Economics and Investing:

Green Acres: The Case for Investing in Farmland Now Jim W. mentioned some commentary on empty retail store parking lots, over at The Burning Platform: Are You Seeing What I’m Seeing? QE3’s looming flaw: Big banks’ mortgage operations Marc Faber Warning: Store Your Gold Overseas Items from The Economatrix: Fed’s “QE-Infinity” Will Push Gold to $2,400 Deposit Flight From Europe Banks Eroding Common Currency 10 Shocking Quotes About What QE3 is Going to Do to America Gerald Celente:  Criminal Banksters Launching New World War




Economics and Investing:

Jim W. sent: CITI: When Gold Hits $1790, Silver Will Go Bonkers G.G. flagged this: Tungsten-Filled 10 Oz Gold Bar Found In The Middle Of Manhattan’s Jewelry District Glenn Beck Uses Pies as an Illustration When Discussing Inflation and Tangible Hard Assets The latest from the LEAP think tank in France: GEAB N°67 is available! Global systemic crisis/October 2012 -The global economy sucked into a black hole and world geopolitics heated to white-hot: The seven key factors of an unprecedented double shock Items from The Economatrix: Jeff Berwick-0% Interest Rates Until The System Dies How QE3 Will Make The Wealthy …




Letter Re: QE3–What Just Happened To Me?

Dear Editor: The monetization dubbed Quantitative Easing (QE) Round 3 (“QE3”) is very confusing, and there is a lot of mystery attached to the confusion. To fully understand what just happened to us I find it useful to frame the scenario in this why, and this maybe a better way to understand it for some. When I put currency somewhere(make a purchase or invest it) it is currency that I worked to obtain and represents an exchange of my labor for a specific amount of currency. This currency is representative (if I negotiate the salary correctly) of the value of …




Economics and Investing:

G.G. flagged this headline: 8,786,049: Yet Another Record for Americans Collecting Disability Also from G.G.: Moody’s: More California cities at risk of bankruptcy–Credit agency sees greater chance of municipal bankruptcies, bond defaults in California Paypal suspends domestic transactions in Argentina From reader B.B.: For Every $1 Added to the Economy, Obama Added More Than $3 in Debt Peter S. sent: FedEx says economy is stalling, cuts outlook Bond Wars: Chinese Advisor Calls For Japanese Bond Dump Items from The Economatrix: Ron Paul:  “Country Should Panic Over Fed’s Decision” QE3:  Helicopter Ben Bernanke Unleashes An All-out Attack On The US Dollar




Economics and Investing:

100 million credit card accounts are gone since 2008 – Credit card balances decline by 22 percent since their 2008 peak. R.C. sent this: Nevada man dies with $200 in bank, $7M in gold hidden inside home. I thought Nevada was the Silver State… But of course $7 million in silver would be too bulky. R.B.S. pointed me to a fairly well-balanced British documentary: The Great Euro Crash – 2012. (If you jump 25 minutes forward, you’ll see described the sneaky role that derivatives played in this debacle.) Items from The Economatrix: America Is Facing A Lost Generation:  Jim Rogers …




Economics and Investing:

Does anyone really believe this Pollyanna pie-in-the-sky nonsense now coming from the mainstream media? With QE3, We All Win — Poor and Rich Alike. What balderdash! Let’s face facts, folks: The Federal Reserve has backed itself into a corner. They can’t do anything that will trigger higher interest rates. So the only arrow left in their quiver is monetization (“quantitative easing” is the gentler, sugar-coated name.) Their brilliant plan is to re-inflate the housing bubble by buying up $40 billion per month, indefinitely, in mortgage derivatives using make-believe money. This pure fiat “money” is coming from their Sunshine Pump. I …




Economics and Investing:

Unlimited monetization: Get Ready For An Epic Fiat Currency Avalanche First corn and now wheat: Weather Woes Sow Worry on Wheat. Stock up your larder before prices gallop! (Thanks to U.E. for the link.) John Embry Expects a Silver Price Explosion Driven by Physical Shortage Items from The Economatrix: German Court’s Backing Bailout Fund to Test EU Resolve on Crisis Fed Seen Starting QE3 While Extending Rate Pledge to 2015 Gary North:  Gold Bugs and Anti-Gold Bugs, It’s a Fight for Civilization




Economics and Investing:

The inevitable credit downgrades begin: Egan-Jones downgrades U.S. rating on QE3 move Greg C. sent: More Americans opting out of banking system Reader K.P. sent: Understand the Rules Before You Transport Precious Metals Overseas Hyperinflation Is Virtually Assured – John Williams. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Five Years Since The Great Financial Crisis:  “No Growth, No Deleveraging” Gerald Celente – Gold, Silver, & A Major October Surprise The Euro Crisis Is Not Over And Is About To Get Interesting




Prepping is Investing, by Michael W.

Preppers get painted is crazy doomsday people, sitting around waiting for the world to end, disappointed when it doesn’t.  I think National Geographic has done a disservice to prepping with their show.  The people on the show explain “what” they are preparing for.  To many, their reasons are crazy.  To me, some of the reasons are crazy.  I think it’s important to make it clear that it’s not about a specific event or cause.  It’s about planning for the future and protecting yourself.  Does it really matter if an EMP, financial collapse, or natural disaster disrupts your basic necessities?  What it comes …




Economics and Investing:

Here comes more monetization: Fed Undertakes QE3 With $40 Billion Monthly MBS Purchases. JWR’s Comment: Oh great, Mortgage Backed Securities derivatives. Your tax dollars at work, buying up dodgy debt. Reader G.A.H. was the first of several readers to mention an interesting parallel to the opening chapter of my first novel, Patriots: Germany Says ‘Great Uncertainty’ About US Debt. Here is the proverbial “life imitates art” quote: “German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble questioned on Tuesday how the United States could deal with its high levels of government debt after November’s presidential election. In private, German officials often express concern about …




Economics and Investing:

Reader and loyal content contributor F.J. recommended this: When, Not If, Inflation Returns K.P. liked this article: Real Wealth, Gold, and Why Government May Want You on Food Stamps Peter Schiff: The Only Way To Fix The Economy Is To Let It Fail Items from The Economatrix: The Canadian Housing Bubble Nears Implosion Jobs Data Show US Factories Bearing Brunt of Slowdown S&P 500 Rallies to Highest Since 2008 on Stimulus Bets Miss In U.S. Payrolls Spurs Talk of New Fed Stimulus




Economics and Investing:

The Secret Panic of European Banks G.G. flagged this: Government officially tops $1 trillion in deficits Reader H.L. sent: As the Euro Tumbles, Spaniards Look to Gold Pierre M. was the first of several readers to mention this: Pig farmers quit as feed prices soar Items from The Economatrix: Job Growth Cools, Posing Challenge for Obama, Fed Why a Drop in the Unemployment Rate is Tragic Homebuilders’ New Problem:  Too Few Workers




Economics and Investing:

Smith & Wesson Posts Huge Earnings G.G. flagged this: To Save Money, Americans Buy Expired Food at Auctions Also from G.G.: More older workers making up labor force More monetization is in the works: Jim Rogers and Marc Faber Agree, Bombs Away Items from The Economatrix: Lackluster Economy Shows Stronger Pulse US Job Cuts Hit 20-month Low, But Layoffs Heavy Overseas Are You Better Off?  40 Statistics That Will Absolutely Shock You! 84 Statistics Showing The Collapse Of The Middle Class Is Real




Economics and Investing:

Jim W. recommended this “must watch” interview that mentions the coming derivatives implosion: Greg Mannarino – People Are Going to Suffer on a Biblical Scale Marc Faber – The Most Dangerous Trend Facing The World Today. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.) G.G. flagged this: Regulators close small bank in Minnesota for total of 41 US failures so far this year Items from The Economatrix: June Food Stamp Recipients Hit All-Time High As Three Times As Many Americans Enter Poverty Than Find Jobs 8 Reasons Why No One Should Ignore The Coming Economic Collapse Unemployment Benefits Claims Fall 12,000 Inflation …




Economics and Investing:

Canadian housing bubble goes into full mania mode – Canadian debt-to-personal income ratio near 145% while US at peak of the housing bubble was at 125%. When Working Until 70 Isn’t Enough Rex spotted this: Richard Russell: The World Can Fix Its Debt Problem By Raising The Value Of Gold To $10,000 The swan song of stagflation – Gas prices up over 100 percent from 2005 and incomes are stagnant. Ignoring a $16 trillion debt headline and repackaging food to hide stagnant incomes. Items from The Economatrix: Catherine Austin Fitts:  They’re Going to Depopulate or Bankrupt the Rest of Us …