Update on Chris Duane, SBSS, and Mulligan Mint

On Monday (May 13, 2013) I did my best to intervene and help mediate between Chris Duane and the Mulligan Mint to get them back to the bargaining table. I even suggested some potential terms of agreement. But they are still deadlocked. I’m afraid that this won’t be resolved until their controversy goes to formal mediation or to court. This is a very sad situation. I was hoping that they’d be willing to quickly settle this like gentlemen, but the rhetoric (at least on one side) has become so vitriolic that I don’t foresee an amicable resolution anytime soon. The …




Economics and Investing:

Reader F.G. sent: Ruger to Open Third Plant – Expansion for New Guns B.B. mentioned this by Lord Monckton: The Dollar and the USA are Toast Federal Reserve ZIRP has essentially destroyed household income growth: Households headed by those 45 to 54 see their real household income growth drop by 16 percent from 1999. Items from The Economatrix: Over at Mac Slavo’s excellent SHTFPlan blog: The Mathematical Reality Is We Are Losing Over 600,000 Jobs Per Month That Have Been Hidden From View Generation J(obless):  A Quarter Of The Planet’s Youth Is Neither Working Nor Studying Visualizing the Collapse of …




Economics and Investing:

Prof. Paul Caron: The Deepening IRS Scandal Intrinsic Value and the Final Battle for Silver H.L. suggested: Argentina’s Modest Proposal: Buy Bonds or Go to Jail Items from The Economatrix: Where Is The Recovery?  A Higher Percentage of Americans Had Jobs Three Years Ago Fed’s Cheap Money is Fueling Buyback Binge, Not the Economy Schiff:  Big Mac Index Exposes Flawed Inflation Data




Economics and Investing:

The latest talk on Wall Street is that the Federal Reserve, in coordination with the U.S. Treasury plans to “taper off” from their Quantitative Easing MBS derivatives purchases. But this chart tells the real story.: St. Louis Adjusted Monetary Base (AMBNS) Chart. Do you want the truth? The Fed is about as likely to successfully “taper off” of QE about as well as your local junkie is to “taper off” of crack cocaine. David Roche: Another Crisis Coming, Worse Than the Last. (Thanks to M.E.W. for the link.) B.B. sent this predictable news: Square Drops All Firearm and Ammunition Retailers. …




Economics and Investing:

IRS Admits, Apologizes For Targeting Conservatives During 2012 Election Spain is officially insolvent: get your money out while you still can Jeff H. sent: Not even good enough for dog food: Imported food from China loaded with chemicals, dyes, pesticides and fake ingredients Items from The Economatrix: Hoard Alternative Money & Reforming Banks They Are Murdering Small Business: The Percentage Of Self-Employed Americans Is At An All-Time Low Marc Faber On Gold, Terrorism & Democratic Wealth Confiscation




Economics and Investing:

Bank of America to face $7 billion claim by AIG H.L. sent: Feds Charge Eight in $45 Million Cyber Crime Scheme. The article begins: “In one of the biggest ever bank heists, a global cyber crime ring stole $45 million from two Middle Eastern banks by hacking into their credit card processing firms and withdrawing money from ATMs in 27 countries…” The U.S. has Spent $8 Trillion Protecting the Straits of Hormuz No “Peak Natural Gas” Anytime Soon Jim W. sent a microcosm for the national mindset of borrowing money to pay for past promises as if there will be …




Economics and Investing:

Reader B.B. sent: 10,962,532: U.S. Disability Beneficiaries Exceed Population of Greece Record Number of Americans (Including Hamid Karzai’s Brother) Renounce Their Citizenship Frequent content contributor Jim W. sent: Bix Weir – You Can’t Trust The Paper Price Of Silver and Time is Running Out To Get Physical Items from The Economatrix: Robert Shiller:  Home Prices To Remain Stagnant For The Next Ten Years Gary Shilling:  The Disconnect Between Weak Economies And Strong Markets Won’t Continue No Bank Deposits Will Be Spared Confiscation




Economics and Investing:

Reader R.B.S. sent some more coin debasement news: Stivers proposes using steel for all U.S. coins – not just pennies and nickels. The compromise that the Congresscritters reach might be just dropping the penny and switching the nickel to stainless steel. The days of nickel made of copper and nickel are numbered, so stock up! Jim W. liked this: Gold – You Better Hold It Also from Jim: How Your Purchasing Power Was And Is Destroyed. “The fraud you’re being sold is exactly identical to going into a bakery and ordering a sheet cake.  The baker asks you how many pieces …




Economics and Investing:

Jack Spirko (of The SurvivalPodcast) has produced a fascinating behind-the-scenes video tour: What’s Going on at Mulligan Mint? Jack Spirko and I agree that Mulligan Mint is reputable. By setting up redundant manufacturing processes, they have overcome their production bottlenecks. They’ve also cleared the backlog of SBSS orders and they are about to release Jack’s Sentinel coin. This is the same mint that is producing the American Redoubt silver coin. Items from The Economatrix: The Biggest Price-Fixing Scandal Ever Hiding The Unemployed: Disability And The Politics Of Stats Gold & Silver — War Unofficially Declared on 12 April 2013




Letter Re: Potential for Court-Ordered Clawbacks of Physical Precious Metal Holdings

Mr. Rawles, I have to believe that the precious metals markets are practicing their own sort of fractional reserve system.  Does anyone doubt that the markets (dealers, banks, etc) keep a small quantity on hand for physical transactions, but trade paper claims on much greater quantities? A growing concern of mine which I haven’t seen addressed elsewhere:  What will happen when the holders of paper claims run to court because they cannot obtain the physical metals the claims represent?  Significant numbers of these claim holders are politically powerful.  Will the courts decree a clawback of the physical metals from their …




Economics and Investing:

A revenue-versus-spending chart recently posted by the editors of Zero Hedge shows just how deep a hole our legislators have dug for successive generations. The U.S. Dollar is doomed, folks. It is wise to diversify into practical, durable, and barterable tangibles! At Zero Hedge: “The Captain” Says Goodbye: The Full Final Edition Of The Privateer. (Thanks to B.B. for the lnk.) Staples Starts Selling 3D Printers Items from The Economatrix: Overhyped Q1 GDP Grows By Only 2.5%, Biggest Miss To Expectations Since 9-1-1 Record 1 Out Of 5 American Households On Food Stamps Mints, Refineries, Brokerages Out Of Stock – …




Economics and Investing:

“QE to Infinity, and Beyond!” Here are two interesting articles: Fed Keeps Interest Rates Low, Continues Bond Buying Program and How long will interest rates stay low? JWR’s Comments: The risk of rising interest rates represents a huge unknown. The Federal debt is now just barely manageable only because of artificially low interest rates. If interest rates begin to rise before the public debt is reduced to less than 60% of GDP, then the game is over. At that juncture the debt will be unserviceable and the only means of escape for our government and the Fed banking cartel will …




Economics and Investing:

Larry Edelson: Why Gold’s Historic Collapse is Not Over G.G. suggested: this over at Zero Hedge: Treasury Issues Draft Floating Rate Note Term Sheet Incredible! Social Security comes after man for $895 overpayment they made to his mom, 42 Year Later. Items from The Economatrix: 12 Signs The Economy Is Weaker Than You Think US Business Cycle Index Plunges Most In 22 Months Falling Gas Prices Could Boost The Economy




Economics and Investing:

Peter Schiff: A Collapse Happened In 2008, But The Real Collapse Is Still Ahead Andre D. sent: Gold buyers forced to go on waiting list Items from The Economatrix: We, As Americans, Are About To See A Major, Major Collapse In Our National Monetary System, And Our Normal Way Of Life Ron Paul On Bitcoin: If I Can’t Put It In My Pocket, I Have Reservations” ObamaCare Is A “Neutron Bomb” That Will “Decimate” Jobs In America




Letter Re: Penny and Nickel Debasement Bill Introduced in U.S. Congress

Sir, I often received assorted mail in flat rate VHS videotape-size USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes.  I found that these will hold 27 rolls of nickels. Not near as heavy as a .30 caliber ammo can when full. Folks (like me, over 60 and female) that find the .30 cal ammo cans a bit heavy might like to use these boxes.  I just use strapping tape and run a band around the box horizontally, fill it with the nickels and then run two bands of tape around it to seal it.  They stack nicely and I can move them …