Economics and Investing:

The Ten Worst States for Taxes (Nine Are Blue States) And it is no great surprise that none of them are American Redoubt States. Time To Buy Silver Coins? Items from The Economatrix: Spending Cuts:  It’s About To Get Weird Bernanke:  Spending Cuts Add “Significant” Burden To Recovery For The Middle Class, Expenses Grow Faster Than Paychecks




Update on The New Israeli E-Lander (Tavor) Steel AR Magazines

Back on January 13, 2013 I mentioned the availability of steel AR-15/M16-compatible Tavor magazines, made in Israel, being sold by a company in the U.S. called The Mako Group. These were priced at $18.70 each. I personally ordered more than 100 of them on January 11th. My order just arrived on March 7th. I was very pleased with the fit and finish of the magazines. Mine came with white followers. Their finish was glossy black and quite slick feeling. They have gave reinforced magazine retainer tabs. The E-Lander company maintains stringent military specifications and they have ISO certified and NQA …




Economics and Investing:

Debt based delusion: Fed spending far outstripping revenues, balance of trade, and business inventories decline. Analyst: Bitcoin Took A Key Step Towards Going Mainstream, And That’s Why It’s Been Going Crazy The Last Two Day . Wow!: I just checked at CoinMill and the BTC to USD ratio was at 40.91 to one! (Almost $41 to buy one BitCoin.) Gold Core reports: Russia, Korea And Central Banks Accumulate Gold On Dip Below $1,600/oz Items from The Economatrix: Service Industries In US Grow At Fastest Pace In A Year JPMorgan:  The Consumer Spending Slowdown Is Here Billionaires Dumping US Stocks, Economist …




Economics and Investing:

Just as I predicted: E-mail tells feds to make sequester as painful as promised G.G. suggested: The Pentagon’s Metals Gap Keep Your (Milk) Powder Dry!: Milk Powder Surges Most in 2 1/2 Years on New Zealand Drought. (Thanks to Eric G. in New Hampshire for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: US Economic Growth Basically Flat Construction Spending Falls In January Factory Expansion Spurs Growth As Budget Cuts Loom




Economics and Investing:

G.G. flagged this: Is the dollar as good as gold? Life After QE: The Fed Is Starting To Prepare For A Future PR Nightmare The Daily Bell reports: The New Era in Gold Repatriation Will Affect Everything Items from The Economatrix: Dow Surges To New Closing High On Economy, Fed’s Help Dow Breaks Record, But Party Unlikely To Last [JWR’s Comment: The Fed’s addiction to Quantitative Easing has created this bubble. As with other severe addictions, this won’t end well.] Jobless Claims Fall Sharply




Economics and Investing:

Notice the lack of large bumps in the American Redoubt on this zoomable population density map? (Thanks to Craig S. for the link.)    o o o Wyoming legislators lay down welcoming mat for Colorado gun-accessory maker.    o o o In his characteristic writing style, Montana veterinarian and state legislator Krayton Kerns bemoans the nationwide .22 LR ammo drought: Without a Shot    o o o Some Idaho legislative news, courtesy of reader RBS: Idaho Lawmakers Want More Information Before Exempting Pocket Knives as Concealed Weapons. And: Ada County Sheriff Raney’s Idaho gun legislation forum. Also in Idaho: Lawmaker: …




Economics and Investing:

Mayor Bloomberg: Don’t Panic About the Sequester. “Mr. Bloomberg argued the United States could owe “’an infinite amount of money’ and there is no specific amount that would cause the country to default.”Yeah, right. (I think he’s been sneaking a few 32-ounce Mega Big Gulps of Mountain Dew, in violation of his own decree.) Walter Zimmerman: Every Indicator I Follow Shows The Market Is Going To Tank, And There Will Be A New Financial Crisis In Debt We Trust America Before the Bubble Bursts. (Thanks to R.B.S. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Wal-Mart Situation “Getting Worse” New Leaks …




Economics and Investing:

Some Daily Bell analysis: Italy Founders While Greece Subsides: Is Austerity Over? Not So Fast … Bitcoin deflation! It is interesting to note that One Bitcoin (“BTC”) is now worth around $34 USD. Please support the Bitcoin movement. If we can use mechanisms like Bitcoin and traditional barter instead of the banking system, then we will starve the banksters and regain some of our economic freedom and our privacy. ‘Dilbert’ Creator Alleges Vast Conspiracy — Predicts 20% Market Collapse Items from The Economatrix: Jobless Claims Rise Sound Money Campaign:  “Economists Love To Hate Gold” The Tooth Fairy:  Double-Digit Growth A …




Economics and Investing:

A Recipe For Massive Hyperinflation or Bankruptcy: ProShares UltraShort 20+ Year Treasury, iShares Barclays 20+ Year Treasury Bond Michael Pollaro: Chairman Bernanke, Price Inflation is the Least of Your Problems Over at Lew Rockwell’s page, Peter Schiff predicts: US Debt Crisis Will Be Worse Than Europe’s Items from The Economatrix: Housing To Drive Growth (Finally!) American Consumers Upbeat In February Inflation Remained Subdued In January




Economics and Investing:

Jim W. was the first of several readers to point me to this piece at Zero Hedge: Silver Demand Surges To Record For February. Jim W. correctly observed that the paper markets for precious metals are increasingly irrelevant. The true relevance in the grand scheme of things can be found in the fact that the supply of paper is limitless and he supply of silver is fixed. Don’t be frightened by short term swings in the market. Just be thankful for the dips–our opportunities to buy in in the midst of a long term bull market. Buy tangibles, not conceptuals. …




Economics and Investing:

Panic in Greek pharmacies as hundreds of medicines run short H.L. sent this, also from The Guardian: We’re so well educated – but we’re useless (Also true in much of America) Aaron H. suggested: If inflation is zero, why does my paycheck feel like it’s shrinking? Items from The Economatrix: Eurozone Crisis As It Happened:  Italian Political Deadlock Sends Markets Tumbling Will Italy Be The Spark That Sets Off Financial Armageddon In Europe? I Hope You’re Ready: “The Selloff Today Is The Start, Not The End




Economics and Investing:

20 States With the Most and Least Mortgage Debt (With the exception of Washington, the American Redoubt States are looking good.) Jim Rickards discusses his Currency Wars book and his expectation for endless monetization of the U.S. Dollar. Reader B.F. recommended a reputable and well-established supplier of gold and silver bullion: OnlyGold.com. Michael C. mentioned this about coupon clipping: Why Consumers May Be on a Crash Course Items from The Economatrix: If Masses Lose Confidence In The Currency… US Stocks Slide As Italy, Sequestration Hit Jobless, Cities Could Be First To Feel Budget Pain Is Rebound In Housing Creating Another …




Economics and Investing:

US Dollar Collapse? Here Are 9 Ways It Could Happen Half of Detroit property owners don’t pay taxes. (Thanks to J.B.G. for the link.) Meanwhile, in Stockton, California: Some residents struggle to pay property taxes Items from The Economatrix: IMF:  World Economy Could End As We Know It … Christine Lagarde: “2013 Will Be Make Or Break” Waking Dreams End Unpleasantly US Already In Technical Default




Letter Re: The Federal Reserve’s Inauspicious 100th Anniversary

Captain Rawles, The inflation calculator that you linked to is way off. If you punch in five cents it returns $1.16. [JWR Adds: This is because their calculator uses "official" CPI data, which is badly skewed.]   In 1913 it cost five cents for a loaf of bread. I would love to find a store that sells a loaf of bread for $1.16 today.   Being a master of Excel, I played around with this a few months ago. It turns out that a loaf of bread costs about $4.00. An increase from five cents to four dollars is an …