Category: Economics & Investing

Reader B.B. suggested this: Killing the Dollar: G20 & IMF Push for Global Fed, Global Currency The Wal-Mart Indicator: We’re Heading for a Stagflationary Disaster Jeff R. mentioned this story about modern-day alchemy, with folks treating lead like gold: Oklahoma City business offering ‘Cash for Bullets’ amid gun craze Items from The Economatrix: 20 Signs that the US Economy is Heading For Big Trouble in the Months Ahead Is A “Re-Fi Apocalypse” Upon Us? Homebuilding Takes a Breather; Wholesale Prices Up

Michael W. sent:In hard-hit Spain, bartering becomes means of getting by G.G. sent this: World’s top economies shrink for first time in four years Ask Russ: How Bad is the Sequester? Is Hyperinflation A Certainty? Items from The Economatrix: Retail Apocalypse:  Why Are Major Retail Chains All Over America Collapsing? Currency War Has Started. International Monetary System To Destabilize And Collapse Peter Schiff:  America is Becoming the United States of Britain

The dip in spot silver is continuing. Silver was down to just $28.54 per troy ounce, the last time I checked. This is a great buying opportunity. Buy on the dips! The handwriting is on the wall for the U.S. penny and nickel: Minting Coins Cost U.S. Taxpayers $436 Million: Chart of the Day Reader Joe B. sent this: If the Euro Collapses, the Swiss Army Is Ready B.B. sent this: Peter Schiff: It’s Going To Hit The Fan During Obama’s Second Term Items from The Economatrix: Will We See $5 Gasoline This Year? Refinery Closures Send Gas To Near …

The latest scary chart, over at Jesse’s blog: The Fed is increasing its monetary base aggressively again. G.G. flagged this: Fiscal trouble ahead for most future retirees Manny Pacquiao KO’d by 39.6% Tax Rate, Refuses to Fight in U.S. US Jobless Rate One Of The Worst In Industrialized World (Thanks to C.N. for the link.)

Mainstream media pundit Mark Levin talks serious societal collapse gloom and doom. (In his February 15th show, scroll forward to the 10 minute mark.) A consideration in choosing your locale: State and Local Sales Tax Rates Left In The Dark: Copper Thieves Rob Detroit Freeways Of Light H.L. sent: Texas Prepares to Go it Alone Capitalism works: Private navy goes to war on Somali pirates. (Thanks to KAF for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Ron Paul:  Trade War & Economic Collapse Coming Gas Prices Hit An Historic High:  What’s Driving Them Up? Fed Joining In Alarm Over Distortion It …

More gloomage coming from a mainstream outlet: Is the Dollar Dying? Why US Currency Is in Danger Gold & Silver Price Takedown February 15th: Noise vs Facts A hard money investing blog worth reading: Deviant Investor Items from The Economatrix: Recovery Sign:  More People Quitting Their Jobs Mortgage Mess Still Mires Housing Recovery State of the Union Reaction:  Gun Sales Still Strong Ron Paul on the State of the Union

DIP! Spot silver closed at $29.80 on Friday. It may yet go a bit lower in this swing, but anywhere under $30 per Troy ounce is a bargain. Former Congressman Dr. Ron Paul was on Bloomberg’s Lunch Money show and was talking war and economic collapse. Are US Retirement Accounts at Risk? Items from The Economatrix: Bond Bubble Expectations Retail Sales Up Despite Payroll Tax Hike The Number One Reason To Invest In Gold The End Of The Current Fiat Monetary System Is Coming, And A Gold-Backed Currency Will Replace It

“When You Have Fiat Currency, What Level Of Value Is Real”, Santelli Asks. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.) Another from B.B.: Schiff: Sequester is ‘Best Thing We Could Have’ Items from The Economatrix: Eric Sprott:  Expect $200 Silver As The Financial System Implodes Top Economic Advisors Forecast War And Unrest Europe’s Recession Deepens As Exports Suffer Unemployment Claims Fall By 27,000

By way of Investment Watch blog:comes this video: Currency War: U.S. Cannot Absorb a Deflationary Spiral – Yra Harris Terry in Florida suggested this by Charles Biderman: Fed Creating $4 Billion in New Money Each Day, Helping to Rig Stock Market Charles Hugh-Smith, over at Zero Hedge: Don’t Worry; Be Resilient. (Thanks to Geoff B. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Schiff:  US To Win Currency Wars, Then Implode Sprott:  Default Coming As 850 Tons Of Gold Supply Vanish Job Openings Decrease Amid US Budget Battles

Some more “Voting with our feet” news: State taxes and the Great Income Migration. The Kindle book cited in the article (How Money Walks – How $2 Trillion Moved Between the States, and Why It Matters) has all the details. (Thanks to Mark A. for the link.) Prosecuting the Messenger: Chief Greek Statistician Threatened with Jail. (Thanks to Peter S. for the link.) And speaking of “slaying the messenger”: Federal, State Governments to Sue S&P Over Mortgage-Bond Ratings Items from The Economatrix: The Economy Is Much Worse Than The Data Show Central Bankers One Wild: What Can Investors Do? Marc …

James, The recent letter from a reader about about the gun show had some comments about pricing so I thought it would be helpful to remind readers some basic economic principles.  Prices are a natural function of supply and demand and higher prices, especially during periods of high demand, perform the needed function of allocating scarce resources to the optimum number of customers. For example, a dealer at a gun show receives a limited number of cases of ammo.  If he were to sell it at historical prices people would buy 2-3 cases each.  Now we have higher prices due …

B.B. suggested an excellent presentation by Stefan Molyneux: There Will Be No Economic Recovery. Prepare Yourself Accordingly. The charts he shows and the statistics he cites are staggering! Show This To Anyone Who Believes That “Things Are Getting Better” In America Biggest Bubbles In History-Stocks, Bonds, Dollars-Paul Craig Roberts Items from The Economatrix: Watch The Financial Markets In Europe Do Wall Street Insiders Expect Something Really BIG To Happen Soon? John Williams of Shadowstats:  How To Survive The Illusion Of Recovery World Currency System Moving Towards Catastrophe

Putin Turns Black Gold to Bullion as Russia Outbuys World Reader Jim W. sent: Silver Coin Dealers and the New Premium Paradigm The coming pension crisis: States face a $3 trillion funding gap. Only about 10 percent of Americans now covered by pensions. G.G. sent: Americans Are Tapping Into Home Equity Again Venezuelan Devaluation Sparks Panic. (Thanks to R.C. for the link.)