China is Dumping the Dollar:
According to RBS, it appears that China is dumping the Dollar, and Dollar denominated assets. For more information on these green shoots, including great graphs, click the link below.
http://www.businessinsider.com/china-is-unloading-us-dollars-rapidly-2009-12
Climategate
There are a lot of rumors swirling about, and there is a lot of information to be digested, but I wanted to interject one more piece of information. Many people may have already noticed this, and it is a very simple observation. In a world where we use acronyms and abbreviations even in our speech, we tend to gloss over the meanings of these terms as they have simply become names moreso than meaningful phrases.
What is in a name?
One name that is being tossed around a lot is the name of the institute that is at the center of this "climategate." The name of this institute is the "Hadley Center for Climate Change." Now, there are many accusations with supposed proof from each side, but the simplest observation can help us to immediately understand the motive. Their name is "Hadley Center for Climate Change." This indicates that their sole existence is to prove climate change and its effects.
There are a few reasons why I would suggest this. On their website they are quite clear that they believe "Climate Change" (which is a fairly new term introduced being that the term "global warming" blew up on them, so I will use Global Warming throughout the rest of the article) does exist and has already been proven. This can be extrapolated by phrases they use such as "A simple guide looking at the facts and impacts and history of climate change" and the images they use such as a smokestack with smoke spelling out "CO2" not to mention a desolated area of the earth.
One problem that I have with this is that most of the time they spend examining data seems to be so they can prove that "global warming" is occurring. How can scientists objectively approach their research when the outcome, in their eyes, is already decided? So, naturally, data must be skewed to fit their hypothesis.
Where's my motivation?
I can't say factually what the motivation is, but these scientists are being paid and have steady work. If they disproved "global warming" then they would be out of work until the next job. Now, you can think a little deeper and consider that there is government motivation. After all, this is a government organization that clearly already believes that "global warming" is a proven fact. It seems slightly suspect that an organization of the government would declare "global warming" to be so factual with clearly inconsistent data and so many dissenters if they didn't have political motivation.
What possible political motivation can arise? Taxes, permits, new businesses, control over industry, and the sky is the limit! New companies that regulated CO2, audited CO2 emissions, and sold credits would be created. Imagine if politicians, that have a vested interest in some industries, could levy a massive tax on their competition? They would either be making money off of them or put them out of business. It would open up a whole new level of control never before seen by man.
Conclusion:
Using basic logic, you can clearly see:
What is in a name?
One name that is being tossed around a lot is the name of the institute that is at the center of this "climategate." The name of this institute is the "Hadley Center for Climate Change." Now, there are many accusations with supposed proof from each side, but the simplest observation can help us to immediately understand the motive. Their name is "Hadley Center for Climate Change." This indicates that their sole existence is to prove climate change and its effects.
There are a few reasons why I would suggest this. On their website they are quite clear that they believe "Climate Change" (which is a fairly new term introduced being that the term "global warming" blew up on them, so I will use Global Warming throughout the rest of the article) does exist and has already been proven. This can be extrapolated by phrases they use such as "A simple guide looking at the facts and impacts and history of climate change" and the images they use such as a smokestack with smoke spelling out "CO2" not to mention a desolated area of the earth.
One problem that I have with this is that most of the time they spend examining data seems to be so they can prove that "global warming" is occurring. How can scientists objectively approach their research when the outcome, in their eyes, is already decided? So, naturally, data must be skewed to fit their hypothesis.
Where's my motivation?
I can't say factually what the motivation is, but these scientists are being paid and have steady work. If they disproved "global warming" then they would be out of work until the next job. Now, you can think a little deeper and consider that there is government motivation. After all, this is a government organization that clearly already believes that "global warming" is a proven fact. It seems slightly suspect that an organization of the government would declare "global warming" to be so factual with clearly inconsistent data and so many dissenters if they didn't have political motivation.
What possible political motivation can arise? Taxes, permits, new businesses, control over industry, and the sky is the limit! New companies that regulated CO2, audited CO2 emissions, and sold credits would be created. Imagine if politicians, that have a vested interest in some industries, could levy a massive tax on their competition? They would either be making money off of them or put them out of business. It would open up a whole new level of control never before seen by man.
Conclusion:
Using basic logic, you can clearly see:
- Their name & website clearly suggest a steadfast belief that "global warming" exists.
- They get paid for an indefinite period of time assuming they don't disprove "global warming"
- There is a lot of political opportunity available if "global warming" is proven true such as large tax increases, new permits, and new business opportunities.
- The leaked emails help to contribute to this conclusion.
The name, the motivation, and the disposition all point to an organization that has a goal, and a motivation to push their idea without consideration that they may be wrong. Someone is wrong in the Climategate argument, there is no in-between. But with the current slew of information, and a basic analysis of the source of "proof" it is easy to see through the situation.
Why You Shouldn't Listen To Ben Bernanke Pt. 2
As a follow up to my post on "Why You shouldn't listen to Ben Bernanke" I showed you an interesting video that shows him denying bubble's in the housing market before it popped, and the horrific stock market crash that occurred. Now, I don't expect people to have a crystal ball, but if a news reporter asks what he thinks about a possible housing "correction" I'm pretty sure this guy already knew it was coming. Now, why am I restating all of this? Because Time magazine, laughably, named him "Person of the Year."
Not to say I would want his job, but if your idea to save the economy is: make money cheap so banks, and the federal government run up their credit and hope for the best, then that is not very inventive. That is basically what every low income family that has lost their job is resorting to, and it only makes problems worse. It will work similarly on the micro as it will on the macro! Now, I understand that the Time magazine award is for people who have affected the world "for better or for worse." But it sounds like they think it is for the better.
Don't get me wrong, Bernanke seems like a cool guy. I would most certainly hang out with him, but person of the year? We haven't even begun to see the effects of his decisions. This is like giving the award to a person who has the intention of going back in time. I think that in a few years we'll be able to look back on this and realize how big a farce this is. At least, I hope we'll have that ability assuming cataclysmic destruction of our economy does not ensue. Do I hope I'm wrong? OF COURSE! I hope that in a few years Bernanke can call me up laughing saying "You remember how you said I didn't deserve man of the year? I guess you were wrong."
But everything in me looks at what decisions are being made, and what the logical outcome may be, and I just think that the decisions are being arrived at for the short term outcome, and the long term is not being considered.
Not to say I would want his job, but if your idea to save the economy is: make money cheap so banks, and the federal government run up their credit and hope for the best, then that is not very inventive. That is basically what every low income family that has lost their job is resorting to, and it only makes problems worse. It will work similarly on the micro as it will on the macro! Now, I understand that the Time magazine award is for people who have affected the world "for better or for worse." But it sounds like they think it is for the better.
Don't get me wrong, Bernanke seems like a cool guy. I would most certainly hang out with him, but person of the year? We haven't even begun to see the effects of his decisions. This is like giving the award to a person who has the intention of going back in time. I think that in a few years we'll be able to look back on this and realize how big a farce this is. At least, I hope we'll have that ability assuming cataclysmic destruction of our economy does not ensue. Do I hope I'm wrong? OF COURSE! I hope that in a few years Bernanke can call me up laughing saying "You remember how you said I didn't deserve man of the year? I guess you were wrong."
But everything in me looks at what decisions are being made, and what the logical outcome may be, and I just think that the decisions are being arrived at for the short term outcome, and the long term is not being considered.
Series: Economic Recovery Is A Bunch Of Lies Pt 2
This story came in last night. Apparently the Federal Government breached its debt limit so the house approved an emergency $290 billion limit increase. This sounds like we are living at the top of our credit card limit... recovery is on the horizon!
"The ceiling was set at $12.104 trillion dollars.
The latest posting by Treasury shows the National Debt at nearly $12.135 trillion. "
To read more about these green shoots follow this link: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/16/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5987341.shtml
Series: Economic Recovery Is A Bunch Of Lies Pt 1
This will be a very simple series where I will provide excerpts and links to articles in the media that demonstrate just how smoothly this recovery is going. Let's start with a report from New York. Governor Patterson had this to say:
To read more about these green shoots you can find the article here: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/12/13/2009-12-13_untitled__2gov13m.html#ixzz0ZxgA0CtB
"I can't say this enough:
The state has run out of money.
We are $1 billion short..."
-New York Governor Patterson
To read more about these green shoots you can find the article here: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/12/13/2009-12-13_untitled__2gov13m.html#ixzz0ZxgA0CtB
URGENT: GOLD & SILVER SHORTAGE UPDATE
If this account is accurate then it appears that the shortage isn't with Gold, but our ability to meet demand in a timely manner.
We have some damage control information from Forbes.com:
"Gold Coin Shortage
Heather Struck, 11.25.09, 12:15 PM EST
Don't worry, there's not a shortage of gold, just of equipment for coining it in the U.S.
The United States Mint has a gold problem. As demand for precious metal in the futures indexes and in physical gold bullion coins increases as the dollar weakens, there's been a run on the Mint. Don't worry, there's no shortage of gold. It's just that the Mint doesn't have the resources to make it into coins due to outsourcing and budget cuts decades ago.
The problem lies in manufacturing the blanks. The blank planchets are not made at the Mint, which hasn't had the production capacity for this stage of the minting process since the budget cuts of 1981. The Reagan administration began using private companies, which process and ship the blanks to the Mint's West Point, N.Y. site for stamping and engraving. Today there are three refineries that supply planchets to the Mint: VennerBeck Stern Leach in Rhode Island, Sunshine Minting in Idaho and Goldmark in Perth, Australia
Though some have taken the shortage of gold coins to mean a shortage of gold in general, folks in the industry say it's not a worry. The Gold Bullion Coin Act, which put the coin programs in place in 1985, stipulates that the gold must be mined in the U.S. Johnson Matthey ( JMPLY.PK - news - people ), the London-based company that refines most of the gold that is mined in the U.S., says, "there is no shortage of gold" coming out of the ground these days.
The Mint's Oct. 6 announcement that it would not produce any gold "proof" coins this year is testament to its diminished capabilities. Even 5,000 proofs for the 2009 edition of the American Eagle coin series would offer a limited number to collectors that would still be a particularly rare year for the coin. When questioned by Coin World, a collectors' trade publication, about what would be the first skipped year in two decades for the American Eagle gold coin series, the Mint responded that they were just following the law, which is "to produce bullion coins in quantities sufficient to meet public demand."
The demand for gold bullion being 860% higher than it was a year ago, the Mint has found itself filling that demand with all the gold blanks that it can get its hands on. It is difficult to say how many licensed coin dealers are telling their customers they don't have what they need, but earlier this year, Ute Wartenberg Kagen, executive director of the American Numismatic Society, said she was asked by an investor how one could buy 10,000 coins (they are sold in ounce quantities and three fractional versions below that, at a price that is slightly above market value).
Gold bullion coin prices are normally nothing near the rare coin trade, in which the right coin can sell for anywhere between $50,000 and $1 million, but this year Treasury's business coin program is already selling at the explosive rates. In 1986, nearly 1.8 million ounces of gold bullion were sold. The Mint reports having sold 1.1 million ounces by the third week of November this year."
We have some damage control information from Forbes.com:
"Gold Coin Shortage
Heather Struck, 11.25.09, 12:15 PM EST
Don't worry, there's not a shortage of gold, just of equipment for coining it in the U.S.
The United States Mint has a gold problem. As demand for precious metal in the futures indexes and in physical gold bullion coins increases as the dollar weakens, there's been a run on the Mint. Don't worry, there's no shortage of gold. It's just that the Mint doesn't have the resources to make it into coins due to outsourcing and budget cuts decades ago.
The problem lies in manufacturing the blanks. The blank planchets are not made at the Mint, which hasn't had the production capacity for this stage of the minting process since the budget cuts of 1981. The Reagan administration began using private companies, which process and ship the blanks to the Mint's West Point, N.Y. site for stamping and engraving. Today there are three refineries that supply planchets to the Mint: VennerBeck Stern Leach in Rhode Island, Sunshine Minting in Idaho and Goldmark in Perth, Australia
Though some have taken the shortage of gold coins to mean a shortage of gold in general, folks in the industry say it's not a worry. The Gold Bullion Coin Act, which put the coin programs in place in 1985, stipulates that the gold must be mined in the U.S. Johnson Matthey ( JMPLY.PK - news - people ), the London-based company that refines most of the gold that is mined in the U.S., says, "there is no shortage of gold" coming out of the ground these days.
The Mint's Oct. 6 announcement that it would not produce any gold "proof" coins this year is testament to its diminished capabilities. Even 5,000 proofs for the 2009 edition of the American Eagle coin series would offer a limited number to collectors that would still be a particularly rare year for the coin. When questioned by Coin World, a collectors' trade publication, about what would be the first skipped year in two decades for the American Eagle gold coin series, the Mint responded that they were just following the law, which is "to produce bullion coins in quantities sufficient to meet public demand."
The demand for gold bullion being 860% higher than it was a year ago, the Mint has found itself filling that demand with all the gold blanks that it can get its hands on. It is difficult to say how many licensed coin dealers are telling their customers they don't have what they need, but earlier this year, Ute Wartenberg Kagen, executive director of the American Numismatic Society, said she was asked by an investor how one could buy 10,000 coins (they are sold in ounce quantities and three fractional versions below that, at a price that is slightly above market value).
Gold bullion coin prices are normally nothing near the rare coin trade, in which the right coin can sell for anywhere between $50,000 and $1 million, but this year Treasury's business coin program is already selling at the explosive rates. In 1986, nearly 1.8 million ounces of gold bullion were sold. The Mint reports having sold 1.1 million ounces by the third week of November this year."
URGENT: GOLD & SILVER SHORTAGE UPDATE
Letter From APMEX:
Dear XXXXX,
The United States Mint has suspended sales of gold and silver yet again. 2009 has seen an unprecedented demand for the 2009 Gold American Eagles and 2009 Silver American Eagles as investors have clamored to secure their assets and protect their wealth against the rising tide of inflation.
This suspension in sales is temporary as the U.S. Mint continues to produce these highly sought after coins. At APMEX, we have a very limited supply of both 2009 Gold American Eagle and 2009 Silver American Eagle coins in stock and ready to ship. Buy your gold and silver bullion coins now while they are still available in the marketplace.
Mint shortages have traditionally caused a significant increase in premium – however, at APMEX, we still have these coins available at very reasonable prices. Buy your gold and silver coins today before market conditions change more and prices are driven up from excessive demand.
The news from the U.S. Mint comes on the heels of the recent news of gold's all-time highs. It seems like every day, gold reaches a new high! Already this morning, gold reached $1,186.30 per ounce as investors continue to react to major financial news about gold.
News like this will only drive demand and prices higher, and supplies lower. Get your 2009 Gold American Eagle and 2009 Silver American Eagle coins at APMEX while we still have a supply to meet our customer's needs.
Buy your gold and silver online today at www.APMEX.com!
Respectfully,
David McCarty
Director of Marketing
American Precious Metals Exchange
Dear XXXXX,
The United States Mint has suspended sales of gold and silver yet again. 2009 has seen an unprecedented demand for the 2009 Gold American Eagles and 2009 Silver American Eagles as investors have clamored to secure their assets and protect their wealth against the rising tide of inflation.
This suspension in sales is temporary as the U.S. Mint continues to produce these highly sought after coins. At APMEX, we have a very limited supply of both 2009 Gold American Eagle and 2009 Silver American Eagle coins in stock and ready to ship. Buy your gold and silver bullion coins now while they are still available in the marketplace.
Mint shortages have traditionally caused a significant increase in premium – however, at APMEX, we still have these coins available at very reasonable prices. Buy your gold and silver coins today before market conditions change more and prices are driven up from excessive demand.
The news from the U.S. Mint comes on the heels of the recent news of gold's all-time highs. It seems like every day, gold reaches a new high! Already this morning, gold reached $1,186.30 per ounce as investors continue to react to major financial news about gold.
News like this will only drive demand and prices higher, and supplies lower. Get your 2009 Gold American Eagle and 2009 Silver American Eagle coins at APMEX while we still have a supply to meet our customer's needs.
Buy your gold and silver online today at www.APMEX.com!
Respectfully,
David McCarty
Director of Marketing
American Precious Metals Exchange
URGENT: GOLD & SILVER COINS MAY BE IN SHORT SUPPLY
The extent can't be estimated very well but there are reports rolling in that Gold Krugerrands are in short supply and wholesalers are waiting on the South African Mint to ship out more and the US Mint is either out of or having huge difficulties keeping up with demand of Silver American Eagles.
From the US Mint Webpage:
"Update: Due to the continued, sustained demand for American Eagle Silver Bullion Coins, 2009-dated American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coins will not be produced." (link)
Krugerrand Sources:
Gold Krugerrands Run Out
We will keep you posted as more information comes in.
From the US Mint Webpage:
"Update: Due to the continued, sustained demand for American Eagle Silver Bullion Coins, 2009-dated American Eagle Silver Uncirculated Coins will not be produced." (link)
Krugerrand Sources:
Gold Krugerrands Run Out
We will keep you posted as more information comes in.
BullionStacker.Com - A Growing PM Trading Community
Many people are wondering how they can get into the precious metal market, many people want to know how they can sell their holdings of Gold, Silver, and Platinum; and others just have an interest and want to talk about it. This can all be done at one place, and I must say that it is outstanding.
BullionStacker.com is a fairly new community formed by a group of friends that got tired of how a lot of other forums were managed. It was started with the idea of having a place for people that are serious and passionate about precious metals and give them a no-hassle place to buy, sell, and trade their Gold, Silver, and Platinum. I became a member a few months after it was founded and I have completed many successful trades/sales and have not yet had a problem outside of the USPS being slow, and unresponsive.
What sets Bullionstacker.com apart from other forums? Their main rule is to use common sense; meaning that they don't have a rulebook thicker than your precious metal holdings, they don't charge you for buying, selling, and trading, they have a feedback system in place, and they have a very active membership base. The members will also keep you alerted to hot deals found on eBay, other websites, and in magazines which has provided great buying opportunities, some of which were under spot!
If you are looking for a great precious metal community to learn, to grow, to buy, to sell, to trade, to teach, or to just hang out be sure to check out the guys at BullionStacker.com.
Disclosure: I receive absolutely NO compensation in any way by writing this article, or endorsing the forum at all. I am just a member of the forum that wants to share the opportunity.
BullionStacker.com is a fairly new community formed by a group of friends that got tired of how a lot of other forums were managed. It was started with the idea of having a place for people that are serious and passionate about precious metals and give them a no-hassle place to buy, sell, and trade their Gold, Silver, and Platinum. I became a member a few months after it was founded and I have completed many successful trades/sales and have not yet had a problem outside of the USPS being slow, and unresponsive.
What sets Bullionstacker.com apart from other forums? Their main rule is to use common sense; meaning that they don't have a rulebook thicker than your precious metal holdings, they don't charge you for buying, selling, and trading, they have a feedback system in place, and they have a very active membership base. The members will also keep you alerted to hot deals found on eBay, other websites, and in magazines which has provided great buying opportunities, some of which were under spot!
If you are looking for a great precious metal community to learn, to grow, to buy, to sell, to trade, to teach, or to just hang out be sure to check out the guys at BullionStacker.com.
Disclosure: I receive absolutely NO compensation in any way by writing this article, or endorsing the forum at all. I am just a member of the forum that wants to share the opportunity.
A Case For Stockpiling: Should Food Be In Your Portfolio?
I know, it sounds weird to think about but should you consider food in your portfolio? Not companies that produce food like Conagra and Kraft, but actual literal, bust open the can and heat it up food. I am being slightly facetious as I know it is not considered an investment by any orthodox standard, but think about it. It has all of the fundamentals stacked against it: Increasing wages, increasing transport cost, increasing population, scarcity, susceptible to natural disaster, inflation, and the slightest disruption in the supply chain and the price shoots up nearly over night!
Consider: very few cities are well equipped for food production. Nearly the entire population depends on large truckloads of food to be delivered to super markets on a daily basis! Consider all of the above examples such as scarcity, susceptibility, and it is a surprise that crises do not occur on a daily basis in the same places. What am I getting at? Well, in case you have been asleep at the wheel, America is not getting more stable.
Just yesterday the FDIC admitted to being in the red by 8.2 billion, droves of people watch FDIC.gov every Friday to see if they have won the "How many banks will fail tonight" bet, Eliot Spitzer just called the Fed a ponzi scheme, China is angry at our fiscal policy, senators are calling for Timothy Geithner to step down, California is basically printing their own currency, Iran and Israel are going at one another like Spy vs. Spy, Gold is at new highs, 14.1% of ALL US mortgages are either in foreclosure or delinquency, and half a million Americans lose their jobs each month. If you think that sounds stable then I will have a drink of what you're having.
So, by stocking up on non-perishable food, you could avoid inflation, the additional transportation cost (fewer grocery trips), panic buying during disaster, waiting for trucks to bring stuff in, and a few other things that make this proposition look mighty tempting. It is just an idea to consider.
Consider: very few cities are well equipped for food production. Nearly the entire population depends on large truckloads of food to be delivered to super markets on a daily basis! Consider all of the above examples such as scarcity, susceptibility, and it is a surprise that crises do not occur on a daily basis in the same places. What am I getting at? Well, in case you have been asleep at the wheel, America is not getting more stable.
Just yesterday the FDIC admitted to being in the red by 8.2 billion, droves of people watch FDIC.gov every Friday to see if they have won the "How many banks will fail tonight" bet, Eliot Spitzer just called the Fed a ponzi scheme, China is angry at our fiscal policy, senators are calling for Timothy Geithner to step down, California is basically printing their own currency, Iran and Israel are going at one another like Spy vs. Spy, Gold is at new highs, 14.1% of ALL US mortgages are either in foreclosure or delinquency, and half a million Americans lose their jobs each month. If you think that sounds stable then I will have a drink of what you're having.
So, by stocking up on non-perishable food, you could avoid inflation, the additional transportation cost (fewer grocery trips), panic buying during disaster, waiting for trucks to bring stuff in, and a few other things that make this proposition look mighty tempting. It is just an idea to consider.
FDIC: You're Money Is Insured, Really It Is!
The FDIC is officially broke (not much of a surprise) with -8.2 billion dollars. This just after Sheila Bair made this video assuring everyone that their money is safe and sound. To be fair, at the time of that video the FDIC had roughly 10.4 billion in their fund. So, let's assume that the fund rate of decline would continue at 50% of that amount over the next year. The fund would roughly have: -26,800,000,000. So, this should have you wondering: how is my money insured? Any rational person would surmise that they are backed by the full faith and credit of the US Government!
That doesn't sound like an unfair shake, and it's true too! So all is well right? Wrong. What is the full faith and credit of the US Government worth? Treasury Direct has that answer: -12,011,838,881,463.68. That is negative twelve trillion dollars. So if the FDIC is insuring your money but they are out of money, and the US Government is backing the FDIC, but they are out of money, then that begs the question AGAIN: how is MY money being insured? I can't answer that question for you, and I'm sure few others could provide a correct answer.
That doesn't sound like an unfair shake, and it's true too! So all is well right? Wrong. What is the full faith and credit of the US Government worth? Treasury Direct has that answer: -12,011,838,881,463.68. That is negative twelve trillion dollars. So if the FDIC is insuring your money but they are out of money, and the US Government is backing the FDIC, but they are out of money, then that begs the question AGAIN: how is MY money being insured? I can't answer that question for you, and I'm sure few others could provide a correct answer.
ICE Cancels "Impossible" DXY Trades
So ICE cancelled 4,000 contracts earlier this morning (11/20/2009) but they also cancelled similar contracts that occurred on 11/3/2009. Specifically they cancelled 8,000 on 11/3/2009. I find it ironic that two sets of "impossible" trades occurred this month. Could it be that the investors on 11/3/2009 got shut down so they tried to sneak in under the radar at half the number of shares?
Could this be a sneaky way for some traders to spread a broader message of what is going to happen in the future (I know, wishful thinking)? All I know is that the cancellations that occurred cost people money, and we should continue to watch this story as it develops because there could be a lot more meaning to this then is first apparent. Tread carefully my friends, there are some mighty big forces at play here.
Zero Hedge: ICE Cancels DXY Trades After "Impossible" Action Moves Index 9% Higher, $ Plunge Enforcement Team Arrives At Crime Scene
Could this be a sneaky way for some traders to spread a broader message of what is going to happen in the future (I know, wishful thinking)? All I know is that the cancellations that occurred cost people money, and we should continue to watch this story as it develops because there could be a lot more meaning to this then is first apparent. Tread carefully my friends, there are some mighty big forces at play here.
Zero Hedge: ICE Cancels DXY Trades After "Impossible" Action Moves Index 9% Higher, $ Plunge Enforcement Team Arrives At Crime Scene
Gold Can Make You Poor! (This Guy Is Serious)
So this morning I had the pleasure of reading one of the worst articles written about how Gold can make you poor. He speaks of buying at the peak of the Gold price and being poor for the next 20 years. Earth to Ian McGugan: you lose money when you buy at tops, and especially at artificially created tops. You might want to research Nelson Bunker Hunt, and you might want to consider an artificially strong dollar tends to do that to commodities.
The problem with Ian McGugan's myopic post is that he approaches the subject like he is a Wall Street Investor, he prices everything in dollars. The problem is that most precious metal volatility is due to currency swings. Why is Gold setting records all the time? Because our currency continues falling in value! Gold isn't supposed to "make" you money in the long run, it can in the short run, but in the long run it is supposed to give you an inflation adjusted equivalent.
But Ian, you can have your paper. The chart below indicates that 77% of fiat currencies have failed in history, but Gold is still here. And the stock market that you champion so much is back to the same levels it was at in the late 1990's. So you'd still be waiting 10 years, or we can play your favorite game and say that if you bought at 14,000 you'd have lost a ton of money now!
Just remember Ian McGugan, many commodities follow a similar pricing pattern, and it is no secret that commodities have had it rough because of the Dollar's strength. If you can't see value priced beyond Dollars then I agree, you should stay as far away from commodities as possible because you will likely lose your butt. Here is a little something to think about, I bet all of the people who invested in Enron would have gladly taken half of their holdings in Gold, the same with Bear Stearns, Lehman's Brothers, Linens n Things, Circuit City, Bernard Maddoff, and hundreds of other companies that have failed in the last two years.
No one, in HISTORY has ever lost 100% of their money buying real, physical Gold. So, on that note I declare:
PAPER CAN MAKE YOU COMPLETELY, 100% POOR!
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=2245143
The problem with Ian McGugan's myopic post is that he approaches the subject like he is a Wall Street Investor, he prices everything in dollars. The problem is that most precious metal volatility is due to currency swings. Why is Gold setting records all the time? Because our currency continues falling in value! Gold isn't supposed to "make" you money in the long run, it can in the short run, but in the long run it is supposed to give you an inflation adjusted equivalent.
But Ian, you can have your paper. The chart below indicates that 77% of fiat currencies have failed in history, but Gold is still here. And the stock market that you champion so much is back to the same levels it was at in the late 1990's. So you'd still be waiting 10 years, or we can play your favorite game and say that if you bought at 14,000 you'd have lost a ton of money now!
Just remember Ian McGugan, many commodities follow a similar pricing pattern, and it is no secret that commodities have had it rough because of the Dollar's strength. If you can't see value priced beyond Dollars then I agree, you should stay as far away from commodities as possible because you will likely lose your butt. Here is a little something to think about, I bet all of the people who invested in Enron would have gladly taken half of their holdings in Gold, the same with Bear Stearns, Lehman's Brothers, Linens n Things, Circuit City, Bernard Maddoff, and hundreds of other companies that have failed in the last two years.
No one, in HISTORY has ever lost 100% of their money buying real, physical Gold. So, on that note I declare:
PAPER CAN MAKE YOU COMPLETELY, 100% POOR!
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=2245143
H1N1 Watch: N95 Masks Are In Short Supply
There are reports coming in from around the country suggesting that N95 masks, which are considered to be fairly effective at preventing the spread of H1N1 (Swine Flu) may be in short supply. Due to the continuing reports of increased infection throughout the world people and hospitals have begun to stock up in the event of a much larger outbreak. It looks like you may want to stock up while Wal-Mart, CVS, Walgreens, and various other stores still have them!
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/11/05/n95-masks/
H1N1 Watch Articles:
Florida Forced Quarantine
President and NY Declare State of Emergency
Retired Chief Medical Officer Speaks Out About "Vaccine"
Over 50% of US Adults Say No To H1N1 Vaccine
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/11/05/n95-masks/
H1N1 Watch Articles:
Florida Forced Quarantine
President and NY Declare State of Emergency
Retired Chief Medical Officer Speaks Out About "Vaccine"
Over 50% of US Adults Say No To H1N1 Vaccine
H1N1 Watch: Over 50% of US Adults Say No!
According to CNN.com over 50% of US adults have said they don't want, nor will they take, the H1N1 vaccine, and with good reason: They are scared of side effects. Who wouldn't be worried when there's Mercury in them? I mean, we aren't even allowed to have thermometers with Mercury in it, let alone having it injected in us. Apparently Mercury is only no poisonous when CDC and WHO say that it is safe to be injected in you. Cheers to all who have awoken to the scam that is the H1N1 "vaccine." As far as we're concerned, this vaccine will protect you from one thing and one thing only: A longer life.
CNN Article: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/18/poll.h1n1.vaccine/index.html
H1N1 Watch Articles:
Florida Forced Quarantine
President and NY Declare State of Emergency
Retired Chief Medical Officer Speaks Out About "Vaccine"
N95 Masks May Be In Short Supply
CNN Article: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/18/poll.h1n1.vaccine/index.html
H1N1 Watch Articles:
Florida Forced Quarantine
President and NY Declare State of Emergency
Retired Chief Medical Officer Speaks Out About "Vaccine"
N95 Masks May Be In Short Supply
Fake Gold: China and Ethiopia. Could You Be Next?
Apparently, the latest fad hitting the Gold market is shipping fake bars. This has been encountered in two countries that we're aware of and, make no mistake, many other countries are most likely standing in their vaults right now looking. The first report was from Ethiopia last year and the second report is about London Good Delivery bars shipped from the United States to China (Cite). Ethiopia had shipped bars to South Africa, and received them back. South Africa claimed that these bars were Gold plated Steel (Cite)!
Ethiopia had located another stash of bars they have that are also Gold Plated steel and I'm sure many more may have been found throughout the world. I'm willing to bet that all of China is wondering about their "Good" Delivery Bars. One can only begin to speculate at the depth and breadth that this scam encompasses. And it probably makes most investors wonder: Is my Gold real?
We'd be quivering too if we were sitting on shares of the GLD ETF.
Ethiopia had located another stash of bars they have that are also Gold Plated steel and I'm sure many more may have been found throughout the world. I'm willing to bet that all of China is wondering about their "Good" Delivery Bars. One can only begin to speculate at the depth and breadth that this scam encompasses. And it probably makes most investors wonder: Is my Gold real?
We'd be quivering too if we were sitting on shares of the GLD ETF.
The Precious Metal Investor Paradox
I made this flowchart for any newbies that may not understand how purchasing precious metals works.
Cash4Gold And The Class Action Law Suit
A class action law suit was filed in California against Cash4Gold because their jewelry was either "lost in transit" and only insured for $100.00 or their checks were mailed too late for them to get their Gold back. This sounds awfully similar to the 10 Confessions of a Former Cash4Gold employee. Feel free to review an article we wrote previously exploring the question: "Is Cash 4 Gold a Scam?" We can't say whether it is or not. But like many Grandfathers once said "If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, then..."
More Info on the class action suit:
http://www.israelidiamond.co.il/english/News.aspx?boneId=918&objid=5980
More Info on the class action suit:
http://www.israelidiamond.co.il/english/News.aspx?boneId=918&objid=5980
Does Your Mansion Cost You $74,000.00 a Month?
If your name is Mark Yaffe then the answer to that question is: yes! You might know Mark as the embattled President of National Gold Exchange (NGE) A rare Gold and Silver coin dealer, but his multi-million dollar mansion is embroiled in dispute by his bank. What is the monthly upkeep of this mansion? If you guessed $74,000.00 you're correct. The $25 million dollar mansion is 29,000 square feet and contains 13 bathrooms and 14 fireplaces, because that is exactly what you need in 85 degree year-round Florida - 14 fireplaces. For pictures and more information you can view the below link.
View Picture And Story Here
View Picture And Story Here
Healthcare Watch: House Passes Healthcare Bill H.R. 3962
With a vote of 220-215 the US House of Representatives passed the Healthcare bill. It's sad to see that more than half the house wants to further destroy our country. How do you pay for a healthcare program when you have no money? I hope this bill dies in the senate or God help us all. I can't imagine trying to pay for yet another beastly program when we're having to request debt ceiling raises! Not to mention that Pelosi wants to send you to jail for 5 years if you don't comply. What kind of socialist garbage is that? This is the land of the free, this is the country where you should be able to decide. But no longer my friends, no longer can you choose. You must stand in compliance to the socialist gun that Pelosi holds to your head.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/07/house-passes-health-care/
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/07/house-passes-health-care/
A Break From All of The Bad News
This is a video to remind us of the simple things in life that make dealing with a lot of the garbage that we see everyday worth it.
H1N1 Watch: Retired Chief Medical Officer of Finland Says H1N1 is "Rubbish"
This is a very sobering video of Dr. Rauni Kilde stating that H1N1 is pure "rubbish," that it's being perpetuated by "big pharma," that it is meant for "depopulation," and that there appears to be a split in the Bilderberg group over the plan and not everyone agrees with Kissinger's opinion of the "useless eaters." You can watch the video below and you can also view the 1974 Kissinger report (NSSM 200) that talks about over population and the need for bringing it down. Without further adieu, here is the video of the Former Finnish Chief Medical Officer:
H1N1 Watch Articles:
Florida Forced Quarantine
President and NY Declare State of Emergency
Over 50% of US Adults Say No To H1N1 Vaccine
N95 Masks May Be In Short Supply
AIG profitable?
According to Money.CNN.Com, AIG is Profitable again! I'm glad to hear that happy days are here again, except... wasn't AIG "profitable" just before the credit default swap debacle? So this supposed "great news" lends me to wonder: What parlor tricks could they possibly be using to try and keep the very charitable, big raise giving, drunk on their too big to fail status, throw a party after the tax payers bailed them out AIG going?
From CNN.com (commentary added by us):
"The troubled insurer said it continues to benefit from stabilization in the housing (what housing stabilization?) and credit markets (you mean the ones that are so frozen that small and medium sized businesses still can't get loans?), but future quarters will continue to be volatile (at least a little truth)."
Obama Unemployment Would Not Exceed 8% With His Plan
The stimulus passed and where are we? 10.2% Unemployment! Any who believed in Obama's change I hope has woken up. He is just like all the other politicians. Just watch some of his videos like this one below. To save you the time just skip to 1:10 in it so you can hear him say that without his "stimulus" unemployment would reach double digits. Well the stimulus passed... WE'RE HERE!
We are without jobs, we are without a balanced budget, we've got banks falling left and right, we've got an insolvent FDIC, we've got record foreclosures, we've got the Fed monetizing our debt, we've people dumping the dollar (Most notable recently is Warren Buffett buying the railroad and China buying tons of Gold and Copper.), we can't raise the rates because of all of the ARMs that are resetting. America: WE ARE PAINTED INTO A CORNER.
If we don't raise interest rates we will have inflation, if we raise interest rates we'll have another housing crisis. If you aren't preparing for the worst then you will be sorely dissappointed in the future my friends, because we haven't seen anything yet!
A Metal Trading Primer For Gold and Silver
For all you young guys starting out, you may be wondering how you can get metal for as cheap as possible. I'll do the best I can to help you out here. These are some of the assumptions I'm making about you as I write this. If you don't fit these then you probably already know the information contained herein:
Part 1: Buying
The way you need to start out is the most obvious way: buying. The easiest way to get metal is to trade FRNs (Federal Reserve Notes, aka Paper Cash) for the Metal. This is also referred to as "buying" it. The cheapest way to obtain metal by this method is to, like everything else, buy it in quantity. This accomplishes two things:
This method is not wallet friendly but is about the only way that you can get started. Now, you can try buying locally, which I encourage to support small businesses, but you will most likely pay more. This will happen because of two reasons:
So, don't expect to walk into a coin shop "guns-a-blazin'" with the latest printout of today's spot price and demand it. You'll learn quite quickly that the dealer has probably run into a million people just like you and will just as soon tell you to walk out the door. Remember, this guy is sitting upon thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars worth of highly liquid assets, he doesn't need your business, he has other customers to serve.
Part 2: Trading Metal
Once you have some metal, you may want to increase that. There are a few ways to do this, but you need to understand your course of action. Smaller denominations (aka Fractionals, Fracs) like 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/10 oz, etc are considered more valuable to some because of their increased liquidity and higher price.
What does this mean? You could potentially buy 1/10 frac gold coins, and potentially trade 8 or 9 of them for a 1 oz gold coin. The reason I say 8 or 9 is that most times you have to make some type of cash offer along with your fracs to make it more fair. Few people will trade a 1 oz coin for just .8 oz in fractional. You will find more people willing to trade .9 oz worth of fracs for a 1 oz coin, but there probably won't be a line of customers so be patient. That sounds great, what's the drawback? Ahh yes, the drawback.
Similar rules apply with silver as well, but due to silver's affordability, there isn't as much advantage trading silver fracs for silver 1 ozers.
Crossing Borders
Crossing the metal borders is where you can really gain some leverage trading. In order to do this you must become very comfortable with the concept of the Gold to Silver Ratio (GSR). The GSR is just that, the price of Gold (POG) divided by the price of silver (POS). What this ratio tells you is how many ounces of Silver you can get for each ounce of Gold. Historically the GSR has been on both sides of the spectrum.
During roman times, I believe, the GSR was 1:3 meaning one ounce of Gold could get you 3 ounces of Silver. The largest gap we've seen recently was about 1:85 and currently it is 1:60 meaning that one ounce of Gold will buy you 60 ounces of Silver.
So you're asking yourself: How can I play this ratio? By Trading your Silver and Gold on http://bullionstacker.com/ (BS) you can take advantage of this ratio. How you play it will depend on where you think Silver or Gold is going. Today you can get 1 oz of Gold with 60 oz of your silver, but if you believe that Silver will out perform Gold, meaning that the POS will increase faster than the POG, then you will want to wait, because if POS does increase faster then you'll see the GSR decrease. Lets say the GSR decreases to 52, Now you can get 1 oz of Gold for only 52 oz of silver, which means you've saved 8 oz of silver!
But What if I think Gold is going to outperform silver? Then you better buy Gold now, or trade for it now. When the POG outperforms the POS then the GSR goes up. So if you can get into Gold now then you can wait for the GSR to go up. So let's say you trade your 60 oz of silver for 1 oz of Gold. Then the GSR goes up to 72. You can now trade your 1 oz of Gold for 72 oz of Silver. You've now increased your Silver holdings by 12 ounces and you really didn't have to do anything! Or you can stay in Gold and be happy that it outperformed Silver.
Conclusion:
This is just a Primer to help you learn the fundamentals. I did take liberties with my numbers and do not guarantee that anything in this Article will go as stated. In many scenarios I neglected the cost of shipping and handling, which should be considered. In nearly all instances, the person shipping the Silver will need to pay more and this should be considered in the calculations.
Using this Article: This article is the copyrighted work of Debris and is to not be republished anywhere without this notice and citation links to both http://bullionstacker.com/ and http://uselephant.blogspot.com/ . Thank you.
- ♦You probably don't have deep pockets
♦You're brand new to metal trading
♦You don't have a lot of experience doing many other types of trades
Part 1: Buying
The way you need to start out is the most obvious way: buying. The easiest way to get metal is to trade FRNs (Federal Reserve Notes, aka Paper Cash) for the Metal. This is also referred to as "buying" it. The cheapest way to obtain metal by this method is to, like everything else, buy it in quantity. This accomplishes two things:
- ♦Quantity Discounts offered by seller
♦Lower shipping and handling charges (yes, this must be included in your Dollar Cost Average (DCA))
This method is not wallet friendly but is about the only way that you can get started. Now, you can try buying locally, which I encourage to support small businesses, but you will most likely pay more. This will happen because of two reasons:
- ♦The seller doesn't know you, and you two haven't established a rapport
♦Small businesses don't have the same economies of scale as the large online sellers so they have to charge more. In addition, the store has the added overhead of rent, electricity, etc.
So, don't expect to walk into a coin shop "guns-a-blazin'" with the latest printout of today's spot price and demand it. You'll learn quite quickly that the dealer has probably run into a million people just like you and will just as soon tell you to walk out the door. Remember, this guy is sitting upon thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars worth of highly liquid assets, he doesn't need your business, he has other customers to serve.
Part 2: Trading Metal
Once you have some metal, you may want to increase that. There are a few ways to do this, but you need to understand your course of action. Smaller denominations (aka Fractionals, Fracs) like 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/10 oz, etc are considered more valuable to some because of their increased liquidity and higher price.
What does this mean? You could potentially buy 1/10 frac gold coins, and potentially trade 8 or 9 of them for a 1 oz gold coin. The reason I say 8 or 9 is that most times you have to make some type of cash offer along with your fracs to make it more fair. Few people will trade a 1 oz coin for just .8 oz in fractional. You will find more people willing to trade .9 oz worth of fracs for a 1 oz coin, but there probably won't be a line of customers so be patient. That sounds great, what's the drawback? Ahh yes, the drawback.
- ♦Fractional coins cost more per oz. You'll end up paying roughly spot + $100.00 (at the least, but more commonly +$200.00) for a fractional 1/10 gold coin. Meaning if spot is 1100 an oz, you'll probably be buying a 1/10 coin for $130.00 or $1,300 per oz.
Similar rules apply with silver as well, but due to silver's affordability, there isn't as much advantage trading silver fracs for silver 1 ozers.
Crossing Borders
Crossing the metal borders is where you can really gain some leverage trading. In order to do this you must become very comfortable with the concept of the Gold to Silver Ratio (GSR). The GSR is just that, the price of Gold (POG) divided by the price of silver (POS). What this ratio tells you is how many ounces of Silver you can get for each ounce of Gold. Historically the GSR has been on both sides of the spectrum.
During roman times, I believe, the GSR was 1:3 meaning one ounce of Gold could get you 3 ounces of Silver. The largest gap we've seen recently was about 1:85 and currently it is 1:60 meaning that one ounce of Gold will buy you 60 ounces of Silver.
So you're asking yourself: How can I play this ratio? By Trading your Silver and Gold on http://bullionstacker.com/ (BS) you can take advantage of this ratio. How you play it will depend on where you think Silver or Gold is going. Today you can get 1 oz of Gold with 60 oz of your silver, but if you believe that Silver will out perform Gold, meaning that the POS will increase faster than the POG, then you will want to wait, because if POS does increase faster then you'll see the GSR decrease. Lets say the GSR decreases to 52, Now you can get 1 oz of Gold for only 52 oz of silver, which means you've saved 8 oz of silver!
But What if I think Gold is going to outperform silver? Then you better buy Gold now, or trade for it now. When the POG outperforms the POS then the GSR goes up. So if you can get into Gold now then you can wait for the GSR to go up. So let's say you trade your 60 oz of silver for 1 oz of Gold. Then the GSR goes up to 72. You can now trade your 1 oz of Gold for 72 oz of Silver. You've now increased your Silver holdings by 12 ounces and you really didn't have to do anything! Or you can stay in Gold and be happy that it outperformed Silver.
Conclusion:
This is just a Primer to help you learn the fundamentals. I did take liberties with my numbers and do not guarantee that anything in this Article will go as stated. In many scenarios I neglected the cost of shipping and handling, which should be considered. In nearly all instances, the person shipping the Silver will need to pay more and this should be considered in the calculations.
Using this Article: This article is the copyrighted work of Debris and is to not be republished anywhere without this notice and citation links to both http://bullionstacker.com/ and http://uselephant.blogspot.com/ . Thank you.
Your Safe Deposit Box, Not Safe
Snipped from ABC News, Link at the bottom of the article:
"The 50 U.S. states are holding more than $32 billion worth of unclaimed property that they're supposed to safeguard for their citizens. But a "Good Morning America" investigation found some states aggressively seize property that isn't really unclaimed and then use the money -- your money -- to balance their budgets. " (continued at link)
http://i.abcnews.com/GMA/story?id=4832471&page=1
Nature Is Taking Detroit Back
With the mass exodus of people, Detroit is now having its vacant buildings being taken back by nature. Check out this link to see the stunning images!
CIT Looking Hard At Bankruptcy
CIT, as many have suspected, is looking very hard at the possibility of bankruptcy. To be honest, I don't know how companies like this and Capmark are able to still be standing. I suppose it was because of TARP, but it seems like an awful waste to toss so much money at these companies just to delay the inevitable...
100 Things That Run Out In An Emergency
I found this list posted all over the place and felt that it may be beneficial for my readers. This is a list of 100 things that disappear first in an emergency. I'm not sure who created this list, it was not me, but if you happen to know who created it, leave a comment so I can properly cite it and give credit where credit is due on such a fine composition.
100 Items to Disappear First
1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.)
15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cook stoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Work boots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHT STICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soy sauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soup base
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens
From a Sarajevo War Survivor:
Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and
friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks.
1. Stockpiling helps. but you never no how long trouble will last, so locate
near renewable food sources.
2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.
3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in war
quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold's.
4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the easiest to
do without (unless you're in a very nice climate with no need for heat.)
5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without
heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy - it makes a lot of
the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible. Only needs
enough heat to "warm", not to cook. It's cheap too, especially if you buy it in
bulk.
6. Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more
valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a lot of survival
guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own anyway - trust me, you'll
have a lot of time on your hands.
7. The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell you how many
people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a little bit of
toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in fighting if you have to
lose your humanity. These things are morale-builders like nothing else.
8. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches
100 Items to Disappear First
1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.)
15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, etc.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cook stoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Work boots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHT STICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soy sauce, vinegar, bullions/gravy/soup base
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens
From a Sarajevo War Survivor:
Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and
friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks.
1. Stockpiling helps. but you never no how long trouble will last, so locate
near renewable food sources.
2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.
3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in war
quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold's.
4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the easiest to
do without (unless you're in a very nice climate with no need for heat.)
5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without
heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy - it makes a lot of
the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible. Only needs
enough heat to "warm", not to cook. It's cheap too, especially if you buy it in
bulk.
6. Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more
valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a lot of survival
guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own anyway - trust me, you'll
have a lot of time on your hands.
7. The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell you how many
people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a little bit of
toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in fighting if you have to
lose your humanity. These things are morale-builders like nothing else.
8. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches
H1N1 Watch: President Obama & New York Declare State of Emergency
It's culminating. This flu is no worse than the regular flu, yet it's being hyped up to try and fool people. There is a lot of double talk going on. We have news agencies saying there is a shortage of the vaccine, then we have news stories stating that some of the vaccine will need to be thrown out. It sounds like a big wall of lies is being formed to try and trick the American public. If you aren't comfortable with the Magical Mercury Elixir they want to inject into you and your child then don't take it, plain and simple.
President Obama Declares State of Emergency: http://www.cbs7kosa.com/news/details.asp?ID=15742
New York State of Emergency: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/29/new.york.h1n1/
H1N1 Watch Articles:
Florida Forced Quarantine
President and NY Declare State of Emergency
Retired Chief Medical Officer Speaks Out About "Vaccine"
Over 50% Of Adults Say No To H1N1 Vaccine
President Obama Declares State of Emergency: http://www.cbs7kosa.com/news/details.asp?ID=15742
New York State of Emergency: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/29/new.york.h1n1/
H1N1 Watch Articles:
Florida Forced Quarantine
President and NY Declare State of Emergency
Retired Chief Medical Officer Speaks Out About "Vaccine"
Over 50% Of Adults Say No To H1N1 Vaccine
H1N1 Watch: Florida Forced Quarantine For H1N1 Vaccination Refusal
UPDATE: Please feel free to copy and paste this, email it or use my "share" tool at the bottom of the post to post it to digg, stumbleupon, or email it to people you care about it. This information must get out. If you repost it to your blog please include a link to my site
Leaked Documents from State of Florida enforcing forced quarantine for any that refuse vaccination. You can view the document here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/19348310/FL-Quarantine-to-Detention-Facility-Order-Apr-09-252
You may be asking yourself, how do I know this document is authentic? You can authenticate it by reviewing the statutes that it cites for authority. The document cites Chapters 382.0011 (4), (5), (6) and Chapter 252.36 (2) of Florida Statutes for their legal authority to do this. I will include the links for you to see the rules in black and white on the State of Florida website but I will also copy and paste them for your convenience. This is not a joke, forward to everyone you know.
Link To Florida Statutes that allow forced quarantine Chapter 382.0011 (paragraphs 4, 5, & 6):
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statuTes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0381/SEC0011.HTM&Title=-%3e2009-%3eCh0381-%3eSection%200011#0381.0011
Link To Florida Statutes that allow forced quarantine Chapter 252.36 (paragraph 2):
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0252/SEC36.HTM&Title=-%3e2009-%3eCh0252-%3eSection%2036#0252.36
Actual Text if you don’t want to go to the State of Florida website:
courtesy of: http://uselephant.blogspot.com/
Chapter 386.0011 Paragraphs 4 – 6:
(4) Administer and enforce laws and rules relating to sanitation, control of communicable diseases, illnesses and hazards to health among humans and from animals to humans, and the general health of the people of the state.
(5) Cooperate with and accept assistance from federal, state, and local officials for the prevention and suppression of communicable and other diseases, illnesses, injuries, and hazards to human health.
(6) Declare, enforce, modify, and abolish quarantine of persons, animals, and premises as the circumstances indicate for controlling communicable diseases or providing protection from unsafe conditions that pose a threat to public health, except as provided in ss. 384.28 and 392.545-392.60.
(a) The department shall adopt rules to specify the conditions and procedures for imposing and releasing a quarantine. The rules must include provisions related to:
1. The closure of premises.
2. The movement of persons or animals exposed to or infected with a communicable disease.
3. The tests or treatment, including vaccination, for communicable disease required prior to employment or admission to the premises or to comply with a quarantine.
4. Testing or destruction of animals with or suspected of having a disease transmissible to humans.
5. Access by the department to quarantined premises.
6. The disinfection of quarantined animals, persons, or premises.
7. Methods of quarantine.
(b) Any health regulation that restricts travel or trade within the state may not be adopted or enforced in this state except by authority of the department.
Chapter 252.36 Paragraphs 2:
(2) A state of emergency shall be declared by executive order or proclamation of the Governor if she or he finds an emergency has occurred or that the occurrence or the threat thereof is imminent. The state of emergency shall continue until the Governor finds that the threat or danger has been dealt with to the extent that the emergency conditions no longer exist and she or he terminates the state of emergency by executive order or proclamation, but no state of emergency may continue for longer than 60 days unless renewed by the Governor. The Legislature by concurrent resolution may terminate a state of emergency at any time. Thereupon, the Governor shall issue an executive order or proclamation ending the state of emergency. All executive orders or proclamations issued under this section shall indicate the nature of the emergency, the area or areas threatened, and the conditions which have brought the emergency about or which make possible its termination. An executive order or proclamation shall be promptly disseminated by means calculated to bring its contents to the attention of the general public; and, unless the circumstances attendant upon the emergency prevent or impede such filing, the order or proclamation shall be filed promptly with the Department of State and in the offices of the county commissioners in the counties to which the order or proclamation applies.
H1N1 Watch Articles:
Florida Forced Quarantine
President and NY Declare State of Emergency
Retired Chief Medical Officer Speaks Out About "Vaccine"
Over 50% Of US Adults Say No To The H1N1 Vaccine
N95 Masks May Be In Short Supply
Leaked Documents from State of Florida enforcing forced quarantine for any that refuse vaccination. You can view the document here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/19348310/FL-Quarantine-to-Detention-Facility-Order-Apr-09-252
You may be asking yourself, how do I know this document is authentic? You can authenticate it by reviewing the statutes that it cites for authority. The document cites Chapters 382.0011 (4), (5), (6) and Chapter 252.36 (2) of Florida Statutes for their legal authority to do this. I will include the links for you to see the rules in black and white on the State of Florida website but I will also copy and paste them for your convenience. This is not a joke, forward to everyone you know.
Link To Florida Statutes that allow forced quarantine Chapter 382.0011 (paragraphs 4, 5, & 6):
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statuTes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0381/SEC0011.HTM&Title=-%3e2009-%3eCh0381-%3eSection%200011#0381.0011
Link To Florida Statutes that allow forced quarantine Chapter 252.36 (paragraph 2):
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0252/SEC36.HTM&Title=-%3e2009-%3eCh0252-%3eSection%2036#0252.36
Actual Text if you don’t want to go to the State of Florida website:
courtesy of: http://uselephant.blogspot.com/
Chapter 386.0011 Paragraphs 4 – 6:
(4) Administer and enforce laws and rules relating to sanitation, control of communicable diseases, illnesses and hazards to health among humans and from animals to humans, and the general health of the people of the state.
(5) Cooperate with and accept assistance from federal, state, and local officials for the prevention and suppression of communicable and other diseases, illnesses, injuries, and hazards to human health.
(6) Declare, enforce, modify, and abolish quarantine of persons, animals, and premises as the circumstances indicate for controlling communicable diseases or providing protection from unsafe conditions that pose a threat to public health, except as provided in ss. 384.28 and 392.545-392.60.
(a) The department shall adopt rules to specify the conditions and procedures for imposing and releasing a quarantine. The rules must include provisions related to:
1. The closure of premises.
2. The movement of persons or animals exposed to or infected with a communicable disease.
3. The tests or treatment, including vaccination, for communicable disease required prior to employment or admission to the premises or to comply with a quarantine.
4. Testing or destruction of animals with or suspected of having a disease transmissible to humans.
5. Access by the department to quarantined premises.
6. The disinfection of quarantined animals, persons, or premises.
7. Methods of quarantine.
(b) Any health regulation that restricts travel or trade within the state may not be adopted or enforced in this state except by authority of the department.
Chapter 252.36 Paragraphs 2:
(2) A state of emergency shall be declared by executive order or proclamation of the Governor if she or he finds an emergency has occurred or that the occurrence or the threat thereof is imminent. The state of emergency shall continue until the Governor finds that the threat or danger has been dealt with to the extent that the emergency conditions no longer exist and she or he terminates the state of emergency by executive order or proclamation, but no state of emergency may continue for longer than 60 days unless renewed by the Governor. The Legislature by concurrent resolution may terminate a state of emergency at any time. Thereupon, the Governor shall issue an executive order or proclamation ending the state of emergency. All executive orders or proclamations issued under this section shall indicate the nature of the emergency, the area or areas threatened, and the conditions which have brought the emergency about or which make possible its termination. An executive order or proclamation shall be promptly disseminated by means calculated to bring its contents to the attention of the general public; and, unless the circumstances attendant upon the emergency prevent or impede such filing, the order or proclamation shall be filed promptly with the Department of State and in the offices of the county commissioners in the counties to which the order or proclamation applies.
H1N1 Watch Articles:
Florida Forced Quarantine
President and NY Declare State of Emergency
Retired Chief Medical Officer Speaks Out About "Vaccine"
Over 50% Of US Adults Say No To The H1N1 Vaccine
N95 Masks May Be In Short Supply
The Obama Gaffe
President Barack Obama: "And I think private insurers should be able to compete. They do it all the time. I mean, w-w-th- If you think about - If you - If you think about it uh - you know - UPS and FedEx are doing just fine. Right? T-The uh- No, they are - I mean - i-it, it's the Post Office that's always having problems."
Gold, Silver, Platinum - Calling All Stackers
If you stack metal, if you're interested in coins, if you're considering investing, or if you're just plain curious then I urge you to check out a great new forum that I'm a member of. The forum is called BullionStacker (http://bullionstacker.com/) and it is full of great, friendly, and knowledgeable people.
Come over, share a joke, share a story, and have fun. You can find me there under the user name UnixMD5Crypt. I look forward to seeing you there.
General Questions:
Do You Only Talk About Metal? Nope, we talk about lots of things like Current Events, Politics, and just about anything else that crosses our minds.
Is It Over-Moderated Like Other Forums I Know? Nope, this forum sprung from the ashes of such an event. This forum is self governing assuming no one over steps general and honorable boundaries.
Can You Buy, Sell, and Trade? This is another part of the forum that shines strong. People are buying and selling everyday.
Come over, share a joke, share a story, and have fun. You can find me there under the user name UnixMD5Crypt. I look forward to seeing you there.
General Questions:
Do You Only Talk About Metal? Nope, we talk about lots of things like Current Events, Politics, and just about anything else that crosses our minds.
Is It Over-Moderated Like Other Forums I Know? Nope, this forum sprung from the ashes of such an event. This forum is self governing assuming no one over steps general and honorable boundaries.
Can You Buy, Sell, and Trade? This is another part of the forum that shines strong. People are buying and selling everyday.
Redbox VS. Netflix - The Future Predicted by US Elephant
In case you are unaware of what a "Redbox" is, it is an up and coming movie rental service that distributes DVDs and Blue Rays via automated Kiosks that are most often locate in Wal-Marts and 7-11 Gas stations. So what do Redbox and Netflix have to do with one another, one does mail order and internet streaming, and the other is a kiosk, how could their path's possibly intersect?
Very simply, and this is my prediction. Redbox has gained a great deal of market share in my area and, from what I hear, in many other areas. Naturally, Netflix will want to quash this company and increase their base. The next natural business step for Netflix, better internet streaming aside, would be to setup their own kiosks.
This would allow them a double pronged approach to customer acquisition and allow more convenience and flexibility for their mail order customers. Imagine that some friends called and they are coming over in an hour. That's certainly not enough time to return your netflix movies and wait for knew ones, so you run down to your netflix box, return them, and rent new one right there!
The Argument: I've heard some argue that not only will Netflix become outdated, but so will the Redbox's as everyone is clearly moving to internet streaming. This is false, for now, for three huge reasons.
Very simply, and this is my prediction. Redbox has gained a great deal of market share in my area and, from what I hear, in many other areas. Naturally, Netflix will want to quash this company and increase their base. The next natural business step for Netflix, better internet streaming aside, would be to setup their own kiosks.
This would allow them a double pronged approach to customer acquisition and allow more convenience and flexibility for their mail order customers. Imagine that some friends called and they are coming over in an hour. That's certainly not enough time to return your netflix movies and wait for knew ones, so you run down to your netflix box, return them, and rent new one right there!
The Argument: I've heard some argue that not only will Netflix become outdated, but so will the Redbox's as everyone is clearly moving to internet streaming. This is false, for now, for three huge reasons.
- The Internet infrastructure isn't ready to handle full fledged movie streaming. Streaming Millions of Blu Rays would prove to strenuous on the current infrastructure.
- Digital media rights and anti-piracy technology isn't quite where it needs to be yet.
- There are still people using broadcast television, there will most certainly be people who continue to rent physical movies. Some because they don't want the monthly bill, others because they just don't want to invest in the equipment for their home. For a guy who rents maybe one movie a month and uses dial up Internet, it would be silly to triple his Internet bill and pay a monthly subscription just to watch a movie a month.
So there you have it. Eventually Netflix will unveil its own rental boxes to be incorporated with their mail service and there will be a new rental war. Let us not forget that Blockbuster will probably try to come in swinging but they are kind of the Circuit City of the movie rental business. A formed giant fallen from glory. Maybe this is what they need to rekindle the name?
An Over Zealous Approach To Ending The Recession
It appears that many people, Ben Bernanke included, believe that by shouting "The Recession Is Over!" repeatedly, that the recession will magically end. They use lots of "meaning killer" words like "may," "might," "should," and the like to basically make their statements null.
"The recession may end soon," "The recession should be ending by the next quarter" these are meaningless sentences designed to provoke confidence in consumers who lack the ability to read these words properly. There is a phrase that I will paraphrase here: "Calling tops and bottoms is a fool's game." That sounds befitting here.
But few realize that chanting something like "there's no place like home" will not return you home, and chanting "the recession is over" does not end the recession. As far as I'm concerned, if it takes two consecutive quarters of negative GDP to put you into the recession, then it should take two consecutive quarters of positive GDP to get you out.
"The recession may end soon," "The recession should be ending by the next quarter" these are meaningless sentences designed to provoke confidence in consumers who lack the ability to read these words properly. There is a phrase that I will paraphrase here: "Calling tops and bottoms is a fool's game." That sounds befitting here.
But few realize that chanting something like "there's no place like home" will not return you home, and chanting "the recession is over" does not end the recession. As far as I'm concerned, if it takes two consecutive quarters of negative GDP to put you into the recession, then it should take two consecutive quarters of positive GDP to get you out.
We Will Go Down Amidst Shouts of “LIBERAL!” & “CONSERVATIVE!”
If divide and conquer is the name of the game, then we've already lost. How easy is it to divide a room most simply by uttering the words liberal or conservative. Friendships have ended, parents and children divided, and enemies further repelled with the utterance of these simple words.
Indeed, I am worried that the most true battle being waged against Americans on every front, at every angle, and from every medium is being shrouded in the anger, the hatred, and the division that is generated by these sects.
Freedom being the casualty of this conflict, you'd like to believe that people would engage its loss more actively. Yet our headlines, and our thoughts are dominated by "Angry Right Wing Extremist Townhall Lobbyists," "Tree Hugging Liberals That Want To Take Down Industry," and let us not forget the latest headline grabber: Michelle Obama's dirty little shorts (gasp).
Because, when I think of important subjects that should be at the forefront of every American's thoughts, when I think of important issues that should be dominating the television screens, it is not Michelle Obama's shorts, it is the little pieces of legislation that get passed with little more than a whisper of the word "yea" in a nearly empty room then are quietly signed in another similarly empty room filled with only the sounds of a man breathing, and the scratching of a pen across paper.
Few know what the new law is about, few care, few see it's potential implications, few see how unamerican it is, few go out to protest it, and even fewer will peacefully oppose it in the time that its enforcement is attempted. We will instead go down, divided, amidst accusatory shouts of "LIBERAL!" and "CONSERVATIVE!" arguing over subjects and issues force fed to us by our "unbiased" media whose whole agenda to begin with was to divide us with two -- simple -- words.
Indeed, I am worried that the most true battle being waged against Americans on every front, at every angle, and from every medium is being shrouded in the anger, the hatred, and the division that is generated by these sects.
Freedom being the casualty of this conflict, you'd like to believe that people would engage its loss more actively. Yet our headlines, and our thoughts are dominated by "Angry Right Wing Extremist Townhall Lobbyists," "Tree Hugging Liberals That Want To Take Down Industry," and let us not forget the latest headline grabber: Michelle Obama's dirty little shorts (gasp).
Because, when I think of important subjects that should be at the forefront of every American's thoughts, when I think of important issues that should be dominating the television screens, it is not Michelle Obama's shorts, it is the little pieces of legislation that get passed with little more than a whisper of the word "yea" in a nearly empty room then are quietly signed in another similarly empty room filled with only the sounds of a man breathing, and the scratching of a pen across paper.
Few know what the new law is about, few care, few see it's potential implications, few see how unamerican it is, few go out to protest it, and even fewer will peacefully oppose it in the time that its enforcement is attempted. We will instead go down, divided, amidst accusatory shouts of "LIBERAL!" and "CONSERVATIVE!" arguing over subjects and issues force fed to us by our "unbiased" media whose whole agenda to begin with was to divide us with two -- simple -- words.
Considering The Swine Flu Vaccine?
You may want to think twice before you role up your sleeve! While all of our favorite talk show hosts and news stations are telling us how great the vaccine is and how we must get it, there's also the other side of the story. Take for instance the link below. The father is quoted as saying:
To read further check out this link:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1206215/Tamiflu-turned-children-hallucinating-sobbing-wrecks.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0OCKPccRD
"Perhaps Mr Burnham would have liked to come round to my house and explain the merits of Tamiflu to my three-year-old daughter as she sobbed and retched in my arms night after night."
To read further check out this link:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1206215/Tamiflu-turned-children-hallucinating-sobbing-wrecks.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0OCKPccRD
Obama Joker: A War Against Free Speech
A War is being waged in America against free speech. The above poster, while not tasteful to some, is a political expression that police around the country are trying to fight. They try to call these posters vandalism, but what about the thousands of yard sale signs, the thousands of rock and hip hop concert posters, and the millions of skate shop stickers. No doubt that those are considered vandalism as well, but you don't see the police seeking these "criminals" out. I'll tell you exactly why these people are being sought out, because the police are trying to cover up the fact that people are discontent with our President. People are unhappy that he has broken all of his promises and that he is trying to bring Soviet Style Socialism to the shores of America. When people start voicing their frustrations at town halls they are immediately labeled "right wing extremists" and written off as "lobbyists in disguise." All in the name of covering up that America is not happy with President Obama.
His approval ratings have been plummeting as people realize that he is not providing change. Maybe that whole time that people thought he was saying "Change You Can Believe In" he was really saying "Chains You Can Believe In." Well this goes out to the people putting up the posters, and the people in the Town Halls. We Hear You, We Support You, and Keep Going. If we make enough noise they will need to listen.
To the Police, and President Obama: We Will Not Go Quietly, We Will Not Go Willingly, And WE WILL FIGHT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY! Welcome to America - Where we have opinions, freedom, and we freely express those opinions.
The Article About The Cops Taking Down The Posters And Trying To Arrest People:
Is Cash4Gold A Scam?
There is some debate (mainly Cash4Gold is debating) whether Cash4Gold is a scam or not. Allow me to simply provide some information that I've found which may provide insight into these allegations. Besides a few entertaining commercials, this is the information that dominates this company when you search for it:
Top Google Searches:
Top Yahoo Searches: 
At The BBB they have a C rating (as of this writing) which you can view here: here. Here is a snap shot of their current complaint record:
Allow me to top this article off with some complaints which fall eerily in line with the "10 Confession of an Ex-Employee" article that Cash4Gold is currently trying to fight and remove from http://Consumerist.com:
All Below Complaints Are From http://TrustLink.org and Can Be Viewed Here.
"This company is a big scam. I was not satisfied with the offer made for the items I sent so I returned the check and emailed them to return my jewellery. I got a letter in the mail a few days later informing me that they sold my jewellery to a third party because I did not contact them within 12 days of the check date letting them know I wanted it back. First of all I received the check 7 days after the date on the check so it would be unrealistic for me to get it back to them in that time frame. I was not informed about this and currently have a lawyer checking into it. I would not suggest anyone use their services. "
- If you view the 10 confessions article, it is mentioned that the check is dated, but they wait to send it out so that you can't reply in time, hmm.
"I sent in approximately 15.5 ounces of gold jewelry to Cash 4 Gold and even with their advanced tracking system, they are saying they did not get my package of gold. They want to settle with me for $100. I am very dissatisfied. I just want my gold back. These are not honest people and this dishonest company should be put out of business."
-The 10 Confessions article mentions that sometimes packages "go missing" and they will only pay you what insured... Why, that seems like this is what this person is going through! But I can't make that claim, it could just be coincidence.
Now, I am not making any claims as to the class of business that Cash4Gold is. All of the information that you see here has been gathered from various outside sources and put together for you to view. Only you can decide whether you'd do business with Cash4Gold or not. I can only point out that there appears to be consistency in many claims being made.
Hillary Clinton Goes Off When Asked About Her Husband
This video shows Hillary Clinton being asked "What her husband thinks about a financial crisis" too which she responds in an arrogant, unbecoming manner. The translator made a mistake, but instead of trying to answer in a respectable, stately manner, she sank to a level that, in my opinion, does not represent America. I rarely comment on specific political figures but I thought this was pretty bad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGfKfQr5YPg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGfKfQr5YPg
The Reality of Manmade Money
God, in His infinite wisdom, adorned the Earth with Silver and Gold which man has used as money for thousands of years. It is only up until recently that Gold and Silver have been almost completely replaced by paper money backed by nothing. Here are some charts to explain the reality of these paper "promises" that we hold so dearly:
What this chart here means is that 597 paper (fiat) currencies out of 775 have failed or been replaced!
Charts were gotten from http://www.dollardaze.org/
What this chart here means is that 597 paper (fiat) currencies out of 775 have failed or been replaced!
This chart shows how much you used to be able to buy with the good ol' greenback. What this basically shows is that the American people have been steadily robbed since the Gold standard has been removed.
The Brits aren't immune either. They've also been robbed by inflation:
We have replaced God's wisdom about money with man's "wisdom" about money and look at the problem we've made! Crafty bankers (aka Wolves in Sheep's Clothing) promised to make our system better by removing that pesky "archaic" system and replacing it with this new fangled system. They didn't tell anyone that they would rob you with inflation.
So as your dollars sit in a bank account "earning" 1% interest (while inflation exceeds 3-4%) your dollars are shrinking. Your savings is shrinking. And while the dollar continues to tank because people have lost their "faith" in it, your savings account is shrinking. The worst part about this whole scheme is that you don't see the shrinking. Your account not only has the same amount of money in it, but you get a little extra each month for having it there! But prices go up, and that's how your money loses value. That seems pretty deceitful if you ask me! God does not deceive.
God gave us money in the form of Silver and Gold. It is used repeatedly throughout the bible:
Genesis 13:2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
Genesis 23:16And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.
But we must not make Silver and Gold idols! We must thank God for what he blesses us with. I am going to include some scripture below which describes America eerily well. We must not allow this to happen (although many already have.):
Deuteronomy 8:12-14
12Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Charts were gotten from http://www.dollardaze.org/
Wolves are everywhere, even HSN
A company like HSN moves over 50 million products a year, which makes me wonder why they would allow people, like the one in the youtube video at the bottom of this article, to rip off their viewers! They are selling an Anacs graded MS-69 Silver Eagle for $49.99 + $8.95 for shipping and handling. To cut to the chase, they are selling one ounce of Silver in good condition for more than 3 times the value of the metal in it!
To truly understand this you should consider: You can get ungraded Silver Eagles all day long for $18.00. Now, graded coins do command a premium, but not that large a premium! To further elaborate, here is a very similar coin, graded by a reputable company (though not as old as Anacs) for nearly $10.00 cheaper ($29.49 as of this writing).
Similar Coin, Better Price
Not only do they charge way too much, but if you go to the HSN website they show you the picture of the coin, except the picture has a "W" mint mark meaning it comes from the West Point mint, the problem is that this is not the coin you receive as noted from an angry HSN customer:
0:56 - He claims the purity to be .99995 pure, but it is actually .9995 pure. Not a huge mistake, but still.
1:16 - He mentions how silver has been moving dramatically but fails to mention the actual price per ounce.
1:26 - He states that they bought these before the dramatic rise in the last four weeks. This is to make you think that the price of silver is near $49.95 an ounce (Deception). This airing appeared on Sunday August 9, from 2am - 3am. Let's take a look at a graph of Silver for the last 4 weeks:
Wow! That is a $1.50 rise! While this is a significant movement in Silver, it doesn't justify the prices they are charging.
1:40 - He talks about this third party company guarantying the purity. Is the US Government's guarantee not enough?
5:10 - He states "Folks, you can't buy Silver Eagles for $19.95!" This is a downright lie. You can find them all day long for $18.00 as of this writing.
Here's the video if you'd like to see how they prey upon the unknowing. This should be a lesson that wolves are everywhere, do your homework:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBHPQ9veSnw
To truly understand this you should consider: You can get ungraded Silver Eagles all day long for $18.00. Now, graded coins do command a premium, but not that large a premium! To further elaborate, here is a very similar coin, graded by a reputable company (though not as old as Anacs) for nearly $10.00 cheaper ($29.49 as of this writing).
Similar Coin, Better Price
Not only do they charge way too much, but if you go to the HSN website they show you the picture of the coin, except the picture has a "W" mint mark meaning it comes from the West Point mint, the problem is that this is not the coin you receive as noted from an angry HSN customer:
From a HSN.Com Review: "NOT WHAT ITLOOKS TO BE / ALLEN, INNow I will dissect this airing for your reading pleasure:
8/2/2009 THIS COIN SHOWS A W MINT MARK ON IT.. IT DOES NOT HAVE IT. TALKED TO US MINT AND THEY SAID THIS COIN HAD NOT BEEN MINTED YET HUMMMMM?"
0:56 - He claims the purity to be .99995 pure, but it is actually .9995 pure. Not a huge mistake, but still.
1:16 - He mentions how silver has been moving dramatically but fails to mention the actual price per ounce.
1:26 - He states that they bought these before the dramatic rise in the last four weeks. This is to make you think that the price of silver is near $49.95 an ounce (Deception). This airing appeared on Sunday August 9, from 2am - 3am. Let's take a look at a graph of Silver for the last 4 weeks:
Wow! That is a $1.50 rise! While this is a significant movement in Silver, it doesn't justify the prices they are charging.
1:40 - He talks about this third party company guarantying the purity. Is the US Government's guarantee not enough?
5:10 - He states "Folks, you can't buy Silver Eagles for $19.95!" This is a downright lie. You can find them all day long for $18.00 as of this writing.
Here's the video if you'd like to see how they prey upon the unknowing. This should be a lesson that wolves are everywhere, do your homework:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBHPQ9veSnw
If You Are Against ObamaCare Than You're An Extremist!
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/documents/2009/08/hcan-playbook-for-thwarting-town-hall-protesters.php?page=1
Sorry, I'm not aligned with insurance companies. I'm an average joe that doesn't want this socialism. Click the picture to enlarge.
Sorry, I'm not aligned with insurance companies. I'm an average joe that doesn't want this socialism. Click the picture to enlarge.
A Study In the Value of Silver
Many people state that Silver is undervalued and will often cite the Silver to Gold Ratio. Other people will say that one ounce once bought you a suit. I will attempt to gain an understanding into the value of Silver by examining historical labor prices versus the price of Silver. Let us start with minimum wage statistics. I will be using values from a table available on Wikipedia which you can review here. The United States didn't start a minimum wage until 1938, so those are the most historical numbers we can start with using this method.
Beginning with 1939, the minimum wage was 30 cents an hour. This means that at minimum, a person could earn 3 Silver Dimes or .217 Troy ounces per hour. Now let's look at the last year that Silver appeared in coinage. In 1964 the minimum wage was $1.00, 10 Silver Dimes, or .723 Troy ounces. This shows that compared to Labor, Silver was hugely undervalued in 1964. Looking at today's minimum wage which is now $8.25 an hour a person can now earn .591 Troy ounces per hour (Based on Silver @ 13.95/Troy Ounce). Please note that we didn't use Silver Dimes in this example as Silver Dimes are no longer being paid out.
This represents a steep drop in the value of Silver over the last 70 years in comparison to labor in 1939. To bring the ratios back in line, the value of Silver would need to roughly double! To further exemplify the point, would you believe today's minimum wage labor to be more skilled or less skilled than the labor in 1939 when America still had its manufacturing? Opinions may be mixed on this question, but due to the manual nature, I would argue that labor in 1939 was more skilled than today's labor.
Depending on your interest, we may expand upon these ideas in future posts. Have a wonderful day, and happy stacking.
Beginning with 1939, the minimum wage was 30 cents an hour. This means that at minimum, a person could earn 3 Silver Dimes or .217 Troy ounces per hour. Now let's look at the last year that Silver appeared in coinage. In 1964 the minimum wage was $1.00, 10 Silver Dimes, or .723 Troy ounces. This shows that compared to Labor, Silver was hugely undervalued in 1964. Looking at today's minimum wage which is now $8.25 an hour a person can now earn .591 Troy ounces per hour (Based on Silver @ 13.95/Troy Ounce). Please note that we didn't use Silver Dimes in this example as Silver Dimes are no longer being paid out.
This represents a steep drop in the value of Silver over the last 70 years in comparison to labor in 1939. To bring the ratios back in line, the value of Silver would need to roughly double! To further exemplify the point, would you believe today's minimum wage labor to be more skilled or less skilled than the labor in 1939 when America still had its manufacturing? Opinions may be mixed on this question, but due to the manual nature, I would argue that labor in 1939 was more skilled than today's labor.
Depending on your interest, we may expand upon these ideas in future posts. Have a wonderful day, and happy stacking.
A Fresh Perspective on Obamacare
We hear President Obama blaming healthcare as one of the contributors to our economic problems, and this is a fairly lofty claim to make. I hardly doubt that a hospital visit has caused the surges in foreclosures (maybe a handful) that broke many banks, I believe it was giving loans to people that couldn't afford them. And I highly doubt that a hospital visit had insurance companies writing CDS's. What I have been thinking, however, is that maybe this proposed Obamacare is to help quell a future issue.
What happens when record level unemployment exists, and people can't go to the hospital because of the bureaucracy? People take what they need, people revolt. What I'm postulating is that perhaps Obamacare has been proposed to ease the unemployed's contempt for the government to help stave off a healthcare related revolution. I know this sounds like a lofty idea, but so does blaming the current economic crisis on healthcare. I think they realize that all it takes is one person to throw a rock to get an angry mob in the street.
Does this make me support Obamacare? No, he can keep that socialism. I LOVE America, I LOVE freedom, and I HATE Socialism. The ideas being proposed right now are a direct slap in the face to the principles that this country was founded on. Everyone has the right to get out there and work hard to make their money. After all, more than 2/3 of the current millionaires are first generation (Cite: The Millionaire Next Door) millionaires. The American dream is alive and kicking, but people lack the motivation and the enterprising minds that have made the current 2/3 of the American millionaires.
Am I a millionaire? NO! Will I be a millionaire? I hope. Will I try to become a millionaire? Most definitely. Will I succeed? God, and myself are the only people that have control over that. It is my job to come up with the product, or the service that people need to get to that point! Long Live America! Long Live The Constitution! And Here's To The People Waking Up!
What happens when record level unemployment exists, and people can't go to the hospital because of the bureaucracy? People take what they need, people revolt. What I'm postulating is that perhaps Obamacare has been proposed to ease the unemployed's contempt for the government to help stave off a healthcare related revolution. I know this sounds like a lofty idea, but so does blaming the current economic crisis on healthcare. I think they realize that all it takes is one person to throw a rock to get an angry mob in the street.
Does this make me support Obamacare? No, he can keep that socialism. I LOVE America, I LOVE freedom, and I HATE Socialism. The ideas being proposed right now are a direct slap in the face to the principles that this country was founded on. Everyone has the right to get out there and work hard to make their money. After all, more than 2/3 of the current millionaires are first generation (Cite: The Millionaire Next Door) millionaires. The American dream is alive and kicking, but people lack the motivation and the enterprising minds that have made the current 2/3 of the American millionaires.
Am I a millionaire? NO! Will I be a millionaire? I hope. Will I try to become a millionaire? Most definitely. Will I succeed? God, and myself are the only people that have control over that. It is my job to come up with the product, or the service that people need to get to that point! Long Live America! Long Live The Constitution! And Here's To The People Waking Up!
EPA Revision + Cash For Clunkers = Bait & Switch
Consumers are finding out that their cars that were considered "clunkers" under the Cash for Clunkers Program last week, aren't bad enough to qualify this week because of an EPA revision. This sounds like a bait and switch to get people looking for cars and get them into the dealerships, just to be pressured into buying a vehicle without the government promise backing them.
If this isn't a vanilla bait and switch I don't know what is! Anyone Heading the Cash for Clunkers Program has an obligation to contact the EPA to revoke this revision. This revision only rewards the people who chose the worst kinds of vehicles for the roads. The Cash for Clunkers Program was a somewhat decent idea, but as usual good things get tangled in the Washington bureaucracy! I feel bad for the people that aren't finding out until they are sitting down with the high pressure salesman as he tells them "Sorry, your car doesn't qualify for Cash for Clunkers."
http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/28/autos/clunker_mpg_switch/index.htm?postversion=2009072811
If this isn't a vanilla bait and switch I don't know what is! Anyone Heading the Cash for Clunkers Program has an obligation to contact the EPA to revoke this revision. This revision only rewards the people who chose the worst kinds of vehicles for the roads. The Cash for Clunkers Program was a somewhat decent idea, but as usual good things get tangled in the Washington bureaucracy! I feel bad for the people that aren't finding out until they are sitting down with the high pressure salesman as he tells them "Sorry, your car doesn't qualify for Cash for Clunkers."
http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/28/autos/clunker_mpg_switch/index.htm?postversion=2009072811
GM Hearts eBay
That's right, GM is out of bankruptcy and full of cool and hip new ideas. GM will be selling their cars on a popular auction website. The pilot program is initially targeted towards California. When asked what they were thinking GM responded:
CEO: Well, GM is not a Dinosaur as many companies suggest. We're Hip, Rad, and Down With It like Toyota, Honda, and Datsun. We plan on selling these hot new pimped out rides to all of our homies representing the GM Company. We will now fill warranty claims via twitter, which should be neat. We are already following 10 people on twitter which appears to be slightly successful, and we have a new commercial coming out which features rap music.
We felt California was an ideal spot to test out because of how destitute they currently are. GM has balls and we plan on showing our Balls by going into the toughest market in America! Wuddup Wit It Fat Cat, Boo Yah!
http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/10/autos/gm_ebay/index.htm?postversion=2009071016
Free Checking Is A Perk?
I found this to be quite entertaining. In this day and age, banks are still trying to cart around the same old, tired products as perks. Earth to banks: It's our money in those accounts, and Credit Unions understand that. My credit union does not pedal their free checking around as a perk, they consider it a standard. The archaic banking institutions cannot seem to grasp this concept because they think in terms of fees. Here's my message to the banks: If you want to charge money for checking, then I'll take the money out of the account and get it where it needs to be myself. I do not NEED a bank to move my money for me, and if they feel they NEED to be paid for this service, then I feel my money NEEDS to be elsewhere.
http://moneyfeatures.blogs.money.cnn.com/2009/07/02/is-free-checking-on-its-way-out/
http://moneyfeatures.blogs.money.cnn.com/2009/07/02/is-free-checking-on-its-way-out/
Banks Aren't Insolvent... Right?
If a bank needs to borrow money at 7% then I imagine that bank isn't in grand shape. I can get money cheaper than 7%! Luckily Karl Denninger is keeping his eyes open and caught this. There is absolutely no reason why a bank should need to borrow money at that kind of rate! I'm including a link to his article below.
http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/1177-BOOM!-More-Obfuscation.html
http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/1177-BOOM!-More-Obfuscation.html
The Truth Shall Set You Free
Well here it is straight from the mouth of a guy on the trading floor. There is market manipulation on the part of the government. Not to say it was a well hidden secret though!
http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/1173-And-Here-It-Is-On-CNBC-Manipulation.html
http://market-ticker.denninger.net/archives/1173-And-Here-It-Is-On-CNBC-Manipulation.html
HR 45 Blair Holt Firearm Licensing & Record of Sales Act of 2009
Why is it that we pay all of these congressmen to infringe on our rights? I wish they would just come out and admit to the American People that they hate the Constitution and wish to see it abolished. I've got a message for all of the congressmen that are trying to toy with the second amendment, or any amendments for that matter: There are plenty of other countries for you to go to.
Don't walk around my country trying to infringe on my rights. The founding fathers put in the right to bear arms provision for a reason. It doesn't need to be rewritten, it doesn't need to be changed. It has served us fine for hundreds of years and will continue to. If you don't like guns then move to Canada, Australia, or any of the other fine countries that have decided to surrender their arms.
During World War II Japan didn't attack mainland America because they knew we were armed to the teeth, and I'm sure there are plenty of other invasions that have been avoided that have never been made known because of this fact. I'm not paying taxes to have my rights infringed upon. The congressmen are supposed to be working for us, not the perpetuation of a Police State.
Don't walk around my country trying to infringe on my rights. The founding fathers put in the right to bear arms provision for a reason. It doesn't need to be rewritten, it doesn't need to be changed. It has served us fine for hundreds of years and will continue to. If you don't like guns then move to Canada, Australia, or any of the other fine countries that have decided to surrender their arms.
During World War II Japan didn't attack mainland America because they knew we were armed to the teeth, and I'm sure there are plenty of other invasions that have been avoided that have never been made known because of this fact. I'm not paying taxes to have my rights infringed upon. The congressmen are supposed to be working for us, not the perpetuation of a Police State.
Execute Order 66
Why is it that it feels like our Government and the Federal reserve are conspiring against the American people? All of these policies that are passing and Bernanke's quantitaive easing, it just feels like their hand is on the toilet handle. Either way, I just wanted to complain and give you an entertaining cartoon.
