flight for a CAP cadet yesterday.) CAP has a program for
> > > familiarization and proficiency flights, the corporate C mission. I used it.
> > Dodge, because N410CV wasn't a CAP van. IIRC, both ed and myself caught your 'indiscretion.'
> > > Second, the decision to stay here and strike out on my own rather than take a job and
> > > move to Chicago was not solely financial. As Yogi once said, "When You Come to a Fork
> > > in the Road, Take It". You can theorize all want about what that AVMA job might have
> > > meant financially, but it was "The Road Not Taken" per R. Frost.
> > So? How does that actually justify you not even researching the benefits of a job offer
> > that you've voluntarily bragged about its "six digit" pay?
> > > Your financial assumptions are pure speculation.
> > No, they're parameterizations of things that you've claimed. As I've said before,
> > they're based on numbers which you've voluntarily bragged about: if you've bragged
> > about being over 5ft tall on one occasion, and said you're under 6ft tall on another,
> > it parameterizes your height to be between 5'0" and 6'0" and it wouldn't be inaccurate
> > to say that your height is roughly 5'6", plus or minus 6".
> > > Among other things, how do I know the job would have turned out to be something
> > > I really wanted to do? My experience doing some consulting with NGOs like AVMA
> > > was that they have an agenda to push, and don't mind stretching the truth to influence
> > > opinion and legislation. Not my cuppa.
> > All of those questions are irrelevant, because you still invoked them for a reason, such as
> > to "name drop" what their job offer was, to try to imply what you were worth.
> >
> >
> > > You can drive yourself nuts second guessing decisions. I have never looked back ..
> >
> > ...never - - except for this past week's "six digits" offer from AVMA from two decades ago ... /s
> > > My financial advisor worked with us to invest to get to where we are today.
> >
> > Which was working to age ~76, and also implies that:
> > "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> > ...is a scenario which was quite far out of your reach.
> >
> > > In the meantime, because the consulting was not full-time (you assumed AVMA full-time
> > > for 9 or 10 years?) and the wife also was able to retire early, we enjoyed the income and ...
> >
> > No, I merely was parameterizing on what you focused on: money.
> > Given how late in life you worked until your financial advisor was confident
> > (as per your own comment, above), even if working at AVMA had been ten
> > years, that still would have been age ~67 or so, at least a half decade less
> > time than what you ultimately ended up doing.
> >
> > Plus it might have also been tenable for you to have a side consulting gig too, but it
> > appears that you simply didn't really bother to check out their offer in any real detail.
> >
> > > ... [we had the] freedom to travel from 2003 to today ...
> >
> > For all of 4 international business trips that she accompanied you on over those ~20 years.
> > Wowzers! /s
> >
> > In any event, it does come down to "Now or Never" for you, to wrap up your harder travel
> > ambitions before they become untenable. As I'd advised you a few years ago, there's things
> > like the maximum age to rent a car in Ireland (75), which are doors which are closed/ing for you.
> >
> > > while I was earning the assets to fully retire 2 years ago.
> >
> > At age 76, if it was after June 2022. Average retirement age in the US is age 64 (63F/65M).
> >
> > > Maybe AVMA was a better option financially. But in SO many other ways it was not.
> >
> > The answer depends on what you could have chosen to do with extra years of earlier
> > retirement, which again invokes the question that you've been dodging:
> > "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
>
> You are so wrong on so many levels I don't know where to start. But I will.
>
> First, from 2003 on I was partly retired, working part-time.

On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 10:16:10 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> ...
> The pensions and SS add up to under $100k.

A few years ago you told us your pension was s$145k. Now your 2 pensions and 2 SS payments are under $100k? You take one of those pension options that steps down after you start taking SS?

I feel for ya that you had to work until so late to get where you were comfortable enough to fully pull the plug. I'd encourage you to be a little less frugal and spend some of the money you've worked hard for rather than focusing on where you're going to leave it.

On Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 12:33:35 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> On Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 3:12:56 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > On Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 11:47:36 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 1:43:08 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 10:16:10 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > On Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 6:25:12 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > On Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:15:46 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most.. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > > > > > > > > > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > So?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > > > > > > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > > > > > > > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > > > > > > > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > > > > > > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > > > > > > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > > > > > > > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > > > > > > > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > > > > > > > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > > > > > > > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > > > > > > > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > > > > > > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > > > > > > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > > > > > > > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > > > > > > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > > > > > > > > to move there.
> > > > > > > > > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > > > > > > > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > > > > > > > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > > > > > > > > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > > > > > > > > > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > > > > > > > > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > > > > > > > > > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > > > > > > > > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > > > > > > > > > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > > > > > > > > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > > > > > > > > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > > > > > > > > > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > > > > > > > > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > > > > > > > > > consulting trips.
> > > > > > > > > > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > > > > > > > > > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > > > > > > > > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > > > > > > > > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > > > > > > > > > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > > > > > > > > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > > > > > > > > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > > > > > > > > > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > > > > > > > > > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > > > > > > > > > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > > > > > > > > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > > > > > > > > > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > > > > > > > > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > > > > > > > > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > > > > > > > > > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > > > > > > > > > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > > > > > > > > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > > > > > > > > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > > > > > > > > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > > > > > > > > > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > > > > > > > > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > > > > > > > > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X.. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > > > > > > > > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > > > > > > > > > beyond my capabilities.
> > > > > > > > > > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > > > > > > > > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > > > > > > > > > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > > > > > > > > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > > > > > > > > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > > > > > > > > > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> > > > > > > > > > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > > > > > > > > > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > > > > > > > > > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > > > > > > > > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > > > > > > > > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > > > > > > > > > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.
> > > > > > > > Nah, it’s already been parametrically narrowed down that your average wage
> > > > > > > > was under $100K/yr, and IIRC more like $78K, so “six digits” would be easily
> > > > > > > > 20% higher.
> > > > > > > > > I hope your retirement projections are better.
> > > > > > > > They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> > > > > > > > limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> > > > > > > > > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > > > > > > > > out great from my perspective. There is more than money.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> > > > > > > > repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> > > > > > > > longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > > > > > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Silence from Tommy on the $200K at age 63 question.
> > > > Still
> > > > > > > Just to make your head spin a little fast I offer the following.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > To get off to a good start we paid off the house in 2003. Knowing that we had no debt was a confidence booster.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Your parametric "wage narrowing" is a joke as is the claim that taking that Chicago
> > > > > > > job was a good idea for speeding up retirement.
> > > > > > You're the one who tried to brag that the AVMA was a six-figure job. You've not only
> > > > > > admitted that that was more than you were making where you were, but the other numbers
> > > > > > you've provided have enabled a parametric estimate of at least how much more.
> > > > > > > The limits on retirement contributions at the offered Chicago salary were a fraction
> > > > > > > of what I was able to put away in a self-employed 401k.
> > > > > > And the AVMA didn't offer any pension? Because the reason why the tax code allows
> > > > > > self-employed businesses to have such higher 401k provisions is because there isn't an
> > > > > > employer pension.
> > > > > > > By putting away the max in my own 401k in 2003-2023 (last 2 years were 0) through my own
> > > > > > > contributions and capital appreciation I built what is now an IRA worth well over $1 million today.
> > > > > > Which if we KISS apply the 4% rule for an annuity equivalent is a pension of just $40K/year.
> > > > > > > If I take what we put in minus RMD withdrawals the non-discounted net cash IRA outlay
> > > > > > > has been $197k. I about 4 years the net will be zero. An employee plan with its lower
> > > > > > > contributions would never have done that for IRA current value or past and future $RMD.
> > > > > > But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > > > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > > > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > > > > ended up with, which would be $500K ...
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ... and the ramifications of this are that the the employer's pension portion only needs
> > > > > > to be just $20K/year to be at break-even. Less, if there was also an employer match
> > > > > > going into the 401k.
> > > > > > > And, of course, there are 4 other retirement accounts and a substantial amount of other
> > > > > > > investments not in qualified plans. The wife worked for a while too after we got married in 2002.
> > > > > > > Over that same 2003-2023 span we had one lean year with under $150k income.
> > > > > > > The average was $204k. The decision to save as much as possible was very deliberate.
> > > > > > Except that you've just admitted that there were 4 other retirement accounts plus RMDs
> > > > > > that were all contributors to these income totals, which parametrically means that your
> > > > > > years of working as a consultant must have always been *less* than the numbers you
> > > > > > just stated above. Golly, more parameterizing.
> > > > > > > We currently receive monthly: 2 pension, 2 Social Security, 5 RMD and 1 dividend payments.
> > > > > > Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > > > > to about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr out of your $204K/yr average,
> > > > > > and there's still the RMDs to subtract off (and dividends) before one gets down to just
> > > > > > what the average consultant gig was paying per year.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > My ex-employer also heavily subsidizes our Medicare Supplement plans and pays for
> > > > > > > my Part B premiums, all tax free.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > IIRC, I can expect to have ~five years of 100% free healthcare, after which it drops to
> > > > > > just 70% subsidized. What did I win? /s
> > > >
> > > > That 'heavily subsidized' is probably the $6K/year that Tommy mentioned in July 2019
> > > > as a 2016 change in his retirement benefits. At that time he also noted that it apparently
> > > > wasn't indexed to inflation. Hopefully that has changed for the better for him.
> > FWIW, I did a verification check on my own benefits; the permanent "70% subsidy" part has a
> > cap of $15K/year in 2024, so more expensive plans can have a lower contribution percentage.
> > > > > > > And, our investments' market value continues to grow long term. The 2023-2024 YoY growth
> > > > > > > after the 2022 slump is over $500k. An unusual yoyo 2 years to be sure, but it all keeps the mind active.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Golly, you already know what your 2024 growth was? /s
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Nah, its more likely that you're counting all of 2022, plus YTD, rather than just YoY, so as to
> > > > > > squeeze out a slightly bigger number from the past five weeks' gains to try to brag about.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Life was much simpler when I got only a salary, bonuses and stock options. I say that,
> > > > > > > but AMT liabilities arising from Incentive Stock Options income and later reclaiming AMT
> > > > > > > after the ISO's stopped was a bit complicated and risky. Not to mention that you may
> > > > > > > need to borrow the money to pay for the exercise and then wait at least a year to sell
> > > > > > > to get LTCG treatment on a gain that may not materialize. See:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > https://www.esofund.com/blog/amt-tax-calculator#:~:text=If%20you%20exercise%20incentive%20stock%20options%20%28ISOs%29%20you,value%20at%20the%20time%20of%20exercise%20as%20income.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > https://www.brightonjones.com/blog/amt-stock-options/
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > It took me over 10 years to reclaim the AMT I paid, but it was a nice Federal tax liability offset while it lasted.
> > > > > > Of course, there's other ways to manage stock options which are less likely to trigger
> > > > > > AMTs (plus AMT has temporarily disappeared as a real factor, due to the 2017 TCJA).
> > > > > > > But more to the point, moving to Chicago would have meant losing family and friend
> > > > > > > connections, downsizing, higher taxes and living expenses. It is likely that at that time,
> > > > > > > having just paid off the house, we would need to mortgage a home in the Chicago suburbs.
> > > > > > > Moving was never seriously considered for many reasons.
> > > > > > Because one can never make new friends/etc. Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy
> > > > > > is <200 miles. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that you mentioned it and how it was a "six figure"
> > > > > > income opportunity, as that paramaterizes that you were earning less at the time.
> > > > > > > I also enjoyed working for myself. It gave me the freedom to do jobs my way. I turned
> > > > > > > engagements down too. You should try it, very liberating.
> > > > > > Perhaps I already am, and just haven't bragged about it.
> > > > > > > As for the consulting international trip count my underestimate is the result of those
> > > > > > > forgotten ones being not very memorable. The few I did remember were mostly the
> > > > > > > ones with the wife. The rest were just work. Fly somewhere, a meeting or two, fly
> > > > > > > home. BFD. When working for Lilly those OUS trips often included 1-2 weeks, multiple
> > > > > > > projects, and multiple destinations. More memorable, and some downtime to sightsee.
> > > > > > Routine business travel does get tuned out ... but then not invoked in brag attempts.
> > > > > > Given how you've kept such meticulous records and even counted air segments, its
> > > > > > not really a particularly believable excuse.
> > > > > > > Have you ever run a run your own business to the extent of having a self-employed 401k?
> > > > > > I've never been laid off to have been compelled to strike out on my own to need to: with
> > > > > > an existent employer 401k, any side business affairs don't need to incur the overhead to
> > > > > > go duplicate that capability, as it is easy with multiple income streams to leverage them
> > > > > > so as to facilitate shifting of expenses/income to maximize tax-advantaged accounts, etc.
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I'm going to answer just these comments:
> > > > > "But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > > > >
> > > > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > > > ended up with, which would be $500K"
> > > > >
> > > > > I never got to the stage of asking about fringe benefits. The prospect of relocating to
> > > > > Chicago killed it. As the AVMA is a not-for-profit I doubt that the retirement benefits
> > > > > were very generous.
> > > >
> > > > So you didn't even look? Pity, for there's a 2016 comment on Glassdoor that says that their
> > > > employer 401k match is up to 10%, which for a $100K+ salary is an additional +$10K+/year,
> > > > which is a 40% increase in contributions (using 2016's limit of $24K, an employer's 10% of
> > > > $100K = +$10K = $34K/$24K = 1.42 = a +42% higher rate of investment.
> > > >
> > > > > Also I was already almost 57 at the time, so it was going to be short term there, not
> > > > > much chance to build up credits or a 401k
> > > >
> > > > So? The point was only that it would be *shorter* than what you actually did, which was age 75+.
> > > >
> > > > > Your 500k assumes that I would have worked there well past age 65..
> > > >
> > > > But not to age 75 (actually 78), which is where your current 401k balance comes from.
> > > >
> > > > Now using Glassdoor's reported 10% employer match, the accumulation rate would
> > > > have been substantially (+42%) higher than than what was modeled in the $500K KISS,
> > > > and that (plus whatever employer pension) is how working years get chopped off.
> > > > Keeping it simple by ignoring progressive compounding/etc from more money earlier,
> > > > figure roughly 20 years/1.42 = 14 years, which is ~6 years earlier for retirement.
> > > >
> > > > > And, you are assuming things about an AVMA 401k plan. Sorry, but again you
> > > > > assume facts not in evidence. ie, you lied
> > > >
> > > > False: I simply noted that the baseline parameterization didn't assume that there
> > > > was any employer match from AVMA to sweeten the deal.
> > > >
> > > > But now that we know that they do, we can update those numbers, as seen above.
> > > > And this is just from the 401k benefits portion, still not counting any additional pension.
> > > >
> > > > > "Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy is <200 miles."
> > > > > Are you f'ing kidding. You cannot use CAP aircraft for personal flying!
> > > >
> > > > Except for how you've previously admitted to using one of CAP's vans for personal use,
> > > > so we know that you're already predisposed to trying such things.
> > > >
> > > > > "Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > > > about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr"
> > > > >
> > > > > LOL again! The pensions and SS add up to under $100k. The rest is dividends and RMD's.
> > > > > Which is the payoff for all that fun I had consulting.
> > > >
> > > > Tommy, on Jan 26, 2024, 8:04:32 PM: "I get within a few dollars of the maximum for age
> > > > claiming at 66." which if you're telling the truth is ~$45K of that claimed "under $100K",
> > > > which means that the other three sum to <$55K and would average just $18.3K each.
> > > >
> > > > An average SS pension is ~$1500/mo = $18K/yr, so assuming that for the Mrs, the balance
> > > > after SS is just $37K/yr for the sum of the two pensions. Since you've bragged about your
> > > > Eli Lilly "golden parachute" & pension from working there for 23 years, if it alone was less
> > > > than $35K, it would IMO be just an average pension amount.
> > > >
> > > > > You are spending a lot of time stalking my finances.
> > > >
> > > > Merely because you've invested so much here in telling everyone about your finances
> > > > and how we're apparently supposed to be impressed and jealous of you. It's been
> > > > a modestly entertaining math puzzle.
> > > >
> > > > > All to no avail. You will never have the complete picture, and if you did there are many
> > > > > alternatives you could suggest. What I did worked.
> > > >
> > > > It did "work" ... eventually ... taking you into your upper 70s, which is clearly why
> > > > the aforementioned question is *still* being dodged by Tommy:
> > > > "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> > > > Well?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > First, I took N410CV on a short familiarization flight right after it arrived from the factory.
> > > I paid for the flight; fuel used and an hourly maintenance fee. This is encouraged. It was fun.
> > > (So was the 1.1 hour orientation flight for a CAP cadet yesterday.) CAP has a program for
> > > familiarization and proficiency flights, the corporate C mission. I used it.
> > Dodge, because N410CV wasn't a CAP van. IIRC, both ed and myself caught your 'indiscretion.'
> > > Second, the decision to stay here and strike out on my own rather than take a job and
> > > move to Chicago was not solely financial. As Yogi once said, "When You Come to a Fork
> > > in the Road, Take It". You can theorize all want about what that AVMA job might have
> > > meant financially, but it was "The Road Not Taken" per R. Frost.
> > So? How does that actually justify you not even researching the benefits of a job offer
> > that you've voluntarily bragged about its "six digit" pay?
> > > Your financial assumptions are pure speculation.
> > No, they're parameterizations of things that you've claimed. As I've said before,
> > they're based on numbers which you've voluntarily bragged about: if you've bragged
> > about being over 5ft tall on one occasion, and said you're under 6ft tall on another,
> > it paramaterizes your height to be between 5'0" and 6'0" and it wouldn't be inaccurate
> > to say that your height is roughly 5'6", plus or minus 6".
> > > Among other things, how do I know the job would have turned out to be something
> > > I really wanted to do? My experience doing some consulting with NGOs like AVMA
> > > was that they have an agenda to push, and don't mind stretching the truth to influence
> > > opinion and legislation. Not my cuppa.
> > All of those questions are irrelevant, because you still invoked them for a reason, such as
> > to "name drop" what their job offer was, to try to imply what you were worth.
> >
> >
> > > You can drive yourself nuts second guessing decisions. I have never looked back ..
> >
> > ...never - - except for this past week's "six digits" offer from AVMA from two decades ago ... /s
> > > My financial advisor worked with us to invest to get to where we are today.
> > Which was working to age ~76, and also implies that:
> > "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> > ...is a scenario which was quite far out of your reach.
> > > In the meantime, because the consulting was not full-time (you assumed AVMA full-time
> > > for 9 or 10 years?) and the wife also was able to retire early, we enjoyed the income and ...
> >
> > No, I merely was parameterizing on what you focused on: money.
> > Given how late in life you worked until your financial advisor was confident
> > (as per your own comment, above), even if working at AVMA had been ten
> > years, that still would have been age ~67 or so, at least a half decade less
> > time than what you ultimately ended up doing.
> >
> > Plus it might have also been tenable for you to have a side consulting gig too, but it
> > appears that you simply didn't really bother to check out their offer in any real detail.
> >
> > > ... [we had the] freedom to travel from 2003 to today ...
> >
> > For all of 4 international business trips that she accompanied you on over those ~20 years.
> > Wowzers! /s
> >
> > In any event, it does come down to "Now or Never" for you, to wrap up your harder travel
> > ambitions before they become untenable. As I'd advised you a few years ago, there's things
> > like the maximum age to rent a car in Ireland (75), which are doors which are closed/ing for you.
> >
> > > while I was earning the assets to fully retire 2 years ago.
> > At age 76, if it was after June 2022. Average retirement age in the US is age 64 (63F/65M).
> > > Maybe AVMA was a better option financially. But in SO many other ways it was not.
> > The answer depends on what you could have chosen to do with extra years of earlier
> > retirement, which again invokes the question that you've been dodging:
> > "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
>
> Oh, BTW, you told yet another lie. Drivers over 75 can rent a car in Ireland.
>
> https://irelandfamilyvacations.com/ireland-car-rental-over-70-myths-facts/ireland-travel-tips/

On Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 3:09:57 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> On Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 12:33:35 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > On Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 3:12:56 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > On Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 11:47:36 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 1:43:08 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 10:16:10 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > On Sunday, February 4, 2024 at 6:25:12 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > On Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10:15:46 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 10:00:37 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 29, 2024 at 6:31:29 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8:04:32 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:55:19 AM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 7:26:29 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 9:08:52 PM UTC-5, -hh wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:23:50 PM UTC-5, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 2:46:07 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 2024-01-18 07:36, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 10:50:38 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> On 2024-01-15 19:48, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:35:35 PM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> On 2024-01-08 14:43, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> On Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:31:12 AM UTC-5, Alan wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> On 2024-01-08 05:05, Thomas E. wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>> At age ~61 has Alan finally given up on his bakerMEDIA site, and business? The lame excuse for a website, bakermedia.ca, is unreachable. Linkedin says he claims to have a full-time job, working for a Toronto-based financial consulting company. The company site shows him as an employee. RIP bakermedia.ca. You won't be missed.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Just curious, dick:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> Do you check my website and my LinkedIn page (the one you called my
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> "company website) every day...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> ...or just once a week?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>>> :-)
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>> Maybe every month or two, at the most. Of course, you deflected, dodged the question, so typical of you, dickhead.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> Wow.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> You admit to regularly stalking me....
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>> ...and you don't think you deserve to be called a "dick".
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>> Not stalking, exposing your lies. Your only defense is to attempt to discredit the source of truth.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> "Maybe every month or two" you look at my website...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and goodness knows what else...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> ...and you don't think that's creepy, dick?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> I haven't lied.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> Sorry.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You lie by omission all the time. You simply cannot answer a straightforward
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > question if the answer contradicts the false image you have created of yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Not wanting to answer a question posed by a stalking DICK isn't "lying
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > by omission...
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Dick.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Oh, but yes it is a lie. Your lie is that you are/were supporting yourself as an independent consultant.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Got cite? Or is that merely your assumption?
> > > > > > > > > > > Silence still from Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You have been a full-time employee of a Toronto firm for some time now.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > So? Times have changed since the 1970s: generations after yours don’t stick
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > to just one or afew companies for their entire working career: it’s now common
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > to change every ~5 years.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Your independent consultancy failed to support you so you became an employee,
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > or at least you claim full-time employment.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Speculation, plus no proof that it was ever exclusively full time.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The bakerMedia site was disappeared. Can't afford the url renewal fee?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hasn’t the Farmecon LLC website has disappeared too?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Ouch. Projecting your own “can’t afford it?” paradigm onto yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You claim to be an elite FF driver at the local track, but your record does not support that claim.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > “Elite”? Really? Let’s see the cite.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Plus this isn’t the only time that you’ve gotten jealous & petty when you can’t be the
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > sole center of attention, especially for when it’s someone who has some skill clearly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > better than you: you should go fly for 30 minutes on just 15 minutes of fuel to show
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > readers that you’re halfway good at at least one thing. /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You have a selfie photo of yourself on your employer's site that in no way resembles
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > your current appearance on LinkedIn.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > So?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Is there a condition of employment that requires image synchronization that’s being violated?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > FYI, the professional headshots a stalker may find of me are also out of date.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Another lie. In fact when I pointed out that the company photo resembled the unflattering
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > LinkedIn version you changed it to what makes you appear healthier and without scraggly
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > facial hair. Which is the real you?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Because we all know that a random picture on the Internet is profoundly important! /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > The FarmEcon site disappeared because I shuttered the business over 2 years ago
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > So? You could have left the reports up, and just said you’re no longer actively consulting.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Search for FarmEcon.com in Google. Takes you to https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=farmecon.com where I have the URL for sale. Will I ever get that advertised price? Likely not, but
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > per WHOIS I own it for a few more years, until 2027. It's assigned to the GoDaddy URL sales site until expiration.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > You’re asking $8K! GoDaddy’s appraisal tool says that it’s worth just $1555:
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > < https://www.godaddy.com/domain-value-appraisal/appraisal/?domainToCheck=Farmecon.com>
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Then try a bakermedia.ca search.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > GoDaddy says $948 for that domain..basically two thirds as much as your domain:
> > > > > > > > > > > > > not as “bad off” as you’re trying to imply.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > ... On WHOIS it shows a 2032 URL expiration date. ..
> > > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > On LinkedIn …
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > The deletion of the company site and a full-time job all suggest that bakerMEDIA is defunct, or nearly so.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > That wasn’t the question. The question was if it ever was represented as full time.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Actually, 2018 was a very interesting year for Alan…
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Even more stalking by Tommy.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > If his consulting practice had been lucrative why is he not still not doing that full-time?
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Don’t know, don’t care, because it’s none of my business. But I do know that a lot
> > > > > > > > > > > > > of people are seeking a better work-life balance than what old Boomers tolerated.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > My consulting was, in contrast, very rewarding personally and financially.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Because you got travel boondoggles? /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > I worked it actively from 2003 to 2022, and even collected my last income in 2023.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Net income, IRS basis, was about $1.3 million before 401K contributions. As you
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > know, some expenses become deductible just because you are running a business
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > from home, so this is lower than actual.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > SS & Medicare is 15.3%, but only half of that is unique to self-employment to be
> > > > > > > > > > > > > comparable to a regular job. Plus write-offs for laptops, office, etc and it’s a 10%
> > > > > > > > > > > > > variance or so in total. Another are business travel costs, which of course are usually
> > > > > > > > > > > > > customer-approval specific, but not a big money suck…unless one wants it to be.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Plus wasn’t there also a corporate donation to a local theater for tickets too, eh?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > The write-off game is very much just that for some folks.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Since I also had pension and SSI income I'll admit I did not solicit many projects.
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > They were referrals for the most part.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > You were nevertheless still hustling for work for more than decade beyond normal
> > > > > > > > > > > > > retirement age. That shows that you weren’t anywhere near ‘comfortable’ without it.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Simply Google "thomas elam farmecon" for a small sample of my non-confidential
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > projects that made it into the public domain.
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > Despite how you still own the domain and could have just left those papers up?
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Why go to all this trouble? Alan has repeatedly called me the "lying little shit" and
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > a liar in general. I am neither. My body of work for numerous clients …
> > > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > …is not representative of the crap that you regularly tried to pull here. As such, your
> > > > > > > > > > > > > consultant work is irrelevant and not a defense for your poor behavior here.
> > > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > > > Yes, I was not comfortable at all with where I was in early 2003. I did some teaching and
> > > > > > > > > > > > started consulting. I was offered a 6-figure job with AVMA out of Chicago, but did not want
> > > > > > > > > > > > to move there.
> > > > > > > > > > > Your loss, as that would have enabled a higher retirement savings rate and been able to shave,
> > > > > > > > > > > oh perhaps 20-25% off of the years that you worked since 2003, so maybe your retirement could
> > > > > > > > > > > have been at age 70 instead of 75 or whatever.
> > > > > > > > > > > > The consulting grew organically to the point where I could not meet classes and travel to see clients.
> > > > > > > > > > > The conflict there was classes vs travel. You chose travel. As I called it, a "boondoggle" motivation.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Consulting won, and within 15 years or so I had built up a sizable net worth and income stream.
> > > > > > > > > > > Started slow, ended slow, and averaged well under six digits. Shouda' gone to Chicago /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > I took the site down just to make sure no one would see it and call me anyway.
> > > > > > > > > > > Self-contradiction of wanting us to find your papers but hiding them. "Check!". /s
> > > > > > > > > > > > All my clients have my contact info and know how to get in touch if they need something from
> > > > > > > > > > > > a past project. That happens occasionally. 95% of the work I did was not on the site anyway.
> > > > > > > > > > > Which based on your numbers, effectively didn't happen for your last three years (94% retired).
> > > > > > > > > > > > The work was rewarding because it helped people solve problems. I took about 5 or 6 international
> > > > > > > > > > > > consulting trips.
> > > > > > > > > > > "Five or Six"? How is it then that your old "brag" spreadsheet that you shared has 21 international trips
> > > > > > > > > > > listed for business for the years of 2004 - 2015?
> > > > > > > > > > > > The wife went on 4 international trips, Canada, Germany, France, and Austria.
> > > > > > > > > > > > That was less than 5% of the work.
> > > > > > > > > > > 4/21 = 19% of international business trips.
> > > > > > > > > > > > She did go on some short U.S. trips. Yes I enjoyed the travel, she did too, so what? All the work
> > > > > > > > > > > > was done right here in my office. The trips were for client-requested meetings to present results.
> > > > > > > > > > > That's been discussed before, where you've tried to imply personal wealth from leveraged business
> > > > > > > > > > > trips paid for by others (and including using frequent flier miles thereof as well): there's been quite
> > > > > > > > > > > a bit of the proverbial “yee-haw, I’m traveling and you’re not...I’m rich!" over the years.
> > > > > > > > > > > > You got the 10% number about right. My gross margin over business deductions was about 90%.
> > > > > > > > > > > Yet another instance of where you've had to admit that my parametric are close enough.
> > > > > > > > > > > > The Social Security contributions added to my eventual benefits. I get within a few dollars of the
> > > > > > > > > > > > maximum for age claiming at 66.
> > > > > > > > > > > Which was $45K/yr; I'd figured ~$35K for each of you, as I figured that yours would be the
> > > > > > > > > > > higher of the two; hers can be as low as $25K/yr and the prior numbers are still on track.
> > > > > > > > > > > > There were no charitable donations taken on my LLC Form C. Those all were on the Schedule D
> > > > > > > > > > > > at the time, now are QCD adjustments to income take out of IRA RMD funds. The matching came
> > > > > > > > > > > > from my ex-employer, not my LLC.
> > > > > > > > > > > That doesn't explain how Farmecon was the listed benefactor: was it done as an advertising expense write-off?
> > > > > > > > > > > > I was not hustling for work. I cannot remember soliciting for anything except one project.
> > > > > > > > > > > > Someone in a meeting asked if anyone knew how to do X. I volunteered and got the assignment.
> > > > > > > > > > > > The rest were all people who approached me with requests. I turned down a few that I knew were
> > > > > > > > > > > > beyond my capabilities.
> > > > > > > > > > > LOL, I've had enough time with contractors to know that there's *always* hustle for the next gig.
> > > > > > > > > > > > My behavior here is intended to defend myself against Alan Baker's assaults on my character.
> > > > > > > > > > > Too bad you're doing such a poor job at it.
> > > > > > > > > > > > And you are the person who falsely claimed to have had an FAA friend in London who could
> > > > > > > > > > > > look at my flight logs and make a judgement on their accuracy! That is reprehensible!
> > > > > > > > > > > No, what's reprehensible is that you claim that it is a false claim. For example, I never said where
> > > > > > > > > > > they lived in UK, just that one would fly into London to go visit them. Go look it up. In the meantime,
> > > > > > > > > > > they are retired, but still working in the aviation industry, consulting for Boeing and L3. They also
> > > > > > > > > > > had a nice snow ski trip last season to a place I've never heard of: Val du Claret, Tignes.
> > > > > > > > > > > > You also criticize disguised as personal finance advice while not having complete knowledge of
> > > > > > > > > > > > a person's strategy, goals and investment portfolio.. Look in the mirror yourself.
> > > > > > > > > > > Nope. My mirror doesn't have the hypocritical cracks from frequent brag attempts about my income
> > > > > > > > > > > or net worth. Just take a look at how many you stuffed into just your last reply.
> > > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Incomplete data extrapolated to fit your version of reality and wildly wrong.
> > > > > > > > > Nah, it’s already been parametrically narrowed down that your average wage
> > > > > > > > > was under $100K/yr, and IIRC more like $78K, so “six digits” would be easily
> > > > > > > > > 20% higher.
> > > > > > > > > > I hope your retirement projections are better.
> > > > > > > > > They’re doing fine, which is why I’ve mentioned Roth-ifying near term, so as to
> > > > > > > > > limit & manage taxable RMDs when they eventually kick in…
> > > > > > > > > > WE DID NOT want to move to Chicago. That was a mutual decision. It worked
> > > > > > > > > > out great from my perspective. There is more than money..
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > It’s quite ironic to hear you try to claim that there’s more to life than money after
> > > > > > > > > repeatedly posting what your net worth is, as well as working an extra decade+
> > > > > > > > > longer than average. If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > > > > > > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Silence from Tommy on the $200K at age 63 question.
> > > > > Still
> > > > > > > > Just to make your head spin a little fast I offer the following.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > To get off to a good start we paid off the house in 2003. Knowing that we had no debt was a confidence booster.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Your parametric "wage narrowing" is a joke as is the claim that taking that Chicago
> > > > > > > > job was a good idea for speeding up retirement.
> > > > > > > You're the one who tried to brag that the AVMA was a six-figure job. You've not only
> > > > > > > admitted that that was more than you were making where you were, but the other numbers
> > > > > > > you've provided have enabled a parametric estimate of at least how much more.
> > > > > > > > The limits on retirement contributions at the offered Chicago salary were a fraction
> > > > > > > > of what I was able to put away in a self-employed 401k.
> > > > > > > And the AVMA didn't offer any pension? Because the reason why the tax code allows
> > > > > > > self-employed businesses to have such higher 401k provisions is because there isn't an
> > > > > > > employer pension.
> > > > > > > > By putting away the max in my own 401k in 2003-2023 (last 2 years were 0) through my own
> > > > > > > > contributions and capital appreciation I built what is now an IRA worth well over $1 million today.
> > > > > > > Which if we KISS apply the 4% rule for an annuity equivalent is a pension of just $40K/year.
> > > > > > > > If I take what we put in minus RMD withdrawals the non-discounted net cash IRA outlay
> > > > > > > > has been $197k. I about 4 years the net will be zero. An employee plan with its lower
> > > > > > > > contributions would never have done that for IRA current value or past and future $RMD.
> > > > > > > But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > > > > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > > > > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > > > > > ended up with, which would be $500K ...
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > ... and the ramifications of this are that the the employer's pension portion only needs
> > > > > > > to be just $20K/year to be at break-even. Less, if there was also an employer match
> > > > > > > going into the 401k.
> > > > > > > > And, of course, there are 4 other retirement accounts and a substantial amount of other
> > > > > > > > investments not in qualified plans. The wife worked for a while too after we got married in 2002.
> > > > > > > > Over that same 2003-2023 span we had one lean year with under $150k income.
> > > > > > > > The average was $204k. The decision to save as much as possible was very deliberate.
> > > > > > > Except that you've just admitted that there were 4 other retirement accounts plus RMDs
> > > > > > > that were all contributors to these income totals, which parametrically means that your
> > > > > > > years of working as a consultant must have always been *less* than the numbers you
> > > > > > > just stated above. Golly, more parameterizing.
> > > > > > > > We currently receive monthly: 2 pension, 2 Social Security, 5 RMD and 1 dividend payments.
> > > > > > > Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > > > > > to about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr out of your $204K/yr average,
> > > > > > > and there's still the RMDs to subtract off (and dividends) before one gets down to just
> > > > > > > what the average consultant gig was paying per year.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > My ex-employer also heavily subsidizes our Medicare Supplement plans and pays for
> > > > > > > > my Part B premiums, all tax free.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > IIRC, I can expect to have ~five years of 100% free healthcare, after which it drops to
> > > > > > > just 70% subsidized. What did I win? /s
> > > > >
> > > > > That 'heavily subsidized' is probably the $6K/year that Tommy mentioned in July 2019
> > > > > as a 2016 change in his retirement benefits. At that time he also noted that it apparently
> > > > > wasn't indexed to inflation. Hopefully that has changed for the better for him.
> > > FWIW, I did a verification check on my own benefits; the permanent "70% subsidy" part has a
> > > cap of $15K/year in 2024, so more expensive plans can have a lower contribution percentage.
> > > > > > > > And, our investments' market value continues to grow long term. The 2023-2024 YoY growth
> > > > > > > > after the 2022 slump is over $500k. An unusual yoyo 2 years to be sure, but it all keeps the mind active.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Golly, you already know what your 2024 growth was? /s
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Nah, its more likely that you're counting all of 2022, plus YTD, rather than just YoY, so as to
> > > > > > > squeeze out a slightly bigger number from the past five weeks' gains to try to brag about.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Life was much simpler when I got only a salary, bonuses and stock options. I say that,
> > > > > > > > but AMT liabilities arising from Incentive Stock Options income and later reclaiming AMT
> > > > > > > > after the ISO's stopped was a bit complicated and risky. Not to mention that you may
> > > > > > > > need to borrow the money to pay for the exercise and then wait at least a year to sell
> > > > > > > > to get LTCG treatment on a gain that may not materialize. See:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > https://www.esofund.com/blog/amt-tax-calculator#:~:text=If%20you%20exercise%20incentive%20stock%20options%20%28ISOs%29%20you,value%20at%20the%20time%20of%20exercise%20as%20income.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > https://www.brightonjones.com/blog/amt-stock-options/
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > It took me over 10 years to reclaim the AMT I paid, but it was a nice Federal tax liability offset while it lasted.
> > > > > > > Of course, there's other ways to manage stock options which are less likely to trigger
> > > > > > > AMTs (plus AMT has temporarily disappeared as a real factor, due to the 2017 TCJA).
> > > > > > > > But more to the point, moving to Chicago would have meant losing family and friend
> > > > > > > > connections, downsizing, higher taxes and living expenses. It is likely that at that time,
> > > > > > > > having just paid off the house, we would need to mortgage a home in the Chicago suburbs.
> > > > > > > > Moving was never seriously considered for many reasons.
> > > > > > > Because one can never make new friends/etc. Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy
> > > > > > > is <200 miles. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that you mentioned it and how it was a "six figure"
> > > > > > > income opportunity, as that paramaterizes that you were earning less at the time.
> > > > > > > > I also enjoyed working for myself. It gave me the freedom to do jobs my way. I turned
> > > > > > > > engagements down too. You should try it, very liberating.
> > > > > > > Perhaps I already am, and just haven't bragged about it.
> > > > > > > > As for the consulting international trip count my underestimate is the result of those
> > > > > > > > forgotten ones being not very memorable. The few I did remember were mostly the
> > > > > > > > ones with the wife. The rest were just work. Fly somewhere, a meeting or two, fly
> > > > > > > > home. BFD. When working for Lilly those OUS trips often included 1-2 weeks, multiple
> > > > > > > > projects, and multiple destinations. More memorable, and some downtime to sightsee.
> > > > > > > Routine business travel does get tuned out ... but then not invoked in brag attempts.
> > > > > > > Given how you've kept such meticulous records and even counted air segments, its
> > > > > > > not really a particularly believable excuse.
> > > > > > > > Have you ever run a run your own business to the extent of having a self-employed 401k?
> > > > > > > I've never been laid off to have been compelled to strike out on my own to need to: with
> > > > > > > an existent employer 401k, any side business affairs don't need to incur the overhead to
> > > > > > > go duplicate that capability, as it is easy with multiple income streams to leverage them
> > > > > > > so as to facilitate shifting of expenses/income to maximize tax-advantaged accounts, etc.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I'm going to answer just these comments:
> > > > > > "But that assumes no employer match on the 401k, as well as no pension benefit.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Since the self-employed 401k is ~2x what an individual employee can set aside in an
> > > > > > employer's 401k, we can parametrically model the What-If of you taking that AVMA job
> > > > > > and making the same max individual 401k contributions as ~1/2 of what you've now
> > > > > > ended up with, which would be $500K"
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I never got to the stage of asking about fringe benefits. The prospect of relocating to
> > > > > > Chicago killed it. As the AVMA is a not-for-profit I doubt that the retirement benefits
> > > > > > were very generous.
> > > > >
> > > > > So you didn't even look? Pity, for there's a 2016 comment on Glassdoor that says that their
> > > > > employer 401k match is up to 10%, which for a $100K+ salary is an additional +$10K+/year,
> > > > > which is a 40% increase in contributions (using 2016's limit of $24K, an employer's 10% of
> > > > > $100K = +$10K = $34K/$24K = 1.42 = a +42% higher rate of investment.
> > > > >
> > > > > > Also I was already almost 57 at the time, so it was going to be short term there, not
> > > > > > much chance to build up credits or a 401k
> > > > >
> > > > > So? The point was only that it would be *shorter* than what you actually did, which was age 75+.
> > > > >
> > > > > > Your 500k assumes that I would have worked there well past age 65.
> > > > >
> > > > > But not to age 75 (actually 78), which is where your current 401k balance comes from.
> > > > >
> > > > > Now using Glassdoor's reported 10% employer match, the accumulation rate would
> > > > > have been substantially (+42%) higher than than what was modeled in the $500K KISS,
> > > > > and that (plus whatever employer pension) is how working years get chopped off.
> > > > > Keeping it simple by ignoring progressive compounding/etc from more money earlier,
> > > > > figure roughly 20 years/1.42 = 14 years, which is ~6 years earlier for retirement.
> > > > >
> > > > > > And, you are assuming things about an AVMA 401k plan. Sorry, but again you
> > > > > > assume facts not in evidence. ie, you lied
> > > > >
> > > > > False: I simply noted that the baseline parameterization didn't assume that there
> > > > > was any employer match from AVMA to sweeten the deal.
> > > > >
> > > > > But now that we know that they do, we can update those numbers, as seen above.
> > > > > And this is just from the 401k benefits portion, still not counting any additional pension.
> > > > >
> > > > > > "Plus a CAP flight from Chicago back to Indy is <200 miles."
> > > > > > Are you f'ing kidding. You cannot use CAP aircraft for personal flying!
> > > > >
> > > > > Except for how you've previously admitted to using one of CAP's vans for personal use,
> > > > > so we know that you're already predisposed to trying such things.
> > > > >
> > > > > > "Think the SS was already SWAGed at ~$60K/yr in total. Figure two pensions adding up
> > > > > > about the same sum and you're already at $120K/yr"
> > > > > >
> > > > > > LOL again! The pensions and SS add up to under $100k. The rest is dividends and RMD's.
> > > > > > Which is the payoff for all that fun I had consulting.
> > > > >
> > > > > Tommy, on Jan 26, 2024, 8:04:32 PM: "I get within a few dollars of the maximum for age
> > > > > claiming at 66." which if you're telling the truth is ~$45K of that claimed "under $100K",
> > > > > which means that the other three sum to <$55K and would average just $18.3K each.
> > > > >
> > > > > An average SS pension is ~$1500/mo = $18K/yr, so assuming that for the Mrs, the balance
> > > > > after SS is just $37K/yr for the sum of the two pensions. Since you've bragged about your
> > > > > Eli Lilly "golden parachute" & pension from working there for 23 years, if it alone was less
> > > > > than $35K, it would IMO be just an average pension amount.
> > > > >
> > > > > > You are spending a lot of time stalking my finances.
> > > > >
> > > > > Merely because you've invested so much here in telling everyone about your finances
> > > > > and how we're apparently supposed to be impressed and jealous of you. It's been
> > > > > a modestly entertaining math puzzle.
> > > > >
> > > > > > All to no avail. You will never have the complete picture, and if you did there are many
> > > > > > alternatives you could suggest. What I did worked.
> > > > >
> > > > > It did "work" ... eventually ... taking you into your upper 70s, which is clearly why
> > > > > the aforementioned question is *still* being dodged by Tommy:
> > > > > "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> > > > > Well?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > First, I took N410CV on a short familiarization flight right after it arrived from the factory.
> > > > I paid for the flight; fuel used and an hourly maintenance fee. This is encouraged. It was fun.
> > > > (So was the 1.1 hour orientation flight for a CAP cadet yesterday.) CAP has a program for
> > > > familiarization and proficiency flights, the corporate C mission. I used it.
> > > Dodge, because N410CV wasn't a CAP van. IIRC, both ed and myself caught your 'indiscretion.'
> > > > Second, the decision to stay here and strike out on my own rather than take a job and
> > > > move to Chicago was not solely financial. As Yogi once said, "When You Come to a Fork
> > > > in the Road, Take It". You can theorize all want about what that AVMA job might have
> > > > meant financially, but it was "The Road Not Taken" per R. Frost.
> > > So? How does that actually justify you not even researching the benefits of a job offer
> > > that you've voluntarily bragged about its "six digit" pay?
> > > > Your financial assumptions are pure speculation.
> > > No, they're parameterizations of things that you've claimed. As I've said before,
> > > they're based on numbers which you've voluntarily bragged about: if you've bragged
> > > about being over 5ft tall on one occasion, and said you're under 6ft tall on another,
> > > it paramaterizes your height to be between 5'0" and 6'0" and it wouldn't be inaccurate
> > > to say that your height is roughly 5'6", plus or minus 6".
> > > > Among other things, how do I know the job would have turned out to be something
> > > > I really wanted to do? My experience doing some consulting with NGOs like AVMA
> > > > was that they have an agenda to push, and don't mind stretching the truth to influence
> > > > opinion and legislation. Not my cuppa.
> > > All of those questions are irrelevant, because you still invoked them for a reason, such as
> > > to "name drop" what their job offer was, to try to imply what you were worth.
> > >
> > >
> > > > You can drive yourself nuts second guessing decisions. I have never looked back ..
> > >
> > > ...never - - except for this past week's "six digits" offer from AVMA from two decades ago ... /s
> > > > My financial advisor worked with us to invest to get to where we are today.
> > > Which was working to age ~76, and also implies that:
> > > "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> > > ...is a scenario which was quite far out of your reach.
> > > > In the meantime, because the consulting was not full-time (you assumed AVMA full-time
> > > > for 9 or 10 years?) and the wife also was able to retire early, we enjoyed the income and ...
> > >
> > > No, I merely was parameterizing on what you focused on: money.
> > > Given how late in life you worked until your financial advisor was confident
> > > (as per your own comment, above), even if working at AVMA had been ten
> > > years, that still would have been age ~67 or so, at least a half decade less
> > > time than what you ultimately ended up doing.
> > >
> > > Plus it might have also been tenable for you to have a side consulting gig too, but it
> > > appears that you simply didn't really bother to check out their offer in any real detail.
> > >
> > > > ... [we had the] freedom to travel from 2003 to today ...
> > >
> > > For all of 4 international business trips that she accompanied you on over those ~20 years.
> > > Wowzers! /s
> > >
> > > In any event, it does come down to "Now or Never" for you, to wrap up your harder travel
> > > ambitions before they become untenable. As I'd advised you a few years ago, there's things
> > > like the maximum age to rent a car in Ireland (75), which are doors which are closed/ing for you.
> > >
> > > > while I was earning the assets to fully retire 2 years ago.
> > > At age 76, if it was after June 2022. Average retirement age in the US is age 64 (63F/65M).
> > > > Maybe AVMA was a better option financially. But in SO many other ways it was not.
> > > The answer depends on what you could have chosen to do with extra years of earlier
> > > retirement, which again invokes the question that you've been dodging:
> > > "If you could have retired at 63 with a $200K income stream
> > > before SS or 401k/IRA distributions…would you have taken it?"
> >
> > Oh, BTW, you told yet another lie. Drivers over 75 can rent a car in Ireland.
> >
> > https://irelandfamilyvacations.com/ireland-car-rental-over-70-myths-facts/ireland-travel-tips/
> Read for comprehension, Tommy.
> First, on your own citation, note the "UP TO AGE 75"...is without restrictions:
>
> "Most car rental companies in Ireland will rent to drivers up to age 75 without any additional restrictions."
>
> Second, note that while the webpage does name of a few companies without additional restrictions,
> it identifies what the additional restrictions are for some companies, including Hertz:
>
> "Senior Driver Policy: Customers over 75 years are eligible to rent with the following specific conditions
> -You must drive on a regular basis;
> -You will need to provide to the counter a letter from your insurance company to state that you have
> not had an accident within the last 5 years, that you hold a current policy of motor insurance with you
> and that you are currently driving;
> -You will need to provide a current letter from your doctor to state you have been in good health."
>
> YMMV on how cooperative Hertz is to accept one's reservation if one's not already a Gold
> Member and possibly also with relatively frequent domestic rentals to support a request.
> YMMV also on how easy/hard it is to obtain the two letters that they required.
> And
> YMMV on if that traffic circle accident was more than five years ago now.
>
> Point is that "age" is a logistically complicating factor when it comes to travel.
> It is most easiest to just avoid by not waiting too long, which was the point I was
> making several years ago ("go now") when I first pointed this issue out to you.
> After all, it is never totally insurmountable, as one can just hire a private driver.
>
> -hh