Month: August 2009

Letter Re: One Way to Visualize Inflation and Dollar Devaluation

Jim, CRW points out that: If you had $1,000 in 1900, you could have bought 50 ounces of gold with it, yet today, a thousand bucks will buy only about one ounce of gold Clearly, gold has held its value better than numbers on paper. Fine, but that’s a fairly useless observation. Consider: gold doesn’t hold its value as well as other things. The overall consumer price index has increased by a factor of only about 32:1 during the same time; that is, gold has failed to hold its value relative to consumer products, primarily because refined gold was already …


Economics and Investing:

Sent by Chris H.: In this recession, older white males see jobs fade From GG: Doctor Doom: The Road Ahead for the Global Economy – Roubini says debt monetization will continue Also from GG: Insiders are selling at highest rate since top of market Items from The Economatrix: Obama Says GDP to Show Contraction, Job Losses Durable Goods Orders Tumbled in June Profit Reports Push Dow to Best July in 20 Years


Odds ‘n Sods:

Laura H. spotted this: Congressman: Smart Grid Can be Wiped Out by Electromagnetic Weapons    o o o S.T. highlighted this: The Bed Bunker. I suppose that if two modules were bolted together, then it might be fairly hard to tote away. But I’d feel a lot better if the entire unit were bolted to the floor or to a wall. The “up on legs” design makes it far too convenient for a miscreant to apply leverage via a large iron bar, or perhaps even a pallet jack, if they planned ahead. (Far too many gun safes get hauled away …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Oh, I have lost some of the fights I’ve been in, some sudden little dustups for which I wasn’t well-prepared and a couple of larger ones in which I was mostly just involved as a bit player. If you really want to win you can always be certain to pick in advance a much weaker opponent and crush him, but that’s bullying. Or you can take on someone who outclasses you and really deserves a good beating, and wait for a chance when he’s not in his best shape, though you may have a long wait. But I’ve never lost …