Category: Economics & Investing

Andrew Maguire: Physical Demand Shows Gold In Massive Bull Market. (Thanks to Jim W. for the link.) US regulators adopt weakened rule on derivatives trading; critics say large banks to benefit Doug Noland: Financial Euphoria H.M. sent: Slovenia’s shaky banks bring a downgrade from Fitch Items from The Economatrix: Our Current Financial System Is So Toxic, A Collapse Is Imminent The Fed Is Creating Class Warfare And The Recovery Is Being Distorted Global Hyperinflation Coming

Deepcaster: Biggest Bubble About to Burst Sending up the test balloon: The Cashless Society Arrives in Africa. The “Multipurpose” Biometric National Identity Smart Card Doug Casey on Conspiracies, Gold and the Continuing ‘Greater Depression’ of the World’s Economies Items from The Economatrix: Fed’s Plosser:  We’ve Dug Ourselves A Very Large Hole World Bank Insider:  Western Power Structure Collapses Stanley Druckenmiller: Bernanke Running The Most Inappropriate Monetary Policy In History. The Commodity Situation Is Deadly, And The Aussie Dollar Will Come Down Hard. I See Storm Coming, Bigger Than 2008

The Slow, Agonizing Death Of The American Worker IRS tax exemption/Obamacare exec got $103,390 in bonuses Treasury Knew of I.R.S. Inquiry in 2012, Official Says Items from The Economatrix: These 20 Charts Show That The US Jobs Market Continue To Be A Huge Mess The Price Of Copper And 11 Other Recession Indicators That Are Flashing Red Deflation Spreading Worldwide

Reader Ben H. sent: Argentines are now allowed to know the real rate of inflation, thanks to their courts The facts behind the mountain of student debt: 13 percent of students owe more than $50,000 and nearly 4 percent owe more than $100,000. Items from The Economatrix: Marc Faber:  “Something Will Break Very Badly” The Economic Collapse of Japan Is Now In Progress — All The Elements Are In Place For A Debt Crisis Fed’s Fisher To Santelli: “This Can’t Go On Forever”

Michael W. sent the latest coin debasement news: Stivers losing patience with reluctance to change change And speaking of nickels: The Nickel-Hoarding Billionaire. Here is a key quote: “‘Not gold futures. You need physical gold,’ Bass declared to Lewis. When the author asked Bass what investment advice he would offer to his mother, the reply was a blunt ‘Guns and gold.’ Want to invest like one of the most successful hedge fund managers of the 21st century? You might not be able to afford gold, but anyone who buys firearms, ammo and nickels at face value will be doing a …

Derivatives warning from Bill Fleckenstein: Markets Could Be On The Verge Of A ‘Blowup’ Thanks To Japan. (Thanks to B.R.G. for the link.) Andrew in England forwarded a link to some more claptrap from the Wall Street cheering section: Why Doomsters Who Predict The Collapse Of Money Are Wrong. These pundidiots see nothing wrong with tripling the money supply in less than three years. Someday they will wish they learned how to sprout beans. And here is an opposing view: Author Dmitry Orlov on why he believes the U.S. is on the brink of collapse…and how to survive it. (SurvivalBlog’s …

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 …

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 …

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

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. …

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

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 …

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

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 …

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