Welcome

Welcome. I'm going to avoid doing any long introductions, and instead just get right to some posts over the next couple of days. I'll fill in background information, etc. as needed going forward. Bear with me over the next few weeks as I may tweak the formatting and layout a bit, although right now I am liking the simplistic design.

The topics will be a lot of finance, a decent amount of politics, and some side helpings of other random things that come up. I'm also going post some of my favorite (decidedly amateur) photographs now and then, if for no other reason than to encourage me to take them more often. I'll post something formal when I get around to it, but in the meantime unless otherwise noted all photos, writing, original graphics, etc. are Copyright Robert J. Alvarez, all rights reserved, don't go using without asking, etc.

One thing I want to establish right from the beginning: play nice in the comments. I don't care when people disagree with me or with each other - in fact I enjoy it. But the immature nastiness that passes for discourse on many blogs (especially in the comment sections) is disgusting and unhealthy. I know the internet has evolved to be more tolerant of being a jerk than normal social custom typically allows, but that doesn't mean I have to like it or play along. Anybody who wants to be a jackass or rip down other people rather than address their ideas is welcome to start their own website. This one, however, is my little corner of the internet, and I'm just not going to put up with it.

With that, welcome once again. Feel free to leave a comment, or email me directly at rjalvarez001 *at* gmail.com. Thanks for stopping by.