Letter Re: More About Storing Nickels

Hi James, Just following up on my last letter about stacking nickels in the “Standing Shotgun Shell” configuration.  I’ve continued experimenting and have a few tips I’d like to add that might come in handy. Luckily, I’ve been able to order quantities of nickel boxes from my local bank [at face value] and have been making a studied process of stacking them, trying to improve with each box.  BTW, a cardboard box of nickels such as delivered by Brinks weighs 22 pounds.  I have figured out that by sliding the thumb in and pushing in towards the empty cardboard box, …




Economics and Investing:

M.E.W. flagged this: Gross Echoes Buffett Saying Treasuries Have ‘Little Value’ on Debt, Dollar Greg C. spotted this: Ripples in Japanese supply chain will be felt here. Greg’s comment: “This will end up being a major case study in the weaknesses of “Just in Time” (JIT) delivery.  It won’t be just car parts that will be affected as you will see when you read the article.” More economic suicide news from Zimbabwe: Implats, Aquarius fall on Zimbabwe indigenisation news. Items from The Economatrix: Gold, Silver Now Legal Tender in Utah. (But is is too bad that Utah also recently caved-in, …




Inflation Watch:

Pierre M. was the first of several readers to send this: Wal-Mart CEO Bill Simon expects inflation. Reader Joe P. noted: “I can’t think of any private or government entity in a better position to recognize inflation than Wal-Mart.” Reader Mark F. reports: “I went to our location Tractor Supply Store this week to buy some T-posts to put up some more fencing for my livestock and I got a surprise. Last May I paid $3.69 for 6 foot posts. Those same posts are now $4.79 apiece.” Food Commodities Surge Seen Swamping Consumers with Inflation. (Thanks to Bryan E. for …




Odds ‘n Sods:

Clever! W.S. sent a link to a video of a gent that built a solar cooker. W.S. describes it: “He put some chrome decal material on a satellite dish on which he had fabbed a little arm at the focal point of the light reflection, to hold a pot. Interesting idea for a last resort redundancy in the event that your first choice for a cooking method is unavailable.”    o o o Conservatives Now Outnumber Liberals in Deep-Blue States. (Thanks to Marilyn R. for the link.)    o o o Reader Jared B. sent a link with some more …