Reader R.B.S. suggested this article: Cashless: The Coming War on Tax-Evasion and Decentralized Money Euro zone unemployment reaches near 15-year high Government bond funds losing their allure Items from The Economatrix: Gold Pushes Higher With Oil, Stocks On Data Manufacturing Up, Construction Spending Falls Unemployment May Be Down, But So Are Wages And Benefits
The gasoline shortage in England is not getting much better: The great Easter get nowhere: RAC warns that petrol panic buying risks millions of drivers not being able to fill their tanks for holiday break Marc Faber: ‘Massive Wealth Destruction’ Is About to Hit Investors (A hat tip to Michael W. for the link.) Diana V. suggested this: Nine Gold Myths Everyone Needs to Understand to Survive this Global Economic Crisis Over at MyBudget360: The creeping cost of consumer inflation brought to you by a lower US dollar The impending urban water crisis. (Thanks to R.C. for the link.) Several …
Debasement and Debt Monetization are the last refuges of modern-day profligate spending governments: Geithner sees cash in coins’ metal. I’ve been warning about the composition change in nickels for three years. I hope that you have been methodically building your stack during this time. Once he composition changes, you will have to start sorting nickels. But for now, you can stack ammo cans or boxes full of rolls, painlessly. New in the Nerd World: Societal collapse as a marketing angle. (Thanks to PNG for the link.) Who Are the Nation’s Biggest Suckers? Lottery Players. (As the Late Memsahib was fond …
10 Reasons Why the Reign of the U.S. Dollar as the World Reserve Currency is About to End Is Inflation, a Stagnant Economy, and Lower Standard of Living in Our Future? Lee M. sent this: Student Loans on Rise — for Kindergarten After the riots, Spain swings the axe on spending. (Thanks to Pierre M. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Recovery? Housing Says It’s A Hoax Security Breach Hits US Card Processors, Banks A Cashless Society May Be Closer Than Most People Would Even Dare To Imagine Providence, Rhode Island Bankruptcy Seen As Unavoidable On Budget Gap
Introduction This is going to be a landmark year for survivalism. There are a myriad of important societal, political and economic events on the radar that are fueling an expansion of interest in ‘being prepared’. Worldwide economic uncertainty, global political tension with Iran, an election year in the United States, and the approaching social phenomenon associated with December 21st, 2012 all loom. A decade’s worth of catastrophic events including terrorism, large-scale weather disasters and public shootings have only served to bring public uneasiness to a boil. More people are reacting, as sales of food stocks, firearms, and outdoor survival gear …
Sean B. spotted this in The LA Times: More municipalities betting on pension bonds to cover obligations. Note that the “pension obligation bonds” that they mention are actually derivatives. Jim Rogers & Peter Schiff Agree, U.S. Treasury Crisis In 2013 Truth About $6 Gas, $200 Oil and the Quest for Energy Independence 2012 the year of the short sale – Short sales over 50 percent of all MLS inventory in Southern California. Items from The Economatrix: Americans Angry As Gas Nears $4 Durable Goods Orders Hint at Weak First Quarter Gas Prices Expected To Continuously Increase Through Summer …
Naïveté, Incroyable! U.S. House Panel Approves Bill Limiting Swaps-Regulation Reach. Do the congresscritters think that they are now somehow getting a handle on the derivatives market? (Thanks to J. McC. for the link.) Debt Bubble: Why “Too Big To Fail” Banks Still Face Much Trouble Ahead Fed Policy: Ben Bernanke is Warming Up His Helicopter Items from The Economatrix: Housing Market Recovery Hits Pothole The Great Recession of 2007 Never Ended, We are in Fact in a Depression 10 Reasons Why the Reign of the Dollar as the World Reserve Currency is About to Come to an End Crude …
Dear SurvivalBloggers: Please re-read my December 2011 article on “micro stores” following TEOTWAWKI. Pay particular attention to the proposed stocking list. Enough water has gone under the bridge since then–I’ve had plenty of time to think some more about it, plus I received some quality feedback from SurvivalBlog readers–that I thought some updating might be useful and in order. Here goes. There were several premises I used as a basis for recommending your considering a “micro store”: Yes, the situation might get bad (less than comfortable)–but (IMO) will be something less than grim–following some sort of catastrophic “meltdown” event, especially if you live in a smaller, conservative metropolitan …
R.B.S. sent this: Why cash is losing its currency Also from R.B.S.: Money moves five doomsayers are making now New Ideas on Pensions: Use States. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Gary North: Will Helicopter Bernanke Become Hurricane Ben? Gold Prices Near Two-Week High After Fed Comments Wall Street Dips, But Winners Gain As Quarter’s End Nears Consumer Confidence Wanes, Inflation A Concern
Reader Bill V. suggested this: Measuring the yield famine in food. And here is a related article: How the Fed Hurts Retirees.. G.G. found this over at New Scientist: Metal detector knows how much cash is in your wallet Items from The Economatrix: Bernanke’s Words Drive Wall Street Up 1% Doug Casey: It’s A Dead-Man-Walking Economy America awash in cheap credit and monetization: Rasmussen Consumer Index Reaches Highest Level Since 2008 Gold’s Getting Ready To Go Extreme Bernanke: Job Market Weak Despite Gains Gold Rises 1.5% On Renewed US Easing Hopes Odds ‘n Sods:
B.B. sent the link to this at The Hill: House liberal budget has trillions more taxes, stimulus than Obama plan A whole raft of new articles over at one of my favorite investing news sites, ETF Daily: Does The SPDR Gold Trust Really Hold Physical Gold, Or Is It A Scam? Physical Gold & Silver Dividends Offer Investors The Best of Both Worlds Can Ben Bernanke Break The U.S. Dollar Rally? Why It Matters To The Markets… Real Estate: The Housing Market’s Biggest Hurdle Why The Natural Gas Act Is Just Another Washington Boondoggle? Why …
Spain Starts to Feel the Heat G.G. flagged this: Tungsten-Filled 1 Kilo Gold Bar Found in the UK Memo Reveals: Corzine Did Steal Investor Funds and Perjured Himself Before Congress. (Thanks to B.B. for the link.) Strapped for Cash: New East River Bridges Toll Proposal Goes After Everyone, Including Bicyclists. (A Hat tip to Marcia H. for the link.) Items from The Economatrix: Silver Now Outpacing Gold and Fed Frightened For the Long-Unemployed, Hiring Bias Rears its Head New Homes Sales Slip, Prices at Eight Month High
Jim, I’d like to correct some misconceptions regarding both precious metals and “collectibles”, some of which have been repeated in recent letters from readers. First, regarding collectibles: This term has a specific meaning under the Internal Revenue Code. Its definition is found in 26 U.S.C. Section 408(m)(2), which says: (2) Collectible defined For purposes of this subsection, the term “collectible” means— (A)any work of art, (B)any rug or antique, (C)any metal or gem, (D)any stamp or coin, (E)any alcoholic beverage, or (F)any other tangible personal property specified by the Secretary for …
Sue W. recommended: The Seven Rules of Bureaucracy Gary Schilling: The Japan Train Wreck Is Accelerating. (Thanks to Michael W. for the link.) Robert Prechter’s Dire Prediction For 2012 Items from The Economatrix: Home Sales Show Strength, Prices Rise Oil Prices Rise On Unexpected Supply Drop Mish Shedlock: Highest Price Ever of Gasoline in March Signs Of Recovery Grow In US Housing Market. [JWR’s Comment: With so many delayed foreclosures now hitting the market, we are still nowhere near the bottom, folks.]
This hardly comes as news to SurvivalBlog readers: The new black gold: U.S. farmland. (Thanks to R.C. for the link.) Bank of America: Show us your death certificate Doug Casey chimes in, over at Zero Hedge: Its A Dead-Man-Walking Economy Items from The Economatrix: Americans Asleep At The Wheel Driving Into Debt Slavery Bernanke Says Higher Energy Prices Constitute A Threat To The US Economy Existing U.S. Home Sales Hold Near Two-Year High. [But for a dose of reality, read this over at Zero Hedge: New Home Sales Make It 12 Out Of 14 Economic Misses. Thanks to reader Damon …