I am an ordinary investor seeking to get an handle on the market and the economy. I am a family man, a scientist and have a reasonably well paying job. I am about 10 - 15 years from retirement (I thought it was 5 last year, but this bear market has humbled me), I have consistently out-performed the market (i know it's not saying much these last 10 years), which I believe is more than what most fund managers can say,

Over the last 15 years I have accumulated a portfolio of around $2 million, while making all the rookie mistakes. I am and always been fully invested. The recent bear market has taught me that technical's are important and its important to raise cash at the right time. I continue to learn from experience and the read all economic and financial commentary voraciously. I am playing the long game which takes skill and patience.

Bear markets fascinate me! They represents a discontinuity in which the financial reins go from the weak to the strong from the fearful to the courageous and most of all from the reckless speculator to the patient thinker.

Politically I am a left leaning conservative. Fiscal restraint and social liberalism appeals to me. I don't think the state has a role in people's bedroom or their places of worship (or lack thereof). I believe health care and education like defense are a "public good" not "market good" and a matter of justice like security, human rights, equal opportunity and freedom. I also believe in gun control, freedom of expression and tolerance towards others as long as they are non-violent and do not incite hatred or exclusion of ethnic groups. I don't like politicians who waste the public money but do believe in concept of Keynesian pump priming.

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