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Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Low-cost Investing: Retirement Tool ...by Scott Burns

"Mutual fund" firms who charge more than 'ten basis points' (10 one-hundredths of one percent) should probably be avoided. Low-cost index funds from Vanguard, iShares, Schwab and State Street should seriously be considered.

http://assetbuilder.com/scott_burns/the_universal_retirement_tool

Lizards In My Texas Yard

I've seen five species of lizards in my yard recently:
1) Green Anole
http://www.google.com/search?biw=320&bih=416&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=mA6tUcqbNInxqAHqr4GQAg&q=green+anole+lizard&oq=green+anole&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.1.1.0l5.48107.62321.0.64001.32.28.0.1.1.5.537.6369.0j12j3j2j6j1.24.0...0.0...1c.1.15.mobile-gws-serp.ubb7WiB_WOk

2) Texas Spiny Lizard
http://www.google.com/search?q=texas+spiny+lizard&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Rw-tUYiMJcugyQH00oHYBw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=320&bih=416


3) Desert Grassland Whiptails
http://www.google.com/search?q=Desert+Grassland+Whiptail&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=gg6tUfy2JYW3qAGFkIGQDg&ved=0CEoQsAQ&biw=320&bih=417


4) Mediterranean House Gecko
(Invasive
species)
http://www.google.com/search?q=MEDITERRANEAN+HOUSE+GECKO&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=DBCtUe3EJsb1rAHe0oCQBw&ved=0CFYQsAQ&biw=320&bih=416

5) American Legless Lizards
http://www.google.com/search?q=American+legless+Lizards&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=BxqtUdLZOcPOqwGwsYCwAw&ved=0CEwQsAQ&biw=320&bih=417

I've also seen an increase in bird species in the back yard. Plus, I've noted a dramatic decrease in spiders (due to an increase in the lizard and bird population). Why? It's because of the Black Soldier Fly larvae made available to them coming from the compost bin.
Note: I put only food scraps, grease, etcetera in it and the BSF larvae make short work of it. Houseflies are not attracted because of the BSF larvae en masse.

Besides providing a clean and easy disposal method for stuff that would otherwise attract house flies, my gray garbage barrel is kept clean.