GOLDBUG: Never ask a gold bug for comments!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

http://tslrf.blogspot.com/2009/10/buying-gold.html

Friday, October 16, 2009

Buying Gold?

*** begin quote ***

We may or may not face serious inflation but I would like to hold as much gold as possible either way. It might cost me a couple bucks more for the same thing but worst cast I will just laugh about that when I buy for less in a few months.

Thoughts?

*** end quote ***

Gold — bullion; not “collectibles” — currently has a 10% premium. Silver seems to be about 12%. (Palladium is an “interesting” play; rarer than platinum, but priced 60% below gold?) Unfortunately, that’s a lot of “commission” to pay. (A loan shark’s vig?) In the past it was as low as 2%. A mutual fund with a 10% load would be found unacceptable; why should we treat bullion any different. Hold it for 10 years and it doesn’t feel as bad.

The other consideration is what are your protecting against. In an “orderly” inflation scenario, other investments may “surf” the riding tide of inflation (i.e., real estate; stocks). In a “disorderly” inflation scenario (e.g., hyperinflation like Rwanda or pre-WW2 Germany), then you want the bullion coins in your possession. (Or, where you can get to them in a pinch.)

Bottom line: In hyperinflation, bullion coins will overcome the premium in a heartbeat. But what’s the probability of it happening? Tough call.

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FUN: Obama and old people

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

BREAKING NEWS!!


To save the economy in 2009, the Obama government will start deporting all of the old people in order to lower Social Security and Medicare costs.


I started crying – when I thought of you.


RUN, YOU OLD FART, RUN!!!



200910210941.jpg

Well….what can I say….someone sent it to me,

and

I’m not going alone!!!!


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INTERESTING: Pain of suicide

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20091015/cm_csm/ynashweb_1

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For Japanese couples forbidden to marry, leaping from Mount Fuji used to be a common place to end their lives, but when the government erected a sign about the pain it was causing survivors, the suicide rate plummeted. Posting on Facebook could have a similar effect.

*** end quote ***

I had a boss who committed suicide. It was said that the technology changing scared him. I hope that’s not right. He could have asked for help. THere were a lot of people who liked him for his caring and could have helped ease the transition worries. Maybe life would have been different if he had. Or if we’d known. We’ll never know.

Requiescat In Pacem, Bob, boss in my youth

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MONEY: Don’t save your wealth in fiat money

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

http://hbdbooks.com/2009/10/what-powers-government-fiat-money/

Fiat Money: The Fuel of Government
October 15, 2009 in Book Reviews, Economics
End the Fed
By Ron Paul

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The ability to print money gives the government unlimited power. If you tax the people too much they rebel. But if you declare your paper to be the only thing used as legal tender and allow yourself to print as much of it as you want, there’s no limit to what you can do. The effects of inflation are as real as any tax. It’s just that the people are slower to notice and connect their lower living standards to the actions of the government. The scariest power that the Federal Reserve gives government is that to wage war.

*** end quote ***

How can you subject your hard earned wealth to theft by inflation?

How can you defend your hard earned wealth?

Other fiat currencies? Gold? Silver? International equities? Non dollar denominated bonds?

The Family Farm?

Maybe the farm, because you can still eat. But the Estate Taxes will prevent yo from passing it on.

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RANT: People will be more cynical; too bad!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/18/colorado.balloon.investigation/index.html

Authorities: ‘Balloon boy’ incident was a hoax

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I guess like everyone else, they fooled me.

It was very wrong to fool all the good people.

But fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you.

Everyone will be just a little more cynical.

Argh!

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RANT: Teach them a lesson, Rush. Please!

Monday, October 19, 2009

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/10/letter_to_rush_limbaugh.html

*** begin quote ***

October 16, 2009

Letter to Rush Limbaugh

Lloyd Marcus

Dear Rush,

*** end quote ***

Dear Rush,

Sue the bastards.

Drag everyone of them into court. Take there last nickel. (This is Obama’s Amerika. They’ll get a bail out or hand out. Or gooferment pensions.)

It’s the principle of the thing. ( Sean Connery as James Malone (The Untouchables): “You wanna get Capone? Here’s how you get him. He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the Chicago way. And that’s how you get Capone!”)

They can criticize what you DO say, but they can’t just make it up.

You have to “assist the Universe” and teach them the lesson they need to learn. Else the Universe will keep sending you “teaching moments” until you do.

imho

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GLOBAL: End of the American empire?

Monday, October 19, 2009

http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/economy-a-budget/63005-going-bust-the-end-of-an-age

Going bust: The end of an age
By Bernie Quigley – 10/14/09 09:50 AM ET

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We might consider thinking about the benefits of regionalization, because if the U.S. economy is to contract and consolidate, it might contract within a matrix that makes for better packaging than the internal world-without-walls we have now. Does northern New England really need four farm colleges? One might work better. We might begin to think about tax spending and tax breaks to encourage naturally occurring regional cultures and regional community tier economies. We might feature farming where there are farms and factories where there are or have been factories. Because life in the city is different than the hills and prairies and one size does not fit all in temperament, personality, culture and economics.

And we might begin to ask ourselves, How did we get to where we are? What do we want to be? What have we become?

*** end quote ***

Would seem that we have to hunker down. Get “small”. And, maybe secession is a good idea to do that?

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POLITICAL: Messing with the DOWG’s design

Sunday, October 18, 2009

http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2009/10/dispatches-filibuster-filibuster.html

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The issue here is the filibuster itself. It’s time to end this archaic procedure and take away the ability of a group of small-state Senators to hold the American people hostage.

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Herb, herb, herb, … don’t you realize that the Dead Old White Guys feared democracy as mob rule. Hence, they tried to throw road blocks into the “popular will”.

Lifetime appointment for judges and six year term Senators selected by the State Legislature were just two of the roadblocks they put in as ways to be a “republic”.

They were also concerned that large states would overwhelm the little one. Why would a small state support the arrangement where they are always outvoted.

You “liberals” are always willing to change the rules to get your way. Note the Massachusetts change and rechange how to fill Kennedy’s / Kerry’s seat.

The reason that many states are talking secession is that the don’t want to “play along”. In short order, you may find that Vermont, Texas, Montana, and who know who else may seek to “leave the party”.

Leave filibuster alone. Unless you’re prepared to eventually fracture the Union. Remember in 2010, your precious “virtuous” D’s may be in the minority and need the fillibuster to keep the “villainous” R’s from passing this or that. (As if there was any difference between the two.)

Remember the R’s got the two term limit to prevent another FDR and prevented Ike. That gave us Nixon. And, we see how well that worked out.

Don’t mess with the Dead Old White Guys’ design. Can we now repeal the direct election of Senators? That hasn’t worked out so well either!

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POLITICAL: “Zero Tolerance” for stupidity

Sunday, October 18, 2009

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2009/10/the_bizarre_con.html

Schneier on Security
A blog covering security and security technology.

October 15, 2009
The Bizarre Consequences of “Zero Tolerance” Weapons Policies at Schools

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The problem, of course, is that the global rule trumps any situational common sense, any discretion. But in granting discretion those in overall charge must trust people below them who have more detailed situational knowledge. It’s CYA security — the same thing you see at airports. Those involved in the situation can’t be blamed for making a bad decision as long as they follow the rules, no matter how stupid they are and how little they apply to the situation.

*** end quote ***

Security needs the ability to distinguish between true threats and everything else.

When it can’t, it’s worthless. It gets overwhelmed with “noise” and the bad actors slip by.

Argh!

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MONEY: Thinking about your paycheck

Saturday, October 17, 2009

http://dailyreckoning.com/your-salary-not-slashed-yet-just-wait-it-could-still-be-offshored/

Your Salary Not Slashed Yet? Just Wait, it Could Still be Offshored
By Rocky Vega

*** begin quote ***

It’s not an isolated occurrence, as former White House economist Alan Blinder points out, 38 percent of American jobs could ultimately meet this fate. He recommends that measures be immediately taken in anticipation of these extraordinarily tough times.

*** end quote ***

In the formula of how much of an emergency fund you need, you better reassess how stable your job is.

The answer is “not very”!

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