Category: Economics & Investing

Letter Re: Getting A Mortgage After Relocating

Dear Mr. Rawles, I would like to share with your readers our story on obtaining a mortgage after relocating to one of the Redoubt States. Unfortunately, we did not have enough cash and could not get a loan from relatives, so we needed a mortgage.   We relocated to the American Redoubt last summer and started renting, as is usually advised. By winter, we were ready to buy our own place. But before finally getting a favorable loan with US Bank, we had quite unpleasant experience with one of the smaller local banks. After providing them with all kinds of …


Economics and Investing:

Tim J. sent a link to an excellent essay by Wayne Allyn Root with some sobering comparisons to 1929: Why we are on the brink of the greatest Depression of all time. From G.G.: Nearly half of Fannie Mae REO unable to reach market GOP boosts gold ahead of convention B.B. sent: Big Income Losses for Those Near Retirement Items from The Economatrix: S&P 500:  The War For 1,400 Has Begun 8 Economic Threats That We Were Not Even Talking About At The Beginning Of Summer Eric Sprott:  The Financial System’s Death Knell? Gerald Celente:  The Fate Of The World, …


When Will It Happen? What Will It Be?, by Son Of Texas

There as many opinions and even more guesses than those who are guessing about what will cause the collapse of the world as we know it.  There may be unexpected triggers in nature or in society such as natural disasters of a sudden or a gradual nature, geopolitical events or developments, or environmental triggers that may be natural or man made.  With or without any of these events and processes about which there is an enormous volume of speculation, my previous skepticism about one in particular has been transformed to a personal certainty.   Economic Collapse – Really?   The …


Economics and Investing:

Be sure to watch this lecture: Marc Faber On Keynesian Folly, The ‘Missing’ Inflation, And Bubble-Blowing. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.) Obama’s Budget to Add $4.4 Trillion to Debt in Next Four Years–On track to $20 trillion in debt in 2016. [JWR’s Comment: Keep in mind that those figures are predicated upon interest rates staying artificially low. Someday, our foreign creditors will demand a higher rate of return on U.S .Treasury paper. And when that happens, we’ll see a repeat of the current Greek Tragedy, here in the U.S. of A. That will be the death knell of the …


Economics and Investing:

More monetization ahead! Federal Reserve leaning toward more stimulus Greece ready to start selling islands to pay down debts. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.)   Items from The Economatrix: Startling Evidence That Central Banks and Wall Street Insiders are Rapidly Preparing for Something Big Jim Rogers:  It’s Going To Get Really “Bad After The Elections”


Economics and Investing:

The Commodities Survival Kit Guide: Gold, Silver, Timber, Farmland, Stamps, & Antique Guns Why Investors Are Hoarding Silver U.S. 2012 budget deficit $1.1 trillion: CBO (Thanks to B.B. for the link.) K.P. sent this: Heard the rumour China is buying 6,000 tonnes of gold? It may not be as crazy as it sounds Items from The Economatrix: Shhh…It’s Even Worse Than The Great Depression Germany May Be The Country That Brings The Euro Crashing Down


When Your Prepping Plan Falls Apart – Picking Up the Pieces, by M.J.W.

I previously wrote about Leaving Suburbia.  I was so excited to be moving out of the city and into the country towards a more self-sufficient lifestyle, but I spoke too soon.  We were in contract on a piece of property, and at the last minute, the sellers backed out of the transaction.  We were left wondering where we were going to live.  We immediately began looking for another piece of property.  Meanwhile the home we had leased for almost four years, in preparation for this move, was sold out from under us and we had to move on short order.  …


Economics and Investing:

Jim Willie: Capital is Dying! Game Over! Do not be lulled by the siren call of inflation – The slow decline in living standards. Gas is up 100 percent over last 8 years while income has fallen. ‘Zero Inflation’ In The United States = Hyperinflation Warning? “Yea, though I walk in the shadow of the foreclosure inventory…” ‘Shadow REO’: As Many as 90% of Foreclosed Properties Held Off the Market, Estimates Suggest Items from The Economatrix: 41 Years After the Death of the Gold Standard, a Look at “How We Ended Up In This Economic Purgatory” Index of Leading US …


Economics and Investing:

Italy’s tax hunters target super-rich and their yachts off the Sardinian This was mentioned in SurvivalBlog about a year ago, but bears repeating: USA National Gas Price Heat Map. (Thanks to Ben N. for the reminder.) You will note that portions of the American West perennially have some of the lowest gas prices in the country. Also note the map’s red shading for California. The high prices are in part attributable to a recent refinery fire in Richmond, California, but they are mostly indicative of one of the many ways that California is attempting to balance its budget: on the …


Economics and Investing:

Reader R.B.S. sent this: Schools Pass Debt to the Next Generation M.E.W. web-wandered into this: California Doesn’t Exist—It’s Now Two States Debt bubble amnesia – 40 percent increase of Americans with accounts in collection in the last decade. System still heavily reliant on extreme consumption. Items from The Economatrix: 2012 Gas Prices Head For Record Factory Output In U.S. Climbs As Prices Remain Tame 22 Stats That Show How The Emerging One World Economy Is Absolutely Killing American Workers The Portuguese Run Out Of Gold To Sell


Economics and Investing:

The Telegraph reports: Finland prepares for break-up of eurozone. (Thanks to Pierre M. for the link.) Tyler Durden: Why QE Is Not Working Also at Zero Hedge: US Treasury Admits It Conducted A Circular Ponzi Scheme For Years Wall Street’s Teflon Don Jon: Jon Corzine avoids charges Items from The Economatrix: A Surprise Economic Indicator That’s Looking Up Mish:  Syracuse, NY, Headed For Bankruptcy, 100% Certain Prepare For US and Euro Collapse:  The Next One Will Be The Big One


Economics and Investing:

G.G. flagged this: After the Storm – describes the stages of economic collapse. The 13-F truth comes out: George Soros Eats Own Words, Doubles Down On The Gold ETF J.D.F. mentioned: Jim Rogers: It’s Going To Get Really “Bad After The Next Election” Aaaand It’s Gone: This Is Why You Always Demand Physical Precious Metals Items from The Economatrix: World Shipping Crisis Threatens German Dominance as Greeks Win Long Game Retail Sales Up But Some Consumers Still Cautious Paulson, Soros Add to Gold Hoard as Prices Drop Most Since 2008


Economics and Investing:

Welcome to the Third World, Part 7: Bye Bye, Public Services. (Kudos to H.L. for the link.) Also from H.L.: Two Spanish Towns in Hock as Banks Cope with $250 Billion in Bad Loans The Political Euro Revolt Spreads To Austria: “Europe Can Only Function If Every Country Has Its Own Currency” Items from The Economatrix: Banking Damage:  ATM, Checking And Overdraft Fees Rise In 2012 Max Keiser:  We’re In A Financial Holocaust Why More States May See Gas Prices Above $4 Six U.S. Cities on the Edge of a Fiscal Cliff


Economics and Investing:

J.B.G. sent: Five years on, the Great Recession is turning into a life sentence Parallel currencies! Coinage Act of 2012 – Congressman Ron Paul R.B.S. sent a link to an interesting Numismaster piece: Fake Silver Rounds Can Cause Real Problem Items from The Economatrix: Growing Paychecks Boost Americans’ Buying Power Fed Can’t Fix US Economic Headwinds Bill Haynes:  We Are Now Seeing Huge Orders For Physical Gold & Silver African Nations Chase Out The Almighty Dollar


Economics and Investing:

Der Spiegel reports: Investors Prepare for Euro Collapse Welcome to the land of the poor and rich – Trading the middle class for economic extremes. Deep Fried Black Swan Lands as China Admits it Has a Food Inflation Problem, Releases Corn, Rice From Reserves. (Thanks to H.L. for the link.) Three Warning Signs Showing Why You Should Remain Leery of this Market   Why Alternative Energy Will Never Become Widespread in Our Lifetime Items from The Economatrix: Presenting The Ultimate “Muppet” Indicator The US Treasury Secretary’s $2.4 Trillion Secret Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago? Egan …