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LOG: 2013 Active BLOG
We've all seen some of those other sites; their 'blog' started about six weeks ago and has maybe 12 posts. Well, they've to start somewhere...
Here at the CoinMine, we've been analyzing things in quite a bit of detail for the past nine years; and we've been spot-on more than a random roll of the dice would indicate, since 2000!. Browse below through a few hundred pages of observations, picks, calls, diatribes, rants, and raves and mine your own nuggets.
SPOTLIGHT ON: The mercury Mewl - The Internet's Favorite Demi-god
12.30.12 The Week Before, and the Week After, Newtown Honest folks, armed folks, prevented mass murders by using their weapons in a defensive posture.
The press has persistently stifled and suffocated these stories as it doesn't fit their party line.
Woman prevents mass murder in San Antonio
http://hardnoxandfriends.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/san-antonio-theater-shooting/
12.29.12 Facebook Suspends Accounts that Espouse Constitutional Values
http://www.naturalnews.com/038484_Gandhi_quote_Facebook_censorship.html
"Upon the many misdeeds of British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest". - Mohandas Ghandi - An Autobiography, page 446
Source: http://books.google.com/books?id=VsMLYjEsyaEC&pg=PA446#v=onepage&q&f=false
12.28.12 Real Estate: Hard and not-quite-as-hard Money Hard Money - Right now in NorCal, Northern Nv Hard money is about 10-12%; there are folks that will go out two years. Private Investors are a great resource, but you really need to shop around. There are incredible opportunities in non-conventional properties right now. One area of focus you might consider is the log homes/modular homes/manufactured homes segment. The big banks won’t loan on these because it isn’t worth it. Many credit unions have a high minimum loan threshold (75-100k). The regional banks typically funded this non-conventional market in the past, especially those that would hold their own paper (or at servicing rights) and make ‘portfolio loans’. However, this money has really dried up because of the new Frank-Dodd stranglehold and further restrictions on RESPA section 32 HOEPA. The regional banks that would give a portfolio loan in the 30-50k range (cost of many of the cheaper homes) now are VERY reluctant to make a loan under 50 or 59k. Many banks have moved out of this market entirely: Nevada State, CalBankTrust, Heritage, Great Plains, Provident, etc. are just a few). One bank that will still make a loan in the lower ranges is Zions, specifically their Teleloan product. However, they still want conventional construction but since they hold the servicing rights, the underwriting is easier. So, that is one of the sweet spots right now – the non-conventional properties between 40-60k. Easy to flip since the largest growing demographic right now is the poor underclass. And there isn’t the competition present like there is in the 150-250K range. I know Fannie is bundling tranches of 1,000 homes at a time in California and placing with private investor groups. Are you prepared to compete against that? Even if you are, likely you won’t have the chance since the banks are forgoing REO and instead selling the homes via placement rather than foreclosing. Moreover – why focus on hard or private money? They all have their own rules, guidelines, superstitions, etc. Everyone will qualify you on a changing and unknown set of rules that only they know. The Solution – Seller Financing. The only way some folks can unload a property with a cabin/mobile home/modular is to hold the paper themselves. Modular housing is one of the fastest growing segments of new home construction. These Seller-Financer’s often don’t care to know about your other loans or are as strict with your personal financial situation, since they aren’t concerned about the financing of the deal, they just want the deal DONE. If you crap out, they still have the property – basically their worst case situation is you were both the renter and property manager while they collected the rent. Where to find ‘Private Investors’? Know your audience. You are looking for a retired or semi-retired person that has a nest egg and trying to live off income produced by that nest egg, but is having a hard time b.c. typical ‘safe’ income-producing assets (CDs, bonds) are only yielding 0.5% to 4%. That isn’t enough for most investors and they will deploy personal assets to achieve a higher yield. In essence they are benefitting by using your energy and willingness to work hard and you are benefiting from their balance sheet. In a similar vein, these private investors are also buying franchises and hiring a manager to run the place; similar arrangement where they front the money and the youngster with the energy runs the shop. Where to find these people? I can guarantee that you can find these type of folks where successful older men congregate. Have you ever been to a coin club? Have you ever been to a real estate club meeting? Have you been to Rotary or Lions Club meeting? If not, maybe give it a try…. 12.28.12 Stan Lee Turns 90 One of the all time great fascists!
His propaganda shall live for decades...
12.28.12 Today Senate Approves Warrantless Surveillance Over You by a Landslide, Again,
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Act passes overwhelmingly
12.28.12 Still need to make a tax-deductible 2012 Tax Year Non-Profit Contribution? Why not consider Electronic Frontier Foundation?
https://supporters.eff.org/donate/year2012
12.28.12 Can America Ever Build a Mine East of the Rockies Again?
Yet on more economical Uranium deposit locked up by Agenda 21
12.28.12 This Deadbeat Cost us Time and Money
Dean Sutton 355 Old Line Ave Exeter CA
Refused to communicate or honor his contract: Dispute settled in our favor.
All evidence on file.
12.28.12 For Those that Fear a Door-to-Door Confiscation of Weapons? Why do you think they will come door to door for your weapons? Why would you expect involuntary friction? Fact is, they will tie possession of weapons to entitlements. Think of it as compliance = benefits. Sure, you want to keep you gun? Fine, but no Medicare or Social Security for you. The gun registry is critical to their plan. Once the guns are registered, they will pass the ‘Personal Firearm Responsibility Act’ wherein all crimes committed by someone else with YOUR gun will count against you. As soon as that passes, (state sponsored) home invasions and gun thefts will skyrocket – in part driven by demand since non-registered sale of firearms will dry up. At that point you will be forced to buy insurance ‘protecting you’ from ‘illicit use’ of your firearm. Much of this is already in motion… Since the Repeal of the ‘Assault Gun Ban’ In California Gun sales have almost doubled while over the same period gun-related deaths have plummeted. California Gun Sales 2002 - 350,000 Ca Gun Sales 2012 – 600,000 http://www.sacbee.com/2012/12/27/5079151/california-gun-sales-increase.html Nevertheless, today Babs Boxer re-introduced her vision of previously failed legislation to have the National Guard occupy the state’s schools. http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-sen-boxer-national-guard-schools-20121219,0,7530900.story 12.28.12 While the People Celebrate Christmas Feinstein obeys her Chinese Communist Maters. No more than 5 days, working through the night of the Christmas Vacation, after receiving her orders to disarm the US Citizenry, she introduces legislation to make a criminal out of every American exercising and protecting their natural right to arm themselves against an aggressor police state.
12.21.12 Communist China tells their Serfs in the US Government to disarm the populace
http://www.infowars.com/communist-chinese-government-calls-for-americans-to-be-disarmed/ Who do you take your orders from?
12.21.12 Mental Health Denied: The Link Between Psychotropic Drugs and Random Violence and why Big Pharma Wants the Evidence Destroyed http://digitaljournal.com/article/339600#ixzz2Fp3hkcn9 http://ssristories.com/index.php?p=school 12.20.12 Evidence of a Purposeful Vaccine Disinformation Campaign Dr. Salk came out against the use of live antigens in Vaccines. Had not read that before yesterday. IF the good doctor determined the use of live antigens was not the best procedure, then why did the industry march the other direction? On whose orders? Now, the beef I have with many bloggers is when they reprint something without checking sources. Terrible mistake which lowers quality of their otherwise often valuable posts. The hallmark in the difference between a B and an A student. Here is where it *really* gets interesting: Dr. Salk DID come out against the use of live antigen (‘attenuated’) vaccine for BOTH polio AND flu. However, bw used a bad source. In fact, his ‘source’ was copied and pasted from any other number of websites that ALSO had the ‘exact same’ bad source; namely: “Science 4/4/77 Abstracts” Problem One: Science Magazine (“Science”) did NOT publish an edition on 4/4/77. Yet, if you put “Science 4/4/77 Abstracts” into a search engine you receive the following hits: Bing: 7,520 results Yahoo: 6,840 results Google: 61,200 results And the search results yield page after page after page of websites that use the same faulty source: “Science 4/4/77 Abstracts”! None of these fools did their own reference checks, are using the wrong reference, and thus become tools. Which begs the question: who’s tools? Problem Two Now, let’s assume the bad cite was from a common typo, and that the actual date was 3/4/77 now giving the cite as: “Science 3/4/77 Abstracts”. That search query yields Bing: just 387 results and NOT ONE real hit in the first 100 results (10 pages, far as I looked back). Of course they did provide ‘results’ for such pertinent material as fortran errors, homosexual deviancy and ants. Yahoo: 5,930 results – the actual Science Magazine for 3/4/77 was not found in ANY of the ‘sources’ provided by that search ‘result’. NOT ONE real hit in the first 50 results (far as I looked back). Google: 1,730,000 results. The actual reference work did NOT appear on their first page of results, at all! However, googles ‘brightest tools’ messed up! They actually allowed the real reference to appear, sporadically, beginning on page two!
Here is the actual – CORRECT – source http://www.sciencemag.org/content/195/4281/834.abstract And here is what Dr. Salk actually wrote in his abstract: “Influenza and poliomyelitis are examined from this viewpoint, and data are presented that demonstrate the effectiveness of killed virus vaccines against these diseases. A comparison between live and killed poliovirus vaccines suggests the desirability of returning to the use of a killed virus vaccine for the eradication of polio.” Hence, we can establish these material facts: 1) Dr. Salk published his position that vaccines using LIVE virus (‘attenuated”) were LESS effective than non-attenuated versions for BOTH polio and flu 2) Government and industry refused to follow Dr. Salk recommendations, based upon his empirical studies, and manufactures vaccines with live virus for both polio and flu (and many more vaccines) despite published data which shows these are less than effective. 3) The actual citation for Dr. Salk’s published paper is purposely obfuscated by the search engines. Hundreds of pages provide the wrong citation whilst the real citation can only be found, by gross accident or purposely using a variant string, on a handful of instances from amongst tens or hundreds of thousands of incorrect results (noise). Results and Conclusions Dr. Salk published that live virus vaccines are not as effective as dead virus vaccines yet government and industry pushes live virus injections in children. The actual citation of Dr. Salk’s work is purposely hidden by search algorithms and planted bad pages. This is the hallmark of the GS-12 NSA analysts and the army of google dykes and Wikipedia tools. However, they made a mistake (they ALWAYS DO!) and I show it! Think about it though, how many people are going to go through this level exercise to show the manipulation? --- I did. Will see if my page makes the search results now from amongst the 1.7 million bad plants....... --- For the record - Cost of using a vaccination with Live vs Dead Virus Most Live Virus Transport and Storage Requires: - Flash or freeze dried frozen - Transported and Stored in the dark - REQUIRES ADDITIONAL HANDLING – use of diluents to thaw, suspend and mix powder to homeogenous mixture before deliver of vaccines. Most Dead Virus Transport requires NONE of this. Yah, manufacture transport of a LIVE agent is 10x cheaper than using a dead one! uh huh, right. bet you can find hundreds of webhits supporting that b.s, and spend days or months finding the true costs to manufacture/transport/deliver each. believe it if you need it!
12.19.12 Jonas Salk spoke out against using live antigens in Vaccines Of course, that is exactly what vaccines typically use today. Why use the live antigen when the dead one is even more effective?
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/195/4281/834.abstract
12.19.12 Burning Man at Night, Viewed from the Mountain Worth a view, worth a go - if you like a party now and again...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFSRhltAQ4A&feature=player_embedded
12.19.12 Monetary Disinformation Campaign by Government Radio (NPR) "Before the Civil War, there were 8,000 different kinds of money in the United States".
The implication is now there is only type of money, we are all better off, eh? Of course, the premise is a complete lie. There were indeed thousands of different currencies, mostly local in the 1800s. But Money? That was SPECIE (gold and silver) and NOTHING else!
http://tinyurl.com/ahkjoer 12.19.12 For Linda J You may not be receiving my email, check your spam box please.
12.18.12 Bought Smith and Wesson first time position
12.18.12 To Open a Gold Mine in California (the state was built by gold) You need 40 different permits which takes a decade. Perfect explanation why the state is broke and why businesses are leaving.... http://news.yahoo.com/molten-gold-signals-revival-calif-mother-lode-012353730.html 12.16.12 Mass Shooting in Newton, Ct I will only point out what nobody else does.
The Facts Change to Fit the Story Amazing how many times the official story has changed: - At first there were two shooters, now just one - At first there was an assault weapon and handguns involved - Then it was just the handguns, the .223 rifle was 'in the trunk' - Then it was the rifle, death by long-range per televised interview with the fat coroner
More on that http://connecticut.cbslocal.com/2012/12/15/as-shooting-story-unfolds-media-struggle-with-facts/
The fact will continue to change based on survey results until it best fits the programming.
Government Regulation Criminalizes Self-Defense Question: How come not one adult was prepared to defend themselves or the dozen's of children left in their charge? Answer: Because they actively supported the 'gun-free' school zone policy - a disastrous movement to disarm the 'protectors'. The 'protectors' went along with the sham - criminalizing self-defense and sacrificing the children at the altar of their own political wet dream. When you rely on 'the authorites' to protect you - you see the results they will grandstand in front of cameras only AFTER your child is killed.
Gun-Free Zones mean ONLY Ill-intentioned Evil or Deranged Persons will Bring Weapons to School
How come there were no mass shooting at US Schools before the 1970s? Answer: Because law-abiding folk brought weapons to school = the community was safe when relying on each other for self defense.
As late as the 1960s young people brought weapons from home to use during school. At school they learned to shoot, learned to respect weapons, learned to respect each others rights and learned responsibility.
Or, how about some more recent examples from this year where self-armed citizenry prevented mass deaths
Nick Meli saved lives with a gun in that Portland mall. How come you didn't hear his story through the mainstream media 24-7 for days on end? Guess it wasn't convenient for the cause.... Here is a good summary of the situation:
http://market-ticker.org/
And of course, nobody minds much about the vast number of children killed and maimed in the past decade in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan, etc. etc. et. al. ad nauseum. How many children were killed by US drones last week?
You will never know, god forbid the press spend 60 or 90 seconds on that story.
But alas, a couple dozen white kids get greased by yet another manchurian candidate and it becomes a 'national tragedy'.
Even more funny is the supposed words of wisdom on the topic penned by Morgan Freeman. Another baseless scam perpetuated by the internet monkeys. The reality is the sicko is planning his wedding to his stepdaugheter that he started banging when she was 17. Now THAT is the true moral compass of Morgan Freeman, anything else you see is what he reads off a script presented by his handlers.
12.12.12 Peace Dollar Counterfeit Diagnostics NGC provides examples of two common counterfeits, the 1922-S and 1923-S
http://preview.tinyurl.com/by4wvvf
12.12.12 Sold GDXJ Caught that nice bounce.
12.11.12 Government Employees Behaving Badly (if they behave at all)
this is a great read: This one is pretty funny -
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/dec/11/state-employee-posted-4900-comments/?ap
State Dept of Education worker posts 6 hours a day to paper
web site.
Wonder how many of them were explaining how state workers
were underpaid, the union unloved, the department unfunded and how a new Prop 30
tax increase would solve everything (for six months).
Of course! We Believe! Here you go - another tax rung up
roundly "for the children".
This just scratches the surface. Even worse, these folks are
angels compared waste at the federal level... Of course, the state and fed workers are pikers
The commissions and special districts are where the real work
gets done
(they have taxing authority!)
Mr. Kwon 'retired' yesterday. After the auditor found out he
blew 5G of the public money on strippers.
That's a lot of 1 dollar bills in the g string:
Think how much the auditor was paid off to 'miss' the real
problems... At the Ports
The guys blowing the public purse on blow and whores don't
get the press. That guy just resigned yesterday, his friend 'retired' last week.
But, you probably heard about the actual port workers and
their evil strike at LA last week.
Too bad they never strike against the real threats to their
country, livelihood and legacy. played and way-layed. meh. 12.7.12 Sold GSS Need the (small) tax loss. And, at this point would would rather trade the ETFs than hold this stock.
12.7.12 New Inventory on our Site Put up some nice NGC-graded Mint State Morgan Dollars and a couple cents and other assorted coins.
12.5.12 US Hurricane Season Ends Fourth low-activity season in a row (sensationalist alarm team notwithstanding).
12.5.12 Sold HPQ "11.21.12: Bought Hewlett Packard )HPQ) First ever position - should be good for a bounce."
NICE Bounce! 14% in a fortnight. Good enough for me....
12.5.12 Bought GDXJ Should be good for a bounce.
12.5.12 Next Week: RBC Capital Markets' 8th Annual Silver Conference in New York
12.3.12 Shadow Housing Inventory
Believe it was 12B in California. The banks have apparently
dispensed 8-10B of that inventory already. More stock shall appear on the
shelves when this works through the system. 12.3.12 Internet Sales Tax - Attempts to Shut Down Small Home-Based Coin Business This guy states exactly the dangers coming down the pike
http://www.numismaticnews.net/article/viewpoint-internet-sales-taxes-the-real-threat
12.2.12 Gun Show Today - Very Busy Have found it increasingly difficult to find certain items...
Most reported the busiest weekend in sales since 2008. I remember that show four years ago this weekend. Fresno Bulldog gangmembers came through with two push carts and purchased hundreds of thousands of rounds - several thousand boxes. Interestingly enough, there hasn't been a big increase in gang warfare since then, so perhaps they are selling to others.
11.20.12 Hostess Going out Of Business We actually have a Hostess store in this town. Not the reason I live here, but it shows some of the quirks and old roots that I do like about the city. Turns out this is the last store open in the Western US district. At one time there were 25 other stores on the west coast. This particular store gave away half their stock to the local non-profits that support the homeless.
11.30.12 Iran Trades Gold for Oil So does Dubai, and Turkey and UAE....Smart Move
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/29/world/meast/turkey-iran-gold-for-oil/index.html?eref=rss_mostpopular
The US blusters "Don't trade gold for oil, use our worthless Federal Reserve Notes. Otherwise we will bring 'democracy' (petro-dollar-denominated cartel) to your country just like we did in Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan....
11.30.12 NCG Offers Free Lunch for Members at the Florida United Numismatists Show Held Jan 10-13, 2013 in Orlando
11.30.12 Chicago Paper and Coin Shows - 2013
Chicago Paper Money Expo, March 7-10 11.22.12 Union Would Rather Destroy Company Than Take Concessions
That wasn't the ethic we held when I was a union worker, years ago. We wanted a strong employer and a strong community. The attitude taken by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Millers Union is a prime reason we are descending, quickly, as a nation.
http://news.yahoo.com/twinkies-bakers-theyd-rather-lose-jobs-pay-cuts-075558559--finance.html
11.21.12 Coin Dealer’s on Top after Election http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=26095 Time will tell...
11.21.12 The State of California tries to run a market...
A carbon market nonetheless.
Naturally, their rollout of the tax is almost as ineffective
as their day to day operations.
Mary Nichols should be in prison.
http://tinyurl.com/9wrvgtd 11.21.12 Bought Hewlitt Packard Today (HPQ) First ever position - should be good for a bounce. Ultimately, don’t believe the management team and Board will be able to turn this around. Knew one of the VPs, the guy was a complete pompous jerk. He actually possessed some intelligence but very little wisdom or charisma. I suspect he got his post by throwing the more qualified folks under the buss, ass-kissing, and letting someone sleep with his wife. As a barometer, as long as folks like he hold their position the company will continue to hemorrhage billions. Ultimately, don’t believe the management team and Board will be able to turn this around.
Knew one of the VPs, the
guy was a complete pompous a-hole. He actually possessed some
intelligence but very little wisdom or charisma.
11.21.12 Entree Gold (EGI) Worth taking a look at their Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Ann Mason Property...
11.21.12 You owe the bank 1$Million - the bank owns you You owe the bank 1,000$Million, you own the bank
You steal 20,000 (common thief) - you go to prison You steal 200,000,000,000,000 (the government) - you get re-elected
And if you try to take a cut of the scam the government is running (fraudulent money) they really throw the book at you!
11.21.12 B2Gold Corp. Started At Sector
Outperform By Scotia >BTO.T
11.20.12 The Story of Your Enslavement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbp6umQT58A
Not too far off...
11.18.12 Return to the Gold Standard Good Read...
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1016161-basel-iii-and-gold?source=email_the_daily_dispatch&ifp=0 11.19.12 Paying for the Infrastructure Got a chuckle reading about the city charging ‘existing customers’ 50k for a sewer upgrade Guess some folks like living in a place 40-45 years behind the times for ‘nostalgia sake’ We figured a way to charge someone else. Doesn’t matter if they are born yet or not…
If they are are person with special district status and
taxing authority, even better! 11.17.12 Environmental Economics 201
Currency as a Metric
Competing Metrics
Next Metrics
Water and Waste Water Quality Trading
Sotoyome Resource Conservation District – City of Santa Rosa
The city and district partner up to develop the first open market water quality bourse in California:
http://sotoyomercd.org/water-conservation.html http://www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov/news/releases/2012/sr_carbon_market_9-18-12.html
Philly Pushes the Paradigm Philadelphia seeks mechanism to monetize future waste water quality
"Is Philly Building a $438-Million Stormwater Market?"
“monetize long-term energy savings"
Don't tax you. Don't tax me. Don't tax the man behind the tree.
Instead: Tax the Tree!
11.15.12 Gold Mining Returns to Sutter http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/11/07/173964/hard-rock-gold-mining-returns.html 11.14.12 Counterfeit Detection: 3- Dollar Gold Piece Would like to own one of the Omega counterfeit peices...
http://tinyurl.com/afhbq4q 11.12.12 Coin Show in Sunnyvale, Ca this weekend.
See here for the list of Nor Cal shows:
http://www.sanjosecoinclub.org/AreaShows/AreaShows.html#_NOVEMBER_2012
11.10.12 Finally Completed the Re-Fi on our Residence The local notary stated that 40% of all closings she has done in the past six months were HARP 2 Loans
Large percentage of folks under water!
Another way to look at that, the real estate market is 40% healthy.
11.10.12 Remember - Fluor built the last coal/nat gas - fired power plant in Northern Nevada T’was for Newmont (NEM). Energy provides about 25% of NEM mining costs in the state. http://www.fluor.com/projects/Pages/ProjectInfoPage.aspx?PrjID=7 Little Known Fact Nevada also has coal; is not been at recoverable rates - yet. Then Allied Nevada procured Flour to build their processing plant at the Hycroft Mine. http://www.miningconnection.com/surface/news/article/allied_nevada_awards_the_hycroft_expansion_project_engineering_and_procurem/ Word is: Flour decided they liked what they saw. They’ve been putting together land east of Winnemucca to enter the mining business themselves – on the production end. 11.8.12 US Equities Markets Interesting start to the month. The trend for the 4 year election cycle is that there is a 50% probability that the third quarter has an increase in price. The fourth quarter has over a 60% chance of increase. However, the third quarter this year outperformed. And the fourth quarter having a lackluster start...
10.19.12 Might not be a Bad Time to pick up Shares of RR Donnelly Assuming that their error (Ticker: RRD) yesterday front-running the poor GOOG financial results was not indicative of larger problems. A friends mother retired from RRD, has historically been a very well run company.
10.19.12 Interesting New York Time Piece Today Regarding the flaws in methodology and reporting used by the Stanford Study which reported no health benefits of organic food.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/that-flawed-stanford-study/?smid=fb-share
Follow the money - major funding provided by Cargill! 10.19.12 Krause releases nominee for their award: Strikes me like a jeton - how few of
those coins I have seen in person. Below are the nominees for the 2013 Krause Publications Coin of the Year Awards
Most Historically Significant Coin
Most Popular Coin
10.19.12 Bought back the SLV @31.4 10.17.12 NGC Makes Auction Realized Prices for Coins Available (for Free!)
http://www.ngccoin.com/AuctionCentral/NGC-Auction-Central.aspx
The market provides a premium for PCGS-graded coins, but NGC has consistently provided better service.
10.17.12 A Way of Life for 1,000 Years - Now Illegal According to the Interior Department
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/16/171607/feds-tell-native-alaskan-artist.html
10.17.12 Preview of Upcoming Heritage Auction this Thursday in San Francisco
Western & California Art
10.17.12 Battery Maker A123 Goes Bankrupt Another 250 Million (owed to the Chinese) down the drain. Not like we had anything better on which to invest the money… http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/electric-car-battery-maker-a123-systems-files-for-bankruptcy-protection-sells-us-assets/2012/10/16/f799f33c-1798-11e2-a346-f24efc680b8d_story.html
10.16.12 United States Postal Service "Return of Mail' now called USPS Package Intercept Did you know about this? Something to use when you realize you sent the WRONG item to someone (and it is more expensive than what they paid). https://pi.usps.com/cpi/howItWorks.jsp
1.
Customer must be a registered BCG user.
We used the Return of Mail feature before, but didn't have any luck (entirely our fault). USPS is trying to compete with the similar UPS service. Understand that the new Package Intercept is an upgrade, and folks are giving good reviews, but that you stilll need to present a form at the Post Office in person, whereas UPS will conduct all your business online.
10.16.12 Can a Coin Dealer also Be a Coin Collector? Few years ago now went into a new coin shop in town. The guy had very little inventory on the shelves. I asked about some type coins,etc. He said “Well, I’ll have to bring out my personal collection.” His ‘collection’ had the stuff that *I* wanted to buy, but *He* wasn’t all that interested in selling. Purchased a fair amount of what he had, but at the time (silently) I questioned his business model. How can someone reluctantly sell their stock? Isn’t ANY sale driving up the bottom line? He didn’t last any more than a year and a half. The other guy in town also collects, but only collects a couple specialties and he keeps a fair amount on the shelves from all the series he doesn’t collect (though last couple years he has switched primarily to buying bullion/scrap).
10.12.12 What is surprising is the number of readers who have never heard of Ripoff Report. The site is one of the older websites out there and has attracted much attention, at times ground zero, for questions (and legal decisions) regarding anonymously posting about or purporting fraud; concerns on libel/slander; electronic reputation protections, etc. – the thorny road of life on the super information highway. Not a fly by night site, it has legs and a long and deep reputation; both good and bad. For some background and backstory, and potentially some helpful information for those who consider what types of action could/should be taken against the website – I offer that the website of RipoffReport founder, Ed, is as an interesting site to glean some insight into the history and practical considerations regarding what could/should be stated on the site, what should remain, ramifications and case history. Not an endorsement nor a defense of his site, ripoff or any of the content - just a germane potential perspective for those who have never considered these topics before. Hope you find that helpful. fwiw 10.12.12 Landlord Duties National Tenant Network - Use to screen payment and criminal history 10.12.12 Terrific Article – Great Piece of Research on Dow Performance http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_08/lundeen101308.html “From 1885 to 2008, (123 years) the Dow Jones Industrial Average, (DJIA*) has fallen -40% from a bull market high on only nine occasions. Such deep bear markets are always historic and distressing. There is a good chance that 2008’s bear will give the 1929 bear a run for his money. This may be the second time that a -40% will prove to be another historic bull trap. Washington, Wall Street and yes the American voters are corrupt all the way down to the bottom. The financial markets and the US dollar will not be far behind.” 10.12.12 Who Owns the Federal Reserve?They are the same people that own you! http://deanhenderson.wordpress.com/2011/06/01/the-federal-reserve-cartel-part-i-the-eight-families/ From: Big Oil & Their Bankers In The Persian Gulf: Four Horsemen, Eight Families & Their Global Intelligence, Narcotics & Terror Network---- Unfortunately – not all his facts are correct; wish the research had been a bit tighter and better sourced. Nevertheless, much of this information is verified and EXTREMELY hard to find elsewhere. 10.8.12 Copper Mining Pays, Even in Kazakhstan http://minesite.com/news/central-asia-metals-turns-in-a-maiden-profit-as-copper-production-at-kounrad-gets-into-its-stride
10.8.12 October: The Deadliest Month in Mining Change in seasons and change in weather no doubt a part of the underlying root cause:
http://www.msha.gov/Alerts/2012OctFatalAlert/2012OctFatalAlert.pdf
10.8.12 Casey Research on Silver Industrial Demand Good Article: http://www.24hgold.com/english/news-gold-silver-look-out-silver-here-comes-solar-demand.aspx?article=4073036394G10020&redirect=false&contributor=Jeff+Clark&mk=1
10.8.12 United Kingdom scrambling for engineering graduates http://www.iom3.org/news/lack-engineering-graduates-damaging-uk
Forecasts are for continued slide in industrial productivity...
And without producing new mining engineers, From what ranks will the next mining company leaders arise?
Bankers?!?
CEO of Joy Retires: http://investors.joyglobal.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=708675
10.8.12 China Buying up US Firms and Assets, especially energy production And this is just what the Department of Commerce and Treasury will release! Speaks nothing regarding the vast mineral reversves pledged as hypothecated assets to support Hines purchase of US worthless debt instruments...
http://www.mining.com/china-snaps-up-us-assets-93739/
10.8.12 International Mine Water Conference set for Next August, 2013, in Colorado For Details: http://csmspace.com/events/imwa2013/
10.8.12 How Much Did Miners Make in the Past http://goldledge.com/photos/docs_html/mining_checks/
A selection of miners paychecks from the olden golden days.
10.8.12 International Cyanide Management Code Acquires Another Signature The other, more effective way, to manage environmental standards is the voluntary ethical code that the industry abides.
http://www.cyanidecode.org/media_pr434.php
Self-policing provides an we-we attitude vs the us-them 'gotcha' paradigm.
10.7.12 Someone Thought In God We Trust first appeared on US Currency in the 1950s They further compounded their error with the incorrect assertion that ‘diversity was a value of the early country. Actually, IGWT first appeared on US coinage in the 1860s. Where, exactly, does the expert cite documentation that ‘diversity’ was ever a value of the founding fathers? Sounds as uninformed as it does hokey. In fact, John Jay and others early in the Federalist Papers put unity in customs, ancestry and religion above plurality as prescribed values for the new republic. 10.7.12 Business is Booming in the Air Quality Business The standards for particulate material (2.5 micron diameter) is 35 in the US Last week the pm 2.5 hit ppm 235@ embassy in Bejing Underground Ventilated Air More importantly, there are new aliphatic additives to fuel that increase fuel efficiency and increase fuel life. A new application in large mining equipment has actually shown a reduction in hydrocarbon emissions exposure to miners in the underground mine infrastructure. Combined with new lighting that uses a wafer chip rather than a diode or filament, energy and fuel usage/costs will begin to plummet in NA manufacturing.
10.7.12 Very Impressive Lineup in San Francisco this Weekend - Playoff Baseball Game - Football Game - Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival - Fleet Week (Blue Angel Display) - America's Cup 34 - Cruise Ship on the Embarcadero - Castro Street Fair - Italian Festival in North Beach
People were in a mood to party!
10.5.12 California Mining and Mineral Museum Robbed Thieves will likely melt these incredibly beautiful and rare crystalline gold nuggets down for melt.
http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-historic-pieces-of-gold-stolen-from-a-state-museum-20120930,0,5204357.story
Shame. A friend of mine designed that museum...
10.5.12 Sold SLV Today @33.43 Short term overbought. This was the position bought last December. Nice 8.5% profit in less than a year. Would rather have kept until December to pay the lower capital gains tax rate, but do believe I can buy back cheaper in the not-to-distant future.
10.5.12 Raymond James Starts Watch List on B2Gold = Outperform Nice little bump in the price, good company, we have owned it for a while.
10.5.12 Our List of Dividend Paying Firms for Consideration in Your Portfolio We either have these, or recently sold and are looking to buy into at lower prices on the next correction. The estimation is that the next correction will be here sooner rather than later.
Energy NGG Energy transmission (high recent price gain); div: *** LINE Linn energy; (high recent price gain);; div: **; Pick (1-5) 4 XOM Exxon; div: * COP Connoco; Exxon; div: * DUK Duke energy; countertrend pullback; div: **
Telecom VOD Int’l phone co; div: ***; Pick (1-5) 4 T AT&T; div: *** Pick (1-5) 3 BCE (old Ma Bell); *** Pick (1-5) 3 VZ Verizon (high recent price gain); div: ** Pick (1-5) 2 ETG Eaton Vance closed end divvy fund; ok: ** SDRL Drilling; div: ** AZN Int’t medical ADR (increasing volume on declining price); **Pick (1-5) 4
REIT AGNC over NLY (Hybrid, not as much Agency debt)
Funds VNR Vanguard Nat. Res Fund; div: ** (good trader, wait for pullback) PHO Water Utility ETF
9.28.12 Want to Learn How to Grade Coins? You might consider the American Numismatic Association two-day course:
http://www.ha.com/c/s/i/articles/dallas-ana-seminar.pdf?type=cncynews-tem092812
9.28.12 Date of Chicago International Coin Fair Announced April 21-23. 2013
http://numismaster.com/ta/inside_numis.jsp?page=CICF
9.27.12 Old SF Mint Coin Show - This
Friday/Saturday
September 28-29, 2012 (Friday and Saturday), 10am-6pm http://www.griffincoin.com/page5.html
9.23.12 Republicans Push for a National Sales Tax as part of their Party Platform Gee, wonder why this doesn't get any press?
Naturally, like people, some things are more equal than others. You think coins will be taxed at the same rate as i-pads?
http://www.numismaticnews.net/buzz/big-tax-whack-coming
9.21.12 Utilities on a Tear The water Exchange Traded Fund (PHO) I have have tracked/bought/sold (great seasonal patterns!) long term has seen a sharp three month spike. Possibly sniffing the pale horse known as Harbringer Inflation
9.21.12 One of Ebay's Political/Business Arms
http://werherecoalition.org/?utm_campaign=werhere&utm_source=ebay-us-seller-newsletter&utm_medium=enewsletter
Ebay hates competition, because they don't have much...
9.21.12 The Endeavour just Flew Overhead - a cripple
Sad day for our nations technical and industrial legacy...
9.21.12 Electronic 'Privacy' Senator Leahy introduces the language that would supposedly enhance and update the Electronic Communications Privacy Act But would actually weaken the privacy standards already in place.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/09/ecpa-reform-may-require-warrants-email-hurt-video-privacy
Naturally...
9.20.12 Newmont Lays off 50 in Northern Nevada Now, the press release implies that this is an effort to increase operational efficiency. That ruse is sometimes used to frame a layoff as a way to get rid of problem employees or operational arms. However, 50 bodies is not just a trim of the fat. NEM is having problems, the stock price has reflected this reality. The core is improper NEM mid-senior management.
9.17.12 Man Dies with $7 Million Gold Hoard in his House Northern Nevada has old money; many that believe in gold and silver (which built the state and the one next to it) and not the banks. I’ve seen a couple decent Nevada hoards myself. Many of the articles I read were slanted hit pieces. Man hoarded gold + man had literature that didn’t parrot government line = man was lunatic/fringe/wacko. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/09/17/nevada-man-dies-with-200-in-bank-7m-in-gold-hidden-inside-home/#ixzz26m3nHgnl The very first thing that came to my mind, is the guy figured out how to beat the casino house. There are a couple dozen casinos within one hour drive of Carson. Casinos are a $l a u n d e r i n g operation and this man may have figured out exactly how to get it done - in the reverse. Since he never had many friends, could obviously keep a secret, etc. he never gave a tell. Therefore, was never robbed and never 86d by the house. The ones that figure how to beat the house, REALLY beat the house, don’t write a book on how it was done. When I built slot machines I heard a few stories on how to cheat the routes. There are syndicates that can rig things over the short term, sometimes the medium term. I believe someone could make a very handsome living doing so, if they had singular devotion, focus and discipline. What killed the cheat syndicates EVERY time…someone eventually bragged. This guy may have been one of the very few that could keep his mouth shut. Alternately, he hit a lode within a few hours drive (there is still gold in Nevada!) and dug it out of the ground for 40 years. Trading a few grams at a time. In the 1980s boom there was, at one point, over 10 different storefronts within a two block stretch on 2nd street in Reno that made a market in physical gold. In the 1990s there were still five or six. Another potentially VERY lucrative career where it pays to be a loner that doesn’t chat much. fwiw 9.17.12 In 1931 The State of New York Old Age Security Commission found, by the age of 65: 5 of 100 men had independent incomes 28 of 100 kept working 67 of 100 were supported by others
Wonder what the figures are today...
9.15.12 Account Withdrawal/Drawdown strategy When, how and from what accounts you withdraw cash for living expenses is an incredibly important topic, not nearly enough space given at the various financial outlets for consideration.
Fact is – takes quite a bit of sideboard information to make a qualified decision.
One thing immediately apparent is that your tactics – ‘taking money off the table’ by selling go-go gold stocks (high beta) with abnormally high short term alpha, is a big winner.
However, your strategy is terrible (or possibly entirely lacking): One is almost always better off withdrawing money from low alpha securities, rather than high alpha securities. That is, you have better long term risk mitigation and higher total return when you withdraw very liquid and safe pools of money (cash equivalents) and feed the safe money pool with higher risk asset classes.
What if you needed the money a few months ago, when the stocks were doing crappy- see what I mean?
MOSTLY – depends on your personal situation, very specifically.
Taxes and Exemptions:
USE:
If so, were you aware of IRS provisions to waive 10 percent early withdrawal penalty if you take money out of your IRA to pay for major medical expenses (for expenses you encounter that exceed 7.5 percent of your Adjusted Gross Income).
SUMMARY As is, your strategy – if there is one- for withdrawing funds looks like you may be leaving a decent chunk of change on the table.
Amazing how few people spend the time to set up proper account withdrawal/sheltering systems that can save large amounts of taxes, and either use those savings yourself or pass onto heirs. (and a specialist CFP/CFA just as important as a CPA when developing the strategy and systems). Yah, not easy. Set up by the IRS/Congress that way – for a reason….
But worth doing the legwork!
9.15.12 Always worth a quick read: http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/ 9.12.12 Great Financial Calculator For Stocks: Determine long term dividend yield, determine your basis, etc. 9.12.12 Nice Pictorial Showing the Decline of US Money Through the eyes of a 20-Dollar Bill http://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-complete-illustrated-history-of-the--20-bill.html
9.9.12 Nevada Copper - BIG News
Announcement One: 1.1 Billion in Copper Reserves
http://www.nevadacopper.com/s/NewsReleases.asp?ReportID=545857&_Type=News-Releases&_Title=Nevada-Copper-Announces-1.1-Billion-Pound-Increase-In-Measured-And-Indicate...
Announcement Two: President and Vice President will accompany Governor Sandoval on trade trip to Korea and China this month
Put two and two together while reading the lines on this one!
9.7.12 A Good Financial Information Site
http://longrundata.com/
9.7.12 California is Broken, Not Broke - Intentional Financial Fraud at State Parks and Other state agencies Professional bureaucrat swindlers intentionally fudge the books, hide funds that have been salted away, repeatedly lie to public about such.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-06/scandals-show-california-is-broken-not-broke.html
"It started in May 2011 when
Governor Jerry Brown announced that “turbulent times” required the “unthinkable”
-- the shuttering of 70 parks to deal with the state’s enduring fiscal problems.
More reading...if you can stomach it:
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/19/4738279/california-parks-officials-were.html#storylink=cpy
http://www.sacbee.com/state-of-state-parks/ http://www.sacbee.com/state-of-state-parks/v-all_stories/index.html
9.6.12 Hilarious, sure – the Repug convention was a droll waste of space – but the dems have trumped the farce card! How about a vote! Oops, bad results once…twice…three times…oh oh. Forget the obvious will of the people, I WILL DEEM IT SO! (lies) Pretty much a mirror image of how the Dems try to *rule*: Godless, no integrity, no morality, no vision, no rule of law. Thanks for the laughs, You can’t script TV this funny!
9.2.12 California - Time to Beat Down yet one more Control Grab The fool that is Richard Pan has introduced AB 145, which has unfortunately passed the rules committee, and is now on way to vote.
The abortion of a legislation is designed for only one purpose - shut down third party access to the ballot.
Defeat it now (or you may not get another chance)!
9.2.12 Another Chapter of Internet Censorship in the works The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement has been drafted.
Absorbing many of the worse provisions of SOPA, PIPA and ACTA, (which have been defeated only due to our ever vigilance), the TPP seeks nothing short of internet censorship.
Urge your representatives to block adoption of any part of this monstrosity.
Find more information here: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/08/whats-wrong-tpp
9.1.12 Source of Earthquake Maps http://quakes.globalincidentmap.com/
9.1.12 Senator Bernie Sanders (Ind-Vt) Releases First Independent Audit of Federal Reserve in DECADES Not pretty, actually, nothing but criminal:
http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=9e2a4ea8-6e73-4be2-a753-62060dcbb3c3
The FED has given interest-free loans to multiple worldwide countries and corporations, with very little paid back (or expected to be paid back).
These are OBLIGATIONS that YOU must pay back, and are being taxed to do just that.
The only reason this audit was conducted is because the message of the Libertarians and Ron Paul has reached a newly receptive audience - the American people.
The House of Representatives passed both Ron Paul-introduced bills. Of course, the criminals in the Senate watered it down so much that the waste, fraud and abuse reported above is really just the tip of the iceberg...
8.27.12 The Analysis from the Baltimore Coin Show Good Attendance. Little people spending, whales spending, but the middle class buyer is NOT opening her purse.
Similar reports from the New Santa Clara Show (great reports on the show itself, way to go Scott Griffin).
8.27.12 Premier Gold and Brigus both achieve nice drill results Upgrade for BRD
8.27.12 Allied Nevada full of Good News http://elkodaily.com/mining/allied-nevada-increases-operation-equipment/article_9ea5e922-e8a2-11e1-8c63-001a4bcf887a.html
8.27.12 Yet One More Green Energy Company Down the Drain Helix Wind folded tent last week
8.27.12 God and Hurricane Isaac Love Republicans They both veer right to save the convention!
How come I have to write all the ad/promo copy?
8.27.12 Gasoline Futures up Today, but the XLE ETF - Energy - Looks Tired Refiners shut down for problems in California and Venezuela fires. They had their summer run, a pumpable scare with Isaac, but now must finance the seasonal changeover Hydrothermal taking the MoMo; Ormat and US Geothermal both quite strong. HTM up over 11% today. Sell Exxon...
8.27.12 Down Down 12 of Last 13 Mondays - not the stuff new bull legs are made of.
8.27.12 South African Miners Mourn Those Killed in Protest http://www.sfgate.com/world/article/South-Africa-mourns-miners-slain-by-police-3811732.php
8.25.12 Chinese Bridge Collapses, Kills Three Well, when that cheap piece of junk trinket made in china breaks after 3 or 4 days of use, no big deal, eh?
Throw it in the trash like everything else made by the 12 year old slave girls with no real craftsmanship, overseen by bosses with no real skills, managed by incompetence and corruption in an environment where everything goes except quality assurance and control.
But when you bridges, dams, power systems and high-rises begin crumbling after a couple years use...
8.25.12 Some great shots in those sailing pictures. Great site of a guy from NZ, especially the sets down in Antarctica: The NZ team in America’s Cup 34 hasn’t fared as well this week. They already overturned their rig http://blog.sfgate.com/americascup/2012/08/23/man-overboard-spills-at-the-americas-cup/ The practice trials have proven surprisingly interesting; amazing the speed they are achieving in such short reaches. Never thought watching sailing provided much entertainment, and I will skip the actual ‘race’ (just 5 boats!) but the trials have been nice. Best view I’ve had was on the water: To get my basic certificate the teacher put me between two regattas going on at the time, either side of Alcatraz, and made me navigate around/through. The most attention I’ve ever had to pay on water for sure ...well...that and kayaking in glen canyon.... 8.24.12 Do-Gooders at it Again - Trying to SHUT DOWN Recreational Access to Tahoe-Truckee Trying to lock out regular people from using THOUSANDS of acres of land currently open for public enjoyment.
Won't you please join me in letting the US Forest Service know that honest folks want to maintain previous good management policies that strike a balance between recreation, economic use and resource protection. The Lake Tahoe Basin Draft Forest Plan Revision should maintain this vision and management regime.
Here is a letter you might use:
-- Dear Forest Superintendent,
Please DO NOT Allow the Trimmer-Hell Hole Potential Wilderness OR Granite Chief Potential Wilderness Addition to turn into wilderness. This would: - Removing the ability for all citizens of differing abilities to enjoy this beautiful country. - Lock up potential economic development - Introduce land management regulations and restrictions incompatible with previous wise use
Please DO NOT enact Wild and Scenic Rivers Act restrictions on the Truckee River. - Lake Tahoe and the Truckee has provided recreation for generations of people from all over the world; this must remain - The Truckee River provides critical power and economic vitality to the region - The Truckee River is utilized by rafters, families, fishermen and other recreational groups that do not want more regulations and restrictions
Please CONTINUE to allow snowmobiling and other sensible recreational activities that provide access for humans of all types of abilities and mobility.
--- Send to: comments-pacificsouthwest-ltbmu@fs.fed.us Title: Allow Continued Recreation of the Tahoe-Truckee in draft Land Management Plan
Comments are due August 30.
--- Believe it or not, commenting on public documents is one of those few areas where you actually DO have an impact on how the country is governed. There are forces trying to lock you out from using these outstanding recreational areas. I have been fighting them for years to keep Tahoe/Truckee open to families of recreationists. Let's keep it open for the next generation.
8.22.12 Someone Posted an Interesting Thesis: Namely, that the price of tangible assets will decrease as the economy worsens because people will be forced to sell their personal possessions to pay bills. Here’s why I disagree: The trend to sell personal assets started a number of years ago. Remember when pawn book owners wrote stories of business owners pawning their work fleet of trucks to make payroll? That was 10 years ago now. The trend accelerated 5 years ago with the housing implosion and massive layoffs. Remember all the very high end jewelry that flooded NYC and S. Florida after Madoff story broke? The pawn and coin shops had relatively high numbers of sellers of silverware, coins when silver hit $50/oz
So, what happened to the supply? Basically – the demand increased for tangible assets faster than the tangible assets came on market. Granted, this was not the case for suburban crap homes in Phx/Vegas or non-productive raw land. However, most tangible asset classes have brought strong bids in the past decade. Coins and art had HUGE run-up in demand and prices (though both have softened). Gold and silver coin purchase still is VERY high compared to 10 years ago. High end comic books are fetching record prices. Same for guns. Ephemera pieces are doing quite well; photos, postcards and scripophily have had nice appreciation. Toys and baseball cards tanked, but much of that was demographics and shaky valuation models to begin with. Cars? Those came on the market all at once with clash for clunkers. Then the government in its infinite wisdom used the taxroll to buy them all up and ship to china. In fact, the two tangible asset classes that have performed the worse - cars and houses – had the largest government intervention in the markets. Go figure! Otherwise, tangible asset have performed very well during the past decade due to HIGH demand. Fort that matter, I can see the trend continuing or even accelerating. Cash on the sidelines is higher now than most any time in the past. There are still plenty of folks that were scared out of the stock market and have STAYED out. Granted, they will probably begin to pile in now that the equities have reached 4-year highs, but too – plenty of scared money in USTs. When either the bond or stock markets have another nasty run, I can see MANY more folks turn to tangible assets…
8.22.12 Prisoner of War Camp Money Fascinating stuff. Internment camp scrip is not very common.
Pop Quiz: What was the number
of the First Series of Military Payment Certificates? http://www.pmgnotes.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=1781&utm_source=enews&utm_medium=enews&utm_campaign=PMG_enews_8_2012&spMailingID=4660703&spUserID=MTI4MzA5NTQ2ODAS1&spJobID=51116291&spReportId=NTExMTYyOTES1
Pictures of US Internment Camps not taken as official files are even more scarce. Wish I never sold the one photo I had of the Merced, California Camp (County Fairgrounds). Very rare.
Here I write up the history of Internment Camps in the USA: http://www.coinmine.com/Mining/California%20Mining/CA%20Internment%20Camps.htm
Quiz Answer: Series 461
8.22.12 California Gold Tokens http://www.calgoldcoin.com/
Pretty little things...
8.21.12 This Week's Surge in Price of Gold/Silver Looks overdone. Price isn't supported by volume.
8.21.12 United States Postal Service orders a Billion Simpson Stamps Can't sell over 680 million of them....
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-21/d-oh-usps-stuck-with-682-million-unsold-simpsons-stamps.html
Wonder why the USPS isn't more profitable???
(mostly the reason is that the US Congress forces the USPS to pre-fund retirements, unlike the rest of the USG
8.21.12 EPA Loses yet Another Lawsuit Supreme Court, once again, slams EPA for over-reaching regulations, inability to respect or understand constitutional restraints on government powers, and basic incompetence. Yet one more data point establishing a trend that confusion and incompetence at the EPA is overshadowed only by their graft, fraud, waste and abuse.
http://news.yahoo.com/court-strikes-down-epa-pollution-rule-151452419--sector.html
8.19.12 When Did Inflation Become a Problem?
Prices in the US remained relatively stable under the gold standard between 1792 and 1913.
The purchasing power of gold can be measured by wages and ability to buy a set amount of commodities.
For example, the price of wheat in the colonies and then early united states remained fairly stable for several decades at a little over 50 cents a bushel. The price had not changed much, remaining a little over 50cents a bushel between 1798 and 1911 according to Berry.
http://www.foodtimeline.org/prices1786-1817.pdf
In fact, wheat held almost exactly at 50cents a bushel in 1908, 1909, 1910 and 1911.
But then, the creatures of Jekyll Island met. And by 1913, when the federal reserve was established, the price of a bushel of wheat had doubled. Between 1913 and 2009 the price of a loaf of bread was up more than 2,000%. No, that is not a typo.
The introduction of fiat to replace sound money allowed for World War on credit, one of the primary missions. By the end of WWI inflation was running rampant worldwide. The popular press could not even contain the public sentiment, and by 1919 was lashing, mildly, at their masters. Here is a postcard from 1919 indignant about the 'high cost of living':
8.19.12 If/When Society goes 'cashless' what will happen to Precious Metals and Coin Investments? Don’t believe we will ever go cashless. The black market is far too large and furthermore an increasingly corrupt political class demands cash or equivalent as bribes/graft/payola. Do believe cash will continually become demonized (more and more stories about e.coli and worse diseases transmitted via cash. Eventually cash transactions will be penalized (look up the proposed TERRA and efforts toward re-introducing demurrage in the currency = penalty for holding times. (Spain and France have in effect been forced to introduce such just last month with negative yields). This will create a larger gray market (by design). PMs, Cash, Coins will be subject to increasing penalties for use. The intended effect is to shake tangible assets out of the weaker hands. The ininteded function is that coin nominal value will continue to decrease while their intrinsic value will continue to increase – continuing the 100Hence, the value of the coins will continue to increase yet they continue to lose liquidity. Coins essentially are reverting to the mean, again becoming money, whilst losing their function as a currency. 8.19.12 Intentionally buying problem coins unknowingly slabbed as problem-free by the major certifying companies... ...may not prove to be such a poor business angle in the fullness of time. 8.19.12 Microsoft pre-news
Windows 8 early release came three days ago. Early take is that engineers will love it, but users won't. i.e. No start button to launch products/programs but you can move apps between phone and pc platforms. Which do you do most - use programs or develop app software over multiple platforms.
Actually, the Windows 8 OS will be MUCH more compatible with the not-yet released MicroSoft phone. Also interesting is that the phone chosen to support the platform is Nokia versus the previously utilized Samsung.
More importantly, the month of August provides extra stock volatility as employee stock bonuses kick in this month and employees often exercise those options at the earliest opportunity. (Stock and Options are an important part of the MSFT compensation package; employees are generally paid less salary than competition, but the overall package proves more valuable, historically, due to the additional stock and option awards).
8.14.12 What I found interesting about today's retail sales number
if you take out fuel or food (which both went up strong this
month, and are typically among the more volatile components) the sales number
stay the same. 8.14.12 Fidelity Selling Goldcorps (GG)
Among other funds 8.14.12 Mexivada Announces Re-Pricing of Previously Announced Private Placement --
Worst stock pick I ever made - they screwed everything, as
recently as just yesterday. 8.14.12 Most Recent SEDO Quarterly Report on Business Domain Registration Decent proxy for forward looking web commercial traffic 8.14.12 The TERRA? Anyone ever look at the Terra, pushed by pewks like Lietaer? The Terra is dead on arrival. Video: http://www.lietaer.com/2012/07/the-potential-of-complementary-currencies-by-bernard-lietaer/ Just a few of the Major Problems: 1)Why have gold as 10% of a currency? It functioned just fine for 9,000 years as both a currency and money. Folks would rather hold gold since it will keep its value, rather than use the Terra which is, by its design, inherently unstable. Which is why 2) Lietaer purposely holds ‘airline miles’ as an example of a complementary currency instead of gold. Airline miles are recent, unproven and do not function as a store of value. He won’t use gold b.c. it undermines everything he attempts establish – variability in the currency velocity as controlled by the powers that be. That’s right, who controls the percentage of demurrage? Those that control that control the economy (just like it is now). In fact, what he proposes will actually worsen one of the major current problems (since 1913): debasement of the money supply destroys community capital. He simply wants to change the destruction from institutional control and internalize the debasement. Moreover, his demurrage is simply a smoke screen for artificial currency arbitrage. This will promote currency controls while interfering with the natural money and business cycles from establishing true interest rates. Another term for demurrage? = liquidated damages! 3) Notice how he mentions that Europe 600 years ago and Egypt used demurrage in currency? Yep. 600 years ago the “king could do no wrong”. Have a complaint with the king sleeping with your bride before your do? Take it up with the king. Egypt: proud sponsors of caste system and slavery for 15 + centuries. Lietar never met an autocracy he didn’t love. Bet he rues the fact (certainly doesn’t mention it) that common law and honest money fostered the Magna Carta – the begin of the end of ‘the king can do no wrong’ and screw with your maiden and money at the same time. 8.13.12 How Can one 'Buy Local'? For me, a big part of it was changing my mindset. No matter how much I cherished my presumptions, they were wrong. For example, Walmart is NOT the cheapest - most efficient outlet. Sure, the price per widget is less, only b.c. the cost equation FAILS to consider all imputed costs (externalities): the cost of paying a 12 year old child in china to manufacturer what the former breadwinner in Cleveland used to do on a living wage; the cost to ship the product across the ocean; the cost to buy that same widget four or five times instead of once (since it is a cheap piece of plastic crap); the cost of losing US industry and losing the downtowns and all the social costs that go along with that. It IS hard being the first to voluntarily pay ‘more’ at the locally owned hardware store than at the big box. Though without a doubt the consciousness HAS shifted. People now consider, much more than they did just 4 or 5 years ago, the COSTS of exporting our manufacturing base; what that has cost us here – long term. The other big shift is buying used vs buying new. Most of that is simply conditioning. Hard to fight the BILLIONS spent by Madison Avenue (marketing mecca) every year.
8.12.12 Great Olympics The opening and closing ceremonies could not compete with the real show, but not for lack of trying.
Overall London did a fantastic job!
8.12.12 Land's End Show in Golden Gate Park Feel bad for the kid’s today- forking over big$$ to get played; corralled like cattle; turnstiled for a fee; bussed in to move the tables fast as possible; crappy food; 5$ coffee!!! and 500% more security than necessary. 65,000? Big friggin deal. 1991 the Polo Grounds hosted 300,000 fans for the uncle bobo’s (Bill Graham) RIP show - NO GATES, NO FENCES, can’t remember any security, killer lineup; playing for a cause; ALL FOR FREE. There are better scenes out there – much more enjoyable events, just look around or it; experiment a little. For those that want it easy – you deserve nowadaze concert racket/packaged tour = not much different than paying and extra $$ ‘security fee’ to the TSA to watch them molest your child.
8.11.12 Eike Batista In world top 10 richest men (was 6th, but last quarter he dropped a few billion in equity)
Watch where he puts HIS money…
8.11.2 Justice Department Announces NOBODY will be held accountable for massive fraud in the 2008 Financial Debacle
Lauren Lyster Nails the Problem - Goldman Sachs (GS), JP Morgan (JPM) and the other folks running the government committed massive financial fraud in 2008 - The fraud included systemic mispricing of debt; packaging and selling worthless debt as 'financial investment products' (while calling such 'crap' and 'garbage' vie internal memos - Aggressively pushed these toxic loans on their clients and the public and THEN BET AGAINST THESE financial packages - When the Senate conducted investigations, they ordered the Justice Department to follow up on the obvious and massive fraud - The Justice Department announces nobody will be held accountable, that it is more important that GS and JPM continue to fund their handlers political campaigns and otherwise run the country Lauren Lyster -
Capital Account Next time some clown tries to make the insipid argument that we 'need more regulations', inform the pol that the regulators REFUSE (or are commanded not) to do THEIR job and implement the regulation.
Is it too much for the regulators to ask: - Why John Corzine could 'lose' 1.6 Billion (and then perform as a handler bunking fundraising for the administration) - Why JPM held Bernie Madoff's account?
8.10.12 Western lithium USA Corp (WLCDF) What makes this play interesting is that they are targeting lithium in the clay – NOT BRINE as typical (such as what Chemetall Foote mines about 8 valleys south [Silverpeak] of Kings Valley) The Department of Energy will list lithium as a strategic metal in 2015 and will announce at some point that there will be an excpected shortfall by 2025. And about that clay? montmorillonite (and bentonite) Recover of lithium from montmorillonite: http://openlibrary.org/books/OL2663029M/Recovery_of_lithium_from_a_montmorillonite-type_clay Now, it has been 8 or 9 years since I told you about the montmorillonite (and bentonite) Remember that time (5.22.2003) I told you christy whitman resigned as head of US Fed EPA the same day the story broke that EPA listed clay {vermiculite} as a carcinogen in the asbestos vein. oh laydy, Yep, the clay used as WELL DRILLING MATERIAL now a carcinogen. Think on that one long and hard for a few to see where it is eventually headed…. Well, of course the eastern financiers combined with dirty harry as taking orders from his Chinese handlers did EVERY THING they could to shut down the last mine that tried to develop vermiculite. Surprised they still allow this one to live: http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/May-17-Fri-2002/business/18770817.html Yep, oil-dril wanted to develop the clay to put into kitty litter. The PTB shut it down b.c. it would be ‘bad for the environment’. Now the CHINESE are mining the vermiculite and bentonite. Yep – they manufacturer kittly litter with it. And know what else they put the vermiculite and bentonite into? Pet food. Of course, didn’t stop there… Look into what MCD puts into their ‘milkshakes’ --- and only god knows what else…. [NOTE: I just bought WLCDF this week on that down opening.] 8.10.12 Philex Mining takes it in the shaft – warns http://news.yahoo.com/philippine-gold-miner-says-shutdown-hit-profit-085420363--finance.html grade, water, labor, politics only water proves eventually unsolvable... 8.10.12 Harry Reid obtains ‘green energy’ grants. Yah – he got the green alrighty, from YOUR life energy. The money funnels through these shell companies (Amonix, Solyndra, etc) and ends up with his friends and family. The businesses then go bankrupt and stiff the honest suppliers. “Rory Reid, is one of the attorneys for the ENN Mojave Energy project. A Reid spokeswoman said the senator did not suggest Reid's firm - Lionel, Sawyer & Collins - to ENN, nor has the elder Reid spoken to this son about the deal. (Reid imposed a strict ban on family members lobbying his office in 2003 after the Los Angeles Times asked him about lobbying by three of his four sons.” http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/costs-conflicts-arise-in-reid-push-for-green-power-164858086.html OMB Warned Against Funding Solyndra http://freebeacon.com/omb-analysts-warned-against-saving-solyndra/ Amonix goes Bankrupt http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2175764/Amonix-solar-plant-Las-Vegas-Nevada-closes-year-opening-21m-federal-subsidies.html Other than the Las Vegas Journal, almost complete news blackout in US Press This one reeks from start to finish with crony capitalism fraud. Steve Westly Group, one of Obama’s bundlers, received payback through this straw company. And guess who the number two in command was – no other than Nancy Pelosi’s brother-in-lay. Yep, we finally found someone in her family more corrupt than she and her husband. Of course, they rarely lose money! Remember the large bet they made on Visa just before Nancy supported the legislation that would enrich her husband@ 60 minutes did a great piece, showed her for what she is – a criminal. Of course, I am a bit partial to Nancy. There have been very few people as stupid as her to take orders while in congress. Her misstatements, lies, fabrications, illusions and errors will be preserved in history books for centuries… * * * * * * * * Did I ever tell you about the time Harry Reid’s OTHER son was the official recorder of vote’s in Nevada’s most populous county last election? I can’t make this stuff up, wish I had that flair for fiction…. And Reids law firm – I had their URL in the link farm on one of my websites for about 4 or 5 years. Found out they were dropping a type of java bomb code across multiple pages in our website! Of the 500+ URL links I provide, they were the ONLY one that ever did that. The firm displays their complete and utter corruption across every platform… 8.9.12 Chinese rip off African Miners; Miners in turn kill their Chinese slavedrivers http://news.yahoo.com/zambian-miners-kill-chinese-supervisor-over-pay-100110409.html Too bad the 12 year old girls manufacturing I-pads don’t’ have the same good sense or union rep… At least Harry Reid keeps contracts in the family; though he prefers the Chinese keeps the profits
8.9.12 Be careful with provenance on your tangible asset purchases Allegedly Mastro was one of them. Of course, it’s still more real than the digital blips in your 401k…. 8.9.12 Holy Cow - Bar Fun Bar None They should make bartending an Olympic game – check out this guy’s crazy skills. http://devour.com/video/impressive-bartending-skills/ Man, how many hours has *that* guy spent in a bar? 8.9.12 I drive across the Golden Gate bridge two or three times a week
8.4.12 Cybersecurity Bill Defeated
Thursday the US Cybersecurity Act of 2012 was voted down.
Online Freedom: This year we have fought back the Cybersecurity Act, the UN Guns Control, SOPA, HR 1981
Tax Scam: This year we have had Obamacare unveiled fro what it is - a massive tax scam; IRS reporting form for purchased of $600 repealed last year
Gun Laws: Nothing new of any significance in years
Global Warming Scam: Fought back this tax scam in a big way
War on Drugs: Dealt major blows with decriminization of marijuana in 30+ states
Food Security: Homesteading higher now than at any time in past 40 years
CAFE: Major revelation with proof from comptroller that State CA agencies have been cooking the books for years
Awareness: Ron Paul woke an entire new generation of young folks. MILLIONS of the next generation have heard the clarion call and adopting a natural citizen stance
International Awareness: Largest demonstrations of the citizenry in the history of Mexico, Greece and Spain. (Two of the three seem to have it right)
International Banking Cartel: Iceland threw off the yokes; Ireland gaining traction
— The price of freedom is eternal vigilance
8.2.12 One more Victim in the long list of useful shattered psyches:
http://www.helpfreetheearth.com/news617_batmanwhohow.html
8.1.12 A One Year Drought is not a record, not due to global warming and not at all unusual Using pollen cores and tree rings we can tell that the worst drought in the last 1,000 years lasted about 60 years between 1550 and 1610, roughly. The drought covered most of what is now Mexico, the west coast and the Midwest. Some places received little rain for over 30 years in a row. There were bad droughts here in the US in 1988, 1972-1976, 1965-6, 1931-1936s and 1906 – all just in the last 100 years. Do a little research, the facts are there…. 8.1.12 Fascinating Short Movie Thought it was quite campy at first, by the end found it near mesmerizing - very astute use of emotional and symbolic response to summarize, in a very short period of time, a set of very difficult historical realities of war, nationalism and exploitative governments. Should be required viewing: Nazis and Blondes http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/nazis_and_blondes?utm_source=ob&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=outbrain 6.28.12 Coin Collector’s Haven: San Francisco Bay Those residing in the SF Bay area are within an easy 1.5 hour drive of many dealers and coin shows. A coin show is going on NOW just an hour south of you in Fremont. Fairfield show in just a couple weeks; Vallejo just a couple months back. http://solanocoinclub.com/coinshows.htm Off the top of my head there are 15-20 brick and mortar storefront coin stores within an hour from Fairfield, add an extra 30 minutes and you can include the San Francisco/San Jose dealers. You might consider going to a coin show first and interacting with the dealers that set up there and see which ones have the inventory you are interested in, which ones you feel comfortable with, etc. Use the coins show like a smorgasboard - figure out which dealer you want to go back for seconds; saves you the time/gas of driving to each store. There are some great dealers in the area…historic mint…gold story...= great numismatic country 7.12.12 Geothermal Database http://www4.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/projects
Many of the geothermal power sources in Nevada are co-located with gold deposits
You do the math...
7.12.12 Energy - Do It Your Self http://www.sunelco.com/
7.27.12 More Information on Shell putting their Alaska Gas Drilling Program on Ice
http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/119666/Shell_Alters_Alaska_Drilling_Plans
7.27.12 Pushing another ETF Product - Coffee http://seekingalpha.com/article/752171-the-5-minute-guide-to-coffee-etfs?source=email_the_daily_dispatch&ifp=0
Actually, coffee holds a strong allure. Many variable play into the trade. Some of the same variable that affect metals also play into coffee production.
7.27.12 Baja Mining Taking the Gas Pipe
How can Korea only partially finance?
7.27.12 Bruce has interesting things to say...
7.27.12 Metal Medal Beauty http://www.artmedal.be/
7.27.12 Canadian Mining Association
Summer 2012 Newsletter
http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=5db5450c90898fee5b468c3c0&id=a3bd290ceb&e=a89f068b98
7.27.12 Anatomy of the Future Gold and Silver Bubble
http://thedailygold.com/anatomy-of-future-gold-silver-bubble/
Possibly worth your perusal
7.27.12 If Supporting EFT isn't your cup of tea....
How about a quick check to LP CT?
Libertarian's need ballot access on all 50 states to participate in future debate forums.
LPs screwed up CT ballot access last cycle (all signatures need to be returned to original precinct for certification in that state), they are trying hard to run a better campaign this time around. ATTN: LP CT POB 246 Plainfield Ct, 06374 7.27.12 Freedom Action: Fight 'CISPA lite' - S 3414
https://action.eff.org/o/9042/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8444
Maybe take a look at supporting EFT? 7.27.12 Is Hecla giving up on its own closed mine and instead focusing on buying someone else's operating mine?
http://www.canadianminingjournal.com/news/takeover-hecla-attempts-to-derail-u-s-silver-rx-gold-merger/1001575904/
7.27.12 Latest Canadian Junior Miner Pump and Dump List http://www.canadianinsider.com/
7.27.12 NGC Unveils Ranked Coin Registry
Will the need for some segment of the coin collecting population feel compelled to updrade their coins in a game of 'mine is bigger than yours'?
If so, will it create a pool of 'almost ran' coins that held down a registry score? Or, will one man's jettisoned coin become someone else's upgrade? Will the ranked registry provide more support under the growing bifurcation in the coin market where the higher end coins are doing well and the dreck acts like dreck?
7.25.12 Time to Buy Freeport McMoRan (FCX)?
This guy thinks so: http://seekingalpha.com/article/743511-fear-and-noise-creating-opportunity-in-freeport-mcmoran?source=email_the_daily_dispatch&ifp=0
Personally, I see a better buy at lower prices...and find better buys in the sector anyway.
7.25.12 EPA Shuts Down Drilling in Alaska EPA makes regulations impossible for industry to meet. That is, of course, their goal/directive mandate: shut down industry and drive up costs of those that do survive.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/07/24/157381/activists-to-epa-hold-line-on.html
7.24.12 Plastic Bill Melt in your Wallet, not your mouth
Eventually as the US enters deep into 2nd world territory the Bureau of Printing and Engraving will be ordered by the Fed to do something similar - destroy the citizen's ability to hold money and force them to spend as soon as possible before it becomes worthless.
Just another mechanism of punishing savings and installing currency controls.
http://www.pmgnotes.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=1750&utm_source=enews&utm_medium=enews&utm_campaign=PMG_enews_7_2012&spMailingID=4540313&spUserID=MTI4MzA5NTQ2ODAS1&spJobID=49061290&spReportId=NDkwNjEyOTAS1
7.21.12 21 Killed in Chicago in One Night Via gun, mostly illegally held
This happens EVERY night. But does the controlled mainstream media carry the reports?
Even more embarrassingly 21 people treated for burns after firewalk at Tony Robbins appearance
Why hasn't DHS banned fire yet?
7.21.12 Largest Demonstrations in the History of the Nation of Spain THIS WEEK barely a peep by the controlled mainstream media
7.20.12 Largest Demonstrations in the History of the Nation of Mexico THIS WEEK next to NOTHING mentioned by the controlled mainstream media
7.20.12 Major Criminal Racket Exposed at California State Parks
Ca State Park Director (Ruth Coleman) Resigned Today (she is a crook) in the last few hours.
The second in command was also fired (and also a crook)
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/07/20/4645141/state-parks-director-resigns.html
They should share a cell with California Air Resources Board, Mary Nichols, as I explained a few days ago.
Of course the Director committed perjury on top of fraud waste and abuse by declining she 'had no idea; what was going on.
Har, she had been there a SOLID DECADE!
Last year the Sate Parks did a buy leave out; where they paid out excess leave of Park Employees The leave buyout was IN SECRET , improperly coded coded and illegal.
The Sacramento Bee reported today that a public records request showed there was at Least 54$ Million and up to 70$Million kept in reserve, against CA Dept of Finance regulations *(you aren't supposed to hide money via fraud and lies.
In the interim, the State Park's pled poverty (lies and scams) and let non-profits, cities and private citizens fund the parks instead. Meanwhile the state used their slush fund to fund the politicians.
Against this background, Jerry Brown is pushing a new Tax Initiative because amongst other problem, yet - you guessed it "the parks are broke".
Jerry actually threatened to shut down parks (The Target List had 70 pakrs scheduled for shutdown).
Jerry Brown should be indicted...
And alas, the Sacramento Bee publishes a puff piece and barely scratches the rampant fraud, waste and abuse. California, like most other states, has swindled and held Billions of Dollars in cooked CAFRs.
Easily research, should you have the stomach for such...
7.20.12 11 Years into the Major Gold Bull Market
One analyst discovers Nevada Mining:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/732041-solid-investment-potential-in-nevada-s-modern-day-gold-rush?source=email_the_daily_dispatch&ifp=0
We are all on different stages of this path....
7.18.12 Political Thermometer - San Francisco Bay
Anecdotally I have noticed many fewer Obama/Hope/Change
bumper stickers and signs at this point of the year/cycle than four years ago on
the highways/streets of SF Bay. 7.16.12 Diesel Fuel Does Have a Shelf Life - Yes, microbes eat diesel.
London Shuts Down McCartney and McSpringsteen shows - Band member gets uppity
Anyone that pays $$ for springsteen or (sir) mccartney
deserves what they received in London.
Can't imaging the crap that passes for a good show now...
7.15.12 "Copper Jewelry Found in Mound Builder's Grave in Kentucky" - Timely News, Vol Two, No. 143, April 18, 1936
7.15.12 Someone Posted an Interesting Thesis:
That corruption increases with birthrate. 7.15.12 Growing problem of US ghetto slums? Not really. Here is a poll of which is the worst US slum: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=170045&page=31 Good comments in that thread. Skyscrapercity has another much longer thread with pics, though couldn’t find it at the moment. This one is a much shorter thread, worth taking a look: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=300803&page=7 Look at page 7, for the pics of Chicago slums in the 1920s. Love the pic of the kid throwing bricks that fell off dilapidated/abandoned 1890s row houses. The entire area was razed and rebuilt in the 1920s, razed and rebuilt again in the 1970s (Cabrini Green/Towers); razed and rebuilt again in the 1990s (Cabrini towers are gone, the lower buildings remain but much of the area in this S. Side has gentrified and pretty nice right now with young hipsters. People that are shock are the young/uneducated that don’t realize it all works in a cycle. Creative destruction in capitalism only goes back 300 years. The city invented the concept. Generally, there is a 100 year Real Estate cycle made of smaller seven year cycles. In the 100 year cycle Generation One builds, Gen Two Improves, Gen Three occupies, Gen 4 destroys, Gen 5(1) rebuilds. Camden/Philly/Gary etc etc etc are only 250-350 years old. Go visit Palermo (2,700) or Naples (4,000) or Roma (7000) etc etc etc to see the cycles. Nations come and go, the city remains, rebuilds, stasis, stagnation, destruction, rebuild. 700 cycles worth of history on display = proof. Athens is an interesting one. Just 8 years ago they put on one hell of an Olympics, celebrating an @100 and @2000 year cycle anniversary. This was after a major orgy of credit fueled the capital infrastructure build up – opening ceremony – games. Now, the city is tearing itself apart as the country ‘collapses’ once again. Just a stage. You show Gary as it ‘is’, or ‘was’ - I see what it will become. Same as it ever was, all things in a cycle, even the sun… 7.15.12 Red flags over California city bankruptcies’ funny! http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Red-flags-over-cities-bankruptcy-filings-3707978.php The credit default cycle is: >>>Credit-based (fractional reserve fiat) Corporations in 2008: Banks (Lehman, BAC, CITI, Countrywide/CreditDefaults) >>>Cities/Smaller States in 2008-2012: Ca Cities; Jefferson Co, Ala; Iceland; Greece) >>>Medium States (32 U.S. states currently insolvent) in 2013-2016: Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Ireland >>>Large States in 2017-2020: Illinois, California, New York, Italy, France, >>>Major States/Global Financial System in 2020-2025: US, Britain, Germany, Japan >>>New Electronic ID System You can’t pay debt with more debt. This (inflation, wars on credit, collusion, gold default, national sovereignty default) was engineered in 1910. The Creature From Jekyll Island (G. Edward Griffin, 1998) lays it out the basics rather well for a starting point. Vallejo is now in very good shape; we were way ahead of the curve recognizing the problem and developing a solution. After the Vallejo BK, Ca passed the law making it MUCH more difficult for other cities to re-organize the debt. The legislature new as early as 2007 that there are well over 100 muni bankruptcies (‘fiscal emergencies’) scheduled for the next 8-10 years. Don’t take my word for it, do your own research. The information is all there, in great detail, for those willing spend some time looking beyond the mainstream media programming… 7.12.12 The US House Just Passed the Amodei Mining Bill
Will be interesting to see how Harry Reid get's this through.
http://www.rgj.com/article/20120712/NEWS19/307120098/House-passes-Amodei-mining-bill-Berkley-part-22-Democrats-who-vote-it?odyssey=mod%7cnewswell%7ctext%7cLocal%20News%7cs
7.12.12 Air Quality in Summer deteriorates, short term Regulators encourage folks to utilize public transit.
Citizens either laugh at and/or ignore the regulators.
That’s a MAJOR problem with the anthropogenic global warming scam: it
– Divides people by design;
- Dilutes the message regarding the REAL environmental issues plaguing us and the actual choices we have to make immediate and tangible impact; and
-Generally set back honest environmental/social justice discourse a full 20 years.
Of course, there is also the little issue that the California Air Board (CARB) has essentially stacked itself with cheats and liars who have promulgated mass lies and willful pollution (MTBD snafue) for the past 30 years; eventually even profession politician/thieves don’t command much of an audience at their comedic far venues anymore.
2012 CARB Forces Homeowners to Cease Warming Their Homes with Threats and Fines http://www.valleybusinessjournal.com/archived-front-page-articles/394-when-fireplaces-are-outlawed
2010:
The
California Air Resources Board (CARB) has belatedly disclosed that its
scientists have overestimated state diesel engine emissions by 340%.
CARB is the powerful state agency charged with researching and
regulating air quality standards. These diesel pollution estimates were
the basis for costly 2007 regulations.....
2009
Entire Decade of 1990s And, CARB is trying to re-write history where CARB FORCED Ca into doping fuel with MTBE, a hazmat byproduct of refining. The MTBE dissolved rubber fittings on underground fuel tanks and poisoned mass areas of California groundwater (drinking water!).
Mary Nichols should be indicted and arraigned for well-documented multiple criminal accounts…
7.11.12 BLM Releases Final Environmental Impact Statement for Hycroft Mine
http://elkodaily.com/mining/blm-publishes-final-study-for-hycroft-mine/article_98aaf768-c7de-11e1-9460-001a4bcf887a.html
7.11.12 EPA Requests Comments on Smart Growth (UN Agenda 21) http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/equitable_development_report.htm?CFID=1107626&CFTOKEN=67176514 Fight at every front, never never never give in to fear... 7.11.12 GBG the next GG? They have NOT been able to produce at a sustained profit. Their recent decline in price exceeded previous bottom support ON VOLUME. Not good… 7.4.12 Day of Freedom American's more controlled now than at any other time in the past.
Enjoy and cherish your freedom?
Is so, your government considers you a terrorist:
Per the Department of Homeland Security, from Hot Spots of Terrorism and Other Crimes in the United States, 1970-2008 (PDF), http://start.umd.edu/start/publications/research_briefs/LaFree_Bersani_HotSpotsOfUSTerrorism.pdf Q: What is a terrorist? A: An American that is “reverent of individual liberty” Homeland Security has been 'Protecting the Homeland' for a solid decade now.
And when a lousy thunderstorm hit the capital of the nation, a site of a previous 'major terrorist attach', what happens?
- Virginia 911 system failed for 48 hours - Millions left without power for 5+ days in record breaking 100+ heat - Government 'workers' have to 'work from home' due to the situation And of course, most of this was a direct replay, easily forecasted and preventable, of het last big storm, the 'snowpocalypse' just a couple years ago. No action, no plan, no help, no accountability = no use.
7.3.12 Sold into this rally - according
to trading plan
6.30.12 Obama Care adds 21 new Taxes (Note: This is a very rare post that I will actually amend as I find out new information n the Act and implementing regulations)
At least Seven of those taxes penalize families hat make less than 250,000 per year,
But, but, but Candidate Obama PROMISED that taxes on families making less than $250,000 would not go up ONE DIME! Sept. 12, 2008: Speaking in Dover, New Hampshire candidate Obama said: "I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes." - Barrack Obama, September 12, 2008; Dover, New Hampshire
http://news.investors.com/article/616549/201206281902/supreme-court-confirms-obamacare-massive-tax-burden.htm
There were 22 new taxes to take effect. (One has already been repealed.)
On April 5, 2011 the Senate approved the house bill, signed by Obama as H.R. 6. This new bill stripped the Obamacare’s 1099 tax reporting requirement. We actively petitioned our congress folks to repeal this provision.
One down, 21 more to go!
The Act is actually two parts.
First, is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act http://housedocs.house.gov/energycommerce/ppacacon.pdf
Here is the US Code: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ148/content-detail.html
The Second Part is the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ152/content-detail.html
The US House Ways and Means Committee (March 18, 2010) estimated that between 11,800 and 16,500 new IRS agents will be required to implement the Acts. Note that Obama already added 800 new agents this year. Furthermore, the real number is likely to be even higher since H.R. 6. This repeal eliminated the requirement which would force you and I to issue IRS 1099 forms to everyone we did business with in the amount of $600 dollars or more. Since the administration lost their bid to force you and I to act as tax collectors, that component will simply be added onto the IRS. Hard to estimate how many thousands more employees that will take; so, nobody has tried to come up with a number.
Obamacare Functionally Restricts and Limits Role of National Taxpayer Advocate National Taxpayer Advocate - the independent organization within the IRS which tracks actual burdens on taxpayers. The National Taxpayer Advocate generally concurred with the US House Ways and Means estimate regarding the thousands of new IRS agents required to implements the Obamacare Acts. As a result, the IRS has clamped down on the NTA and severely restricted their ability to report factual information regarding the impact of these taxes on the citizenry.
As a result, in their June 28, 2012 report to congress that the IRS the NTA office spoke out against the IRS "...attempts to limit the National Taxpayer Advocate's formal input on issues that affect taxpayer rights and taxpayer burden" and to "severely limit the National Taxpayer Advocated TAD [ed: Taxpayer Advocate Directive] authority".
The NTA has repeatedly recommended to the IRS steps that would reduce refund fraud. However, the IRS has consistently refused to take those simple steps, in an effort to keep open loopholes and provide reason to hire yet more agents and administrative staff. The IRS has even gone to far, in attempts to neuter the NTA office established by congress to represent OUR interest, that t he IRS Office of Counsel has now recommended ignoring all NTA directives.
The report is both sobering and chilling.
Source: http://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov//userfiles/file/FY13ObjectivesReporttoCongress.pdf
Guess how much additional support Obamacare provided to the NTA office? Yep, you guessed it = ZERO.
Obamacare Increased Paperwork to Reduce Taxpayer Rights and Benefits
The administration repeatedly makes the empty claim that the 21 tax increases really wont' affect the little people because the taxpayers can clam a credit. what they fail to mention is that 1) the credits expire and 2) the IRS consistently denies, obfuscated, and delays the refunds associated with credits already on the books.
The NTA reports that "taxpayers claiming the credit can no longer file returns electronically because the IRS requires paper documentation on Form 8839...". This is the adoption credit. In turn this "caused financial burden for some taxpayers".
Even worse, if not surprising, the IRS repeatedly required taxpayers submit documentation multiple times because "auditors asked taxpayers to provide documentation before reviewing the information the taxpayers included with their original returns".
The NTA further found that the IRS agents were not proficient in their care and repeatedly failed to release refunds associated with the credits.
Rationing of Health Care Access Unfortunately, the Acts have already had their intended affect to increase taxes while driving down medical treatment availability.
Episode One: The worlds largest no-profit consortium of cancer centers, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), recommended that the Federal Food and Drug Administration keep supporting Avastin for treatment of breast cancer. Despite this recommendation, the FDA unilaterally pulled their support of the drug. The painful irony is that Medicare STILL must provide reimbursement for the treatment, which now will have escalating costs and rationed availably due to the FDA decision, because Medicare must recognize cancer treatments provided in references such as the NCCN which STILL recommends off-label use of the drug for treatment "as an appropriate therapeutic option for metastatic breast cancer".
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/19/business/fda-revokes-approval-of-avastin-as-breast-cancer-drug.html?_r=1
Naturally, health insurance providers began dropping coverage for this breast cancer treatment even before the FDA decision to deny cancer victims access to this treatment recommended by the premier group of cancer specialist hospitals.
6.29.12 So far, so good
6.29.12 Garden coming in nicely We have cucumber basil and lettuce ready Very last of the oranges and grapefruit. Plums have had a banner crop and our 3-yr old apricot fruited for the first time, delicious. Tomatoes: Sungold, Juliette and Cherry. Interesting that tomatoes in Vallejo are ripening already, before Sacramento. First time that has happened in 10 years. The taste and quality of the tomatoes compared to store-bought is immense. You forget just how much taste is sacrificed during genetic modification for tomatoes that all ripen at the same time and have a longer shelf life. poor trade... 6.29.12 Talked to a buddy on the Waldo Canyon fire. He was on top the canyon, lookout. A relatively cool 94F on the mountain; 15%RH. Much of the Midwest in the 90s/100s. Almost feel guilty that the high today just breached 80, now in upper 60s with a gentle bay breeze… 6.29.12 War on Drugs = War on People Obamacare = The Sentencing When I was a youngster in Illinois we ‘discovered’ marijuana on my friends grandfather’s farm down the road. The grandfather explained how he grew hemp for the US Navy in WWII. Told me some other things I didn’t understand until much later. I fought for decriminalization for 20 years. Took that long to change the tide, but it worked. Now, the same large corporations that put people in prison for cannabis possession are the same large corporations that bought the healthcare bill. 15,000 new IRS agents to prosecute the young folk that don’t buy their ‘product’. Most folks won’t learn what’s in/behind that bill for 15-20 years. Same as it ever was… 6.29.12 Many Folks are Familiar with Mark Twains seminal stint at the Virginia City Newspaper - The Territorial Enterprise What many of those same folks don't know, is that the paper sponsored more than one outstanding writer.
In fact Twain's co-worker, Dan DeQuille, is noted -as a point in fact - as one of the finest geologists that the Comstock ever produced. With no formal training, he actually estimated the reserves on the Savage, Curry and Gould, and Mexican mines (some of the richest silver ores in North America) better than any other trained geologist. Mining geology actually made major strides when Comstock money supported the Mackay School of Mines at the University of Nevada - Reno.
http://www.territorial-enterprise.com/dequille.htm
6.29.12 Burning Man Event - Tomorrow:
SF PRECOMPRESSION - SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 30 6.29.12 Vern Potter Reports on Collectible Note and Currency Sales
In a nutshell, Vern reports that collectors who had held on to higher quality paper and currency for the last few years as prices fell are now willing to sell. Prices are stable and the perception is that decline in prices has hit a cycle low.
A few of his observations:
- Long Beach Show continued to deteriorate:
"As the show progressed, it became evident that the public participation, although quite good on Thursday, slackened considerably on Friday and Saturday. "
Again - there were dealers looking for material and willing to submits stronger bids, but the retail buyers had not showed up consistently.
In general, that is a good sign for a sector in the collectible market: Dealer putting in stronger wholesale bids on signs of tentative, but improving, retail buying on the horizon.
This is evidence, for example, by:
Stronger numbers of public attending the Memphis Paper show two weeks ago:
"From the onset we observed very good public activity which lasted well into the late Sunday hours."
The public is kicking the tires, looking, hoping the price might continue to decrease. Meanwhile, the smarter money (dealers) smell the bottom and have increased their purchases such that they will have inventory to sell to the retail public once they realize no more price declines are in store.
Overall, a much stronger report than the last several quarters.
6.29.12 San Francisco Mint will Mint a Coin This Summer America the Beautiful Series.
First coin with an 'S' Mint Mark since 1976.
The ATB coins are San Francisco’s first business strike quarters to feature the distinctive “S” mintmark since the 1976-S Silver Clad bicentennial quarters — and the first-ever circulation issue Copper-Nickel Clad quarters to feature the mintmark."
- National Guarantee Corporation; June 28, 2012
6.28.12 Folks get ‘healthcare’ confused with 'medical care' and ‘wellness’ The US has the best and most advanced medical system in the world. The costs are already socialized. I’ve had two very close family members suffer traumatic head injuries. Both would have died had their injuries occurred in most countries. One racked up a bill of 3.5 million, insurance paid up, the system worked. If you have the money, you have access to incredible services. If you don’t have money, nobody else really wants to support you as a mal investment. Don’t confuse medical care with wellness. Our wellness ranks quite low compared to many countries. We are obese, stressed, eat crap, take way too much medication, way too many antibiotics, way too many vaccines, eat too much processed food. These plaques are sponsored by big pharma and the same folks that sponsored Obamacare. They keep trying to dismantle our fine medical system, but thankfully they are generally feckless. This guy nails it: Obamacare crushed Natural Health http://www.naturalnews.com/036341_Obamacare_new_taxes_mandate.html
6.28.12
General equities should have a nice run up
into July 4th This new broad-based rally started with the metals, then the oil stocks caught a bid – the exact reverse of the selloff earlier in the year. Techs, though, haven’t followed quite the same pattern. More hit and miss (AAPL vs RIM vs FB) rather than sector based. 6.28.12 Major Celtic Coin Stash Discovered on Channel Island of Jersey http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/massive_stash_treasure_ancient_celtic_Llw2v59wkRB72y5VsUggxN?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=%0a%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20International Somehow I don’t think the same level of treasure is buried in New Jersey… 6.23.12 Up for Auction - Marilyn Monroe's Last Check
Marilyn provides continued widespread interest and devotion. A baseball signed by her and Joe DiMaggio sold for 191,000$ in 2006!
Heritage wills soon auction off a handwritten check.
Her life estate is one of those that will provide continual bids whenever items, including paper ephemera documenting her day to day activates, comes to auction. Of note here, she wrote the check the day before she was suicide, for a chest of drawers. Chests typically last 50-100 years.
Doesn't quite seem like the planning horizon for someone that would supposedly take their own life the very next day.
6.22.12 A Lifetime of Paper I've bought numerous pieces and entire collections of estate paper, the papers that document a lifetime. Have read scrapbooks put together in the 1920s and 19230s that have had the papers, news clippings, photographs of 50 years of a lifetimes. Some document a cross country trip that a freshly returned GI from the WWII completed with his beau in a 1946 Chrysler; then the marriage certificate, then the birth certificate, then the baptismal records, then 20 years of photographs, children's weddings, grandchildren. Then the pictures end. There are often a few blank pages in the end of the album to show a life that ended too soon.
The other household papers document the day to day life. The bills, the loveletters, the report cards. Then the insurance papers and paychecks take up an increasingly large percentage of the volume. The love letters stop, In the photos the smiles and skin along the eyes droop - the complexion and expression change from sanguine and optimistic to ruddy and sullen. Such is the arc of life. Then the last chapters composed of medical tests, hospital records, wills, testaments, and funeral notices close out the books.
The documents and photos record moments in life so precious, real and tangible they consumed a soul. The beaming bride on her marriage day. The father holding and showing off the infant in his first clutch of joy. Those moments fade from memory, and then history, just as the colors run in the old Polaroid's.
Sure, a few of us remain fascinated. The records, medals, papers and detritus of some well-documented well-lived lives can fetch a decent bid at the auction. Mostly, the papers mold, and are then discarded to the dustbin of history.
That's why they call it Ephemera...
6.22.12 Interesting Comment Thread on NLY
http://seekingalpha.com/article/672561-annaly-we-are-twisted-again?source=email_the_daily_dispatch&ifp=0
6.22.12 The World's First 10-million Dollar Coin? Mint State Brasher Doubloon
http://www.ngccoin.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?IDArticle=2795&Brasher-Doubloon&utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=brasher_doubloon&spMailingID=4403829&spUserID=MTI4MzA5NTQ2ODAS1&spJobID=46272824&spReportId=NDYyNzI4MjQS1
Nice to see NGC get the call, with a notice to PCGS it is NOT the only game in town. Sure, PCGS has a slighly better retail premium, but NGC has far superior customer service.
6.22.11 Goldman Sachs Recommends Shorting the S&P http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2012/06/21/goldman-sachs-short-stocks/
Has GS *ever* issued a public short position before?
Couple of the analysts I listened to yesterday could not remember a single time this happened before...
6.13.12 History of American Currency in 20 Pictures
http://www.businesscreditcards.com/bootstrapper/the-evolution-of-american-currency-in-20-pictures/
Great site, nicely done.
6.13.12 On Yahoo Top 10 ‘Trending’: Gold Prices - around #7 Couple minutes and page re-freshes later, now the #1 Trending Search: ‘Gold Prices to High’: Yah, right! Someone would actually drop ‘Gold Prices to High’ into a search engine. Hilarious. First time I have seen this appear quite so blatant. trend indeed… 6.9.12 Digital Raster Files Nevada Topographic Maps available online by Nevada Bureau of Mining and Geology http://www.nbmg.unr.edu/drg/drg.html
Great Resource!
6.9.12 Nevada Mining
Association - 2012 Annual Convention 6.9.12 Have Some Ore? Can't get it processed in your state?
Nevada mills that can process your ore stream:
http://www.minerals.state.nv.us/forms/mining/CustomMillsReports/CustomMills2010.pdf
6.9.12 Elko Mine Expo opened this week Check out that Newmont motorcycle!~
6.9.12 Increased Investment in Nevada Mining Exploration in 2013 will now well exceed 1Billion USD. Barrick alone will increase their exploration budget another 10% to 490 Million. Auy announced their exploration budget increase this week: almost quarter of a billion alone. ABX alone has 50 drill rigs operating right now in the state.
http://www.miningrecord.com/featured-articles/BarrickLead06-2012.html
6.9.12 The EPA Misery Index - at an all time high One wayward backdoor tax will destroy 29,000 jobs. Just a drop in the bucket. And some folks wonder why the jobs numbers aren't increaseing?
http://www.nma.org/tmp/031212_misery.asp
6.9.12 PAAS Technical's Broke out of the 3 month downtrend channels, 13 and 20 Day EMA already turned up. Sitting right at 50 D EMA. Would like to see the 20 day penetrate the 50 Day resistance to the upside; but given temporary overbought conditions will take a push from something, somewhere...
6.9.12 Solar Power = Green? Sure, more green for the big power companies and more green graft for the PUC.
For the locals, more land tied up so energy can be sold to Los Angeles.
For the animals, more critical habitat destroyed.
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2012/05/30/2364377/solar-project-draws-protest.html
Transform a landfill or destroy the Swainson's Hawk?
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/04/4535725/sacramento-scales-back-solar-project.html
False choices, actually. Natural gas burns clean, is cheap with little external cost, transports with little energy loss, and is abundant. These are the exact reasons that the central planners trying to shut own your economy loathe the obvious choice.
6.8.12 Rare South African / Boer War 1900 1/-Shilling note
Neat piece of history - glimpse into siege economics that played out during the Boer War.
http://www.pmgnotes.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=1671&utm_source=enews&utm_medium=enews&utm_campaign=pmg_enews_5_2012&spMailingID=4274573&spUserID=MTI4MzA5NTQ2ODAS1&spJobID=44259810&spReportId=NDQyNTk4MTAS1
6.7.12 Great Write-Up on current Nevada Mining Boom Introductorily piece, but useful for a glimpse into how the population views mining and the ancillary business, warts and all...
http://www.rgj.com/section/specialreports04
6.1.12 Terrible Economic Numbers this past week Really poor....
Downward revision to past two job numbers (themselves bald faced lies) Poor Housing Report VIX Up S&P, DOW, Russell200 all broke 200 Day Exponential Moving Average AAPL performance breaking below a bearish wedge (and the only thing keeping the Nasdaq 100) propped up Manufacturing Down REITS bearish wedge/flag Consumer Confidence down New Trouble in the Bond Market Initial Claims held, but Continuing Claims rose PMI Down Crude Inventories WAY up (due to decreasing economic demand) Workweek Down ISM Down Car Sales Down
http://biz.yahoo.com/c/e.html
6.1.12 EPA attempts to regulate mining industry
Pebble Mine shaping up to be a nice fight. 6.1.12 Boeing receives no new plane orders – so what?
Boeing *was* in the business to build planes that would
enable business and pleasure travel. 6.1.12 Heritage to Offer a Large Collectible Paper Auction http://fineart.ha.com/common/auction/catalog.php?SaleNo=5087&type=art5087-temaa060112
All other credit and paper burns.
Specie and tangible asset collectible paper weathers the storm...
5.3012 Krause Publications now offers
their US Coin Digest Electronically through Kindle, 3.99 each. 5.30.12 Just looked at another crappy 1981 US Mint coin set
I have noticed over the years that the quality of the mint
sets really did start to decline in the early 80s and were pretty horrid by the
middle of the decade.
5.22.12 B2GOLD Board of Directors Proposed giving themselves a 20% increase in Salary. All except Clive Johnson, of course, who wants a 25% increase.
Meanwhile, their share price (Ticker: BGLPF: OTCQX) is down by almost that exact same amount - 25%. Go figure.
That said, their price has outperformed the sector and right now provides a nice entry point at 52-week support.
Their Circular could have provided some more meat for review, nothing on the safety metrics was provided for example.
5.18.12 Historic Preservation Weekend for the World's Greatest Silver Camp: Virginia City, Nevada http://www.rgj.com/article/20120518/LIV/305180013/3-ways-dig-history?odyssey=mod|newswell|img|FRONTPAGE|p
5.18.12 Nasdaq and SnP
The support provided by initial listing of FB is not all it was cracked up to be.
On the S&P, too many weekly averages headed to their 200 D-EMA. Hope that holds, or we will be out of our Spyder position right quick.
5.18.12 Quarter of a Million Dollars for a Flourite Sample?
http://fineart.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=6068&lotNo=49055&type=nathist6068cls-tem051712
Wow, tangible assets come in all shapes and sizes. That is one pretty rock!
5.18.12 Book sells for $14 Million IF you have the right type of collectible paper, THEN the SKY is the limit!
http://news.yahoo.com/uk-library-acquires-key-early-gospel-14-million-153431983.html
We just sold some old newspapers for $70 dollars. (We paid about 80 cents). Newspaper is typically a loss leader. Should have asked more, but you never know what you hold, until you really know.
5.17.12 How Precious is Paper?
The world's largest manufacturer of bank note (i.e. euro) paper is the London firm De La Rue London Stock Exchange. Ticker: DLAR.
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=DLAR.L&t=6m&l=on&z=l&q=l&c=
UuP another 20% in the past month!
How precious is that (Drachma anyone?)
5.15.12 Stacks opens first Physical Gold ATM in USA
tomorrow, Atlantic City 5.15.12 Bought SPY today
first time in quite some time.
5.14.12 Hey you, yah- the one selling off your long-term energy/mining/commodity shares…. Coal Mining The Chinese recently locked up a large US deposit (required approval by US Treasury). Divided the property into three parcels. Flipped two and will develop the third One of the major issues regarding this parcel development is available power. Coal Mining Largest increase in our business (air quality equipment) has been from Coal Mining Companies LS Power – Nevada Energy Investments Nevada has ONE north-south transmission lines and NO east-west transmission lines. Nevada will have two N-S lines after the Vegas-Ely line is built out. Nv is one of the fastest growing power generating states in the US The state holds advantages in nat gas, solar, wind and geothermal production. California is not producing new supplies of energy. Losing the production of San Onofre is a big deal.
Feds clamor to shut down all power production in the state: http://encinitas.patch.com/articles/feds-order-indefinite-san-onofre-shutdown-59b9c7dd Pesky radioactive gas leak: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/02/san-onofre-nuclear-plant-closed-after-radiation-leak/ LA is happy to spend their grandchildren’s future buying power from other states. Right now, for northern Nv (where the geothermal production lies) to export to Ca, power must be distributed north into Idaho, through Oregon, down again to California. Harken back to this post from yesteryear: http://www.lspower.com/News/newsArticle030509.htm One of the world’s top 15 richest men (not a US resident) is putting money behind these transmission ventures. Go ahead, bet against him… 5.14.12 Semirara Mining
SEMIRARA MINING CORPORATION (Ticker : SCC – Market
Cap: 75.1 billion php)
5.7.12 Not just the Maine Nevada Republican convention ended this weekend. 22 of 25 delegates are Ron Paul supporters!
5.7.12 What to do with a Nice Collection, when you have no Heirs? Someone asked this question, and stipulated that they expressly did NOT want to leave their collection with a museum. Agree with you completely that many museum staffs simply do not know how to bundle, preserve handle and present collection – have witnessed it myself. Here was my reply: The poster that suggested using an intern through the local college to utilize software to build the collection archive, free of costs, is a great idea. Find someone to build the catalogue gratis (they need a project to graduate school), and then pay someone to publish a nice glossy catalogue. This will give others (such as myself) the chance to SEE what you put together. I have a bunch of catalogues because I enjoy looking at the collection as a whole – this provides some glimpse into the collector and adds an educational context to the collection that you cannot get form a single piece alone. In other words, you leave behind a legacy and a provenance. Creating value simply from context. Once the collection is catalogued, then auction it out. And, something not mentioned yet, please look into a charitable remainder trust. You can auction the collection, put the $$ in a trust, live off the annuity, avoid the tax hit and pass on the remainder to the charity. That way, you enjoy the monetary value of the collection while still alive; leave one legacy with the charity (in the form of $$ left behind) and leave yet another legacy in the provenance of the collection by sharing such through the catalogue.
5.7.12 Got back from the local Coin Show. Last year was a complete dog, empty, despondent dealers. This year the room was quite full and buzzy. Not sure how that corresponded into dealer profit, but it was worlds apart from the same show last year (same room, same time, same day of the weekend, same weekend of the year). All things being equal, the buyers were back. And, this is on top of a two-day coin show that just ended in Sacramento (just 50 miles away). The best thing about the show, I brought my daughter - her first coin show. She had more fun than I thought she might. The treasure hunt went really well. We stayed longer than I imagined. Of course, when she finished finding the last piece of the treasure, she immediately blurted: Ok, were’ done now, let’s go. So we did… 5.7.12 Do not confuse the topics of wage inflation for commodity inflation. Since 2006 wages have been going down. No doubt about it. I can pay less in wages now and get quality in return at any point in the last 10 years. That said, I still buy locally whenever possible. On a two year scale, food here is FLAT. Over a six year period food is up only 15% (Based on data the wife just supplied.) while the value of specie (money) TRIPLED. (and YES, I pay all bonuses in silver Fuel is FLAT. Wages are DOWN 10-15%. Home prices are DOWN 20%. Land is DOWN 20% And, when you really look close, fuel and food are cheaper now then they have *ever* been. As in almost forever, when priced either in hours or ESPECIALLY when priced in specie. Here is one basic fact: http://bigcharts.marketwatch.com/quickchart/quickchart.asp?symb=CRB&insttype=&freq=1&show=&time=8 Commodities are DOWN 17% in your one year example.
5.6.12 Repudiation of Sarkozy, France elect a Socialist The big winner tonight is Greece. They are the ghost of future passed.
Another hanger on winner, the US Dollar No shortage of minor miracles propping up the sick man of the world. When will it end?
"I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it." - Voltaire
5.6.12 Gold Stock Sentiment Personally, have been mostly out of precious metal stocks for the past year and a half, except for some long time (cheap or free) hold positions from a decade ago. Except for some Rare Earths (Mostly vie the Exchange Traded Fund REE) and a few trades have not had any new position buys until last month – one of which was a new position in a firm I’ve not held before. There have only been a few willing to buy in the last few weeks, is that enough of a poor sentiment for a near bottom? Or do we few fools also must throw in the rag? (I plan to buy a bit more on this next leg down.)
5.5.12 Have two fifteen-year-old boys working in my yard today. One can do long division, but not fractions. The other can’t do long division…and, I am not sure he can read.
They both feel they 'deserve' a raise...
(Both are decent workers, yet they believe pay should derive from something other than production) The workers are high school boys, they cut the grass/pick the weeds a couple hours a week. We aren’t talking about construction superintendents here. They think that now that this is their 2nd year (in a row!) cutting grass, they ‘deserve’ more money. Of course, they conveniently forget that I paid them 1.5X for ‘harder’ work (hammering nail plates on studs). They think they deserve 1.5x ALL the time now, for pulling weeds. (They also forgot they ‘quit’ their first job, digging a ditch – because it ‘was too hard’.) Yet, between the two of them they are not able to figure out how to mix a 40:1 ratio of gas/oil. That is the point, they aren’t educated or experienced enough to negotiate better wages from standpoints of logic or relevance. (And that is what I am trying to teach them). I ask them repeatedly to develop their argument why they deserve more money. The only thing they can come up with is that they keep showing up = so they deserve more. I ask them why don’t I just replace them with someone to work cheaper? (Sure, I would rather keep the original two working, mostly developing them and showing the ropes. Why else spend time with someone else’s kids to teach them basic math? One of these kids has a decent shot at prison.) The other one, the leader, is starting to figure it out. One day he brought ‘friend A”. They got the work done in 50 minutes. Then next time he brought ‘friend B” it took them 1hr 15 minutes. I asked ‘why the difference’, that got his wheels turning… You and I both know there are both additional and more important factors than straight production, but the kids need to learn that first before mastering other more subtle metrics and more complicated lessons. The world pays you on the value you bring to the marketplace. I spent a couple hours last few days determining fair value I should charge others to advertise on my website (and conversely, what I am willing to pay for advertising). At the beginning of the contract/entry level one thing matters most, results (production). [NOTHING ELSE MATTERS (Eb:6/8)] The future for most is piece work. Whether it be in prison, Elance, or the backyard. The sooner they master that, and all the lessons therein, the better. p.s. Sure, that’s all b.s in the end. The bankers and politicians are doing better than you or I and it is based on what they take, not what they make. But that lesson was a hard one to confront, now wasn’t it? Let the teenage kids enjoy their innocence for a few more years….
5.4.12 Jerritt Canyon Claims yet Another Victim
Yukon-Nevada Chairmen Resigns
http://elkodaily.com/mining/yukon-nevada-chairman-resigns/article_e48db8c0-9578-11e1-8a24-001a4bcf887a.html
To 'pursue other business activities'. Yep - cuz this one sure ain't panning out...
5.4.12 The Nevada Near-Ghost Town of Golconda Actually, there is a decent geothermal source right in town (though it was fenced off my last visit).
Also within commute distance of the Newmont Twin Creeks Mine.
Some beautiful land lies a little north of the region.
Nice spread:
http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=J7&Dato=20120430&Kategori=LIV&Lopenr=304300025&Ref=PH&odyssey=mod|galleriespic|umbrella&odyssey=mod|incaseyoumissedit|Historic+Golconda+pics
Again, Marilyn Newton possesses a good sense of composition and is following the brilliant work set by another outstanding female photographer with an eye for Nevada pastoral and sense of mining history, Nell Murbarger. Nell’s photography work of western, esp. NV. Ghostowns, provides the seminal body of work. Just bought a singed copy of one of her books a couple months back.
5.4.12 The Problem in the Main: Keynesian Economics
“To fight this recession the Fed needs more than a snapback; it needs soaring household spending to offset moribund business investment. And to do that, as Paul McCulley at Pimco put it, Alan Greenspan needs to create a housing bubble to replace the Nasdaq bubble.”
- Paul Krugman, Aug 2, 2002 in the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/02/opinion/dubya-s-double-dip.html
And so, that is just what Greenspan did by artificially lowering the interest rates. That bubble crashed, and thus Bernanke is forced into creating an either larger (and more dangerous) bubble – the US bond market. When that one crashes there is nothing left to take its place except unfettered war and destruction…
5.3.12 Collecting Stamps – Most Have Quit the Hobby My experience is different than most posted here. I started collecting just a few years ago, well into adult hood.
Nobody in my family collected stamps, so as a kid neither did I.
When I was a young man I worked for the US Postal Service for a while. Must have handled well over a million pieces of mail, most of them with stamps.
I got so sick of mail I said there is no way I could collect stamps, don’t even want to touch another piece of mail.
20 years later I now collect antique and collectible paper, scripophily, postcards, etc. Many of them-have stamps….so…I guess I started to collect stamps.
Regarding stamps as a hobby, I don’t suppose it will ever catch on again. Kids have too many other (better?) options.
However, I do believe that collectible paper will increase in popularity over the years…and thus keep at least a small glimmer of folks newly learning about stamps.
5.2.12 Read the Pan American Silver (PAAS) Notice of 2012 General and Special Meeting Circular
Of note - the PRO: Board Compensation now below the sector average Net earnings reaches a record $3.31 per share and adjusted earnings also showed a record $2.37 per share.
Of note - the CON: Amongst the Eight Board Members only 3 hold more than 10,000 shares of their own stock. Two own 1,000 or less! They missed two of their three safety targets (and had a fatality= bad poker)
In sum, their geologists and account's are doing fine work. The successful purchase of Minefinders is paying off and so is the investment in Navidad. However, the fatality and missed targets warrant a reduction in C-level pay, the board recognizes this, and is responding in kind. Overall that presents a net positive.
I recently bought (first time position ever), am underwater, but continue to hold due to very strong fundamentals.
4.30.11 GG, well - the news that was in the chart ...Chile suspends Goldcorp's El Morro Project Permit 4.30.12 Fill out a permit to operate a drone! Spy on your friend and neighbors! Kill on command! Everyone else in your peer group is getting one...
4.27.12 Took a gander at Goldcorps (GG)
yesterday -- after their big sell off 4.20.11 RIP Levon Helm They honor you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX4aD-GwM2g&feature=autoplay&list=PL37CA7139D7B09408&playnext=4
Never heard of Sam Bush, Fred Tackett or Drew Emmitt? That's okey dokey, just three of America's finest Mandolin players (and only 66 views here) . Think I've seen the Feat in Five different states now and Sam jamming in a 12 person tent at Strawberry.
Ever tell you I have a 1901 Orpheum No1 Mando(lin)-Banjo?
Didn't think so...
4.20.12 Golden Star 2011 Annual Report 1. The report has worse graphics every year. 2. Their costs were up 20-50% at EACH property 3. Production was DOWN at all three major properties 4. CFO fucked up, and resigned last quarter 5. CEO blames rising costs and lower production on...Rain! 6. Stock has underperformed the sector 7. Company has provide a loss on a 12 month and 6 year basis!
OK, that's the bad news...
Good news:
For the sector, I really like their properties and theatre of operation (always have). Made really nice return on this firm in the past, and had to bailed out when GSS ran into production problems (they couldn't get a handle on their chemistry, for starters). Have been out of their stock for long while now, and had just recently bought in because all the bad news was baked into the cake (and the report). Their revenue has actually been steadily increasing. IF they have finally fixed their production issues NOW they should have a nice production run looking forward. And the new CFO *should* prove more useful than the last clown. If the firm can't produce from this point forward, then it was a broader management and corporate structure all along, and they won't have a nice run again until that changes.
4.20.12 420 - Smoke 'em if you got 'em
4.20.12 Get Some Strange Mail Now and Again But this one worth a review:
"Good morning, Didn't exactly get around to making it the priority of the day, but I would've suggested fair market rent would be just as costly, and less time consuming, then getting a 1,000 marker at the nearest Indian Casino. Scam?
4.20.12 Small Piece of Copper Sells for $1.15 Million http://news.yahoo.com/rare-1792-penny-sells-1-15-million-142742231.html Great Piece!
Kevin Lipton submitted the winning bid. You really want to understand the inner workings of the coin business at the highest levels? Look up the youtube series of four videos where Lipton gives an interview for 20 other major dealers. Quite illuminating and fascinating, if you are into how the money moves around among the upper crust of the money collector niche.
4.20.12 Got a Kick out of an article bagging on California, Gloom and doom shows a good carnival. Sure, rough place. But, compared to where? Compared to what? Compared to when? That article cited Stockton, Vallejo and Orange County. Yep, Orange County will BK again, no doubt about it. In fact, they already did so 30 years ago and things worked out fine since then. Stockton? Well, Stockton has pretty much been a cesspool for five generations now. Did the scholar not read Grapes of Wrath? And Vallejo BK? That was FOUR years ago? The Past, not the Future. For that matter, the website hosting that article looked like it was last updated four years ago. The text boxes wouldn’t even load properly and the entire thing looks like it was designed and maintained in MS Frontpage (which hasn’t even been supported in two years). Posturing analysis or making a decision off 2008 conditions? Is that really wise? How about TODAY? Today was mid 70’s, great air quality. Yah, the breeze off the ocean was a mph or two higher than I would like, but hey –‘tis april. Reservoirs are still near capacity thanks to last year and this year commodity crop, the mainstay of the state since the 1850’s is on pace for a banner year. Next county over in Napa the vine rot looks like it’s under control and the vines look a lot better than last year (the white grapes, and reisling in particular sucked). The sharpshooter infestations down south is almost obliterated. The citrus up north produced more than I’ve seen in a decade and the stonefruit are coming in very nicely. Yep, some places have peaked. San Francisco peaked in 1913 and has been in a steep decline ever since. Fact is, the Chinese have shown without a doubt the quickest way to ruin a city. What the trash Italians and Irish (that’s me) and blacks and hippies tried to destroy and failed in 50 years, it took the Chinese only 20 years to turn the place into a cesspool. They even screwed up the Tenderloin; c’mon – how do you ruin a slum? And yet, the city is still going to draw quite a crowd and throw quite a party with the America’s cup coming to town. A couple sad piers getting a nice facelift and the city will once again host a world class event (and hotel occupancy is already at the highest in five years). Vallejo – well since 2008 the city has renegotiated the fire union contract, is coming out of bankruptcy in good shape and is now poised to renegotiate the police contract. Is your city done with all that? How is Camden or Detroit or Rockford or Cleveland or Jacksonville or Saint Louis or Memphis or Buffalo or Birmingham coming along with their fiscal revamp? Here is what I saw in my town in the last two hours after going to the gym (completely packed) and looking at a couple houses: - Neighbor restoring his jaguar; - Two houses out of 32 on my block are empty (in 2008-2009 it was up to 7 at one point). One of those houses is completely re-habbed (as are several on the block) and now for rent. It will rent for more than my mortgage, and that is before I complete my re-fi. The other was actually foreclosed (1st post) just yesterday. I imagine there are another three or four that still need to turn over before the entire inventory is stable. - New sidewalks, curbs and sewer on the street - Nearest school turned into a language academy drawing students from six nearby counties - The rental market is incredibly strong; even commercial space is coming back: - Nearest gas station rehabbed last month; nearest hotel now under renovation; new martial arts, video exchange, cannibas club, restaurant, alignment shop all opened up. Though in fact, the starbucks that shut down is still empty. (This town hates chain stores – wouldn’t even let Wal Mart come in and is fighting to keep another grocery chain out). - The nearest strip mall was completely renovated in the past 24 months, now almost complete. - East Indians and Hispanics are opening businesses, pushing out the corrupt black and phillipino and lazy white trash - We have two universities, both full, one is expanding - Just last week the city entered (very early) negotiations with George Lucas to build out his campus. George finally gave up negotiating with Marin county, after 25 years (in the valley that bears his name, no less) and is now going to relocate. Probably a double edged sword, I know one of his neighbors who says George is a complete a–hole. - Parcel tax has gone down FOUR YEARS IN A ROW?! That happening in your burg? Fact is, Vallejo had the foresight YEARS ahead of your town/state/county/country to DECLARE fiscal insanity and completely re-structure the fiscal picture. Anyone in your town getting that done? And our county is the poor stepchild. Down the peninsula there is Santa Clara County and San Jose. YESTERDAY they broke ground on a new 1.2 BILLION $ sports stadium complex and the playoff hockey game is underway right now. The city will have a new light rail system in 18 months connecting to S.F. And of course down the road is Cupertino, home to the world’s most valuable firm on the planet (worth more than many countries in both financial and intellectual capital). Down the road from there little sister Ebay today beat estimates and kicked some serious A$$, taking market share from money-laundering competitors Visa and Amex. The worlds next biggest firms, Google and Facebook are down the street from the current largest financial conglomerate on the planet. Job market is getting tight and real estate market very firm. Yep, the baby boomers crapped in the bread box of California, will take some time to fix the mess. Yep, we will re-structure the debt. Guess what we’ll stop paying: - Dairy and Vegetable subsidies to your state - payments to the illegals; welfare; kiddie indoctrination; transsexual operations; - etc But when your state houses the top 30% of the world’s finest firms and Universities the ship still sails fine. The generations building the internet and bioscience have charted a clear path. California produces more than 150+ other countries on the planet, for decades in a row. Look at the growth chart for facebook/google/ebay/apple and now compare that to Europe, Africa, Central America and Polynesia. The gloomies are lost at sea. California STILL dominates agriculture and aggregate production in the US, a place it has held for decades. STILL dominates movie and music and nuclear and space engineering (albeit has given ground); NEWLY DOMINATES bioscience, fermentation science, internet startups, sports business. Remember the ballyhood U-haul indicator (rental disparity based on differing rates depending if you were leaving or coming to Ca?). Well, almost back to parity after a 4:1 ratio (with texas) just three years ago. And how about that ‘shaky California educational system’? Hard to find a poll of the worlds top 100 universities without finding UC lop siding the count. Here the latest Forbes survey found 9 of the top 100 and 30% of the top 10 schools in the world in Ca, including #1! My little alma mater now in the top 40. In addition to world class Vet and Environmental Schools (and Law/Engineering/Medical schools) they’ve added the Mondavi Center and top fermentation science program. Hell, I probably couldn’t even get in there today. Thankfully my kids were born at UC Davis Med, ranked top 1% of all US hospitals by US News and World Report for the every year in the study. Pick and choose a survey but they are all rather similar. http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2011-2012/top-400.html Sure, the state is in decline, some places peaked 100 years ago, some 150 years ago, some were always godforsaken- but compared to where? China? North Korea? Guatemala? Mexico? Michigan? Illinois? Spain/Greece/Ireland/Portugal/England/Italy? Japan? Russia? Angola? Egypt/Tunisia/Libya? Most of Asia? Almost all of Africa? All of those peaked long ago (or never will). Things aren’t all peaches and cream, never have been. In fact, I can details the troubles even better than I detailed the glory. Though, here’s the point, the author and commentators never even reached that middling plateau. Go ahead, believe the tripe, even bet that way. Just don’t believe everything you think. Positing articles citing market conditions from four years ago, written on a platform no longer supported that won’t even load properly is one thing. Forward looking market conditions based on actual conditions is something entirely different. Yes, the state has a long way to fall – only because it held the perch for the last 10 decades. You think those oil and gas workers in ND are going to stay there? What about their children. Where do you thing THEY will move to? Most other locales never held the perch, and never will – just a fact of demographics and geography… ~ end rant ~ 4.19.20 Center for Disease Control Announced Today 1/3 of all measles patients last year ALREADY HAD THE VACCINATION 4.19.20 Chesapeake Energy - Good Time to Sell if You Haven't Already The CEO wants a loan from the corporate treasury, to buy ownership in wells! There is no other analysis - major conflict of interest. http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-chesapeake-ceo-took-1-1-billion-unreported-104659198--finance.html To bad because the firm is a decent play on nat gas. 4.19.20 Gary Kaltbaum's Take on Gold Thinks the scenario will play out similar to the 1973-1980 run. And that we are now at the point of 1979, where Gold is digesting a multi-year 3x run. After consolidation, will quickly double again - and then the cycle is over. Time will tell... 4.17.12 Currency Wars – How a Colonial US Power Exerted the Script through Scrip Interesting Piece on Colonial Philippines Currency: http://www.pmgnotes.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=1645&utm_source=enews&utm_medium=enews&utm_campaign=pmg_enews_4_2012
4.15.12 Just Wrote a Check to the US Treasury Gawd I feel dirty.
But, Uncle Timmy the tax cheat can put it to better use than feeding my family or investing in my business or giving to charity or supporting the community or....
4.15.12 Proliferation Propaganda from Yahoo proposing further Government Control over Your Personal Finances Yahoo must push the garbage even harder, as they’ve been contracted to do by the government, since they realize their platform for the propaganda is collapsing. Yahoo is crashing, they’ve announced yet another ‘re-structuring’ program last week (in addition to laying off another 2,000 employees). The government realizes Yahoo is fading into irrelevancy. Look at the ghastly poor quality of writing and editing in these ‘articles” (paid for commercials extolling the virtues of a government-based economy). Even more damning is the comments on these articles, the little people excoriate the obvious double-speak, factual error, and basis implausibly of the article content. So, Yahoo is forced to push up the timeline of these ‘articles’ (trial balloons for government-economy). Here is one example from the last 12 hour cycle: Social Security no longer available by check, now requires use of the banking system: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dont-wait-social-security-check-120033750.html Notice they push the ‘natural cycle’ is to receive your bread via the government electronic digit system. Well the real ‘natural cycle’ is for humans to earn their bread, esteem, and worth in society by their works; but sitting on the couch waiting for the electronic handout is what passes for honest worth today. Note the spiel that electronic digits are safer for privacy and against hacking than the mailed checks. Hmm, paper checks have been used for over 400-years, have any of you seen a major identify theft program resulting from use of personal checks? An emphatic NO - the problem results from electronic transfer of the SSN! And yet another article along similar lines – The IRS illegal force to extract your labor wealth is really a beneficial forced savings program! http://finance.yahoo.com/news/irs-enlists-tax-day-push-040100446.html The purpose here is to convince you that the coming forced government-sponsored savings program (the one where they take your IRAs and distribute to the government savings program) are really 'favored' and 'desired' by the people. Another similar supporting article is titled “The Buzz over Electronic Currency”. But here’s the rub, you can only support the ‘official’ electronic currency. If you support e-gold or bitcoin or other e-currencies that compete against the government model, you are deemed criminal. Here yahoo pushes the rueters propaganda: http://news.yahoo.com/bitcoin-city-traders-anarchic-toy-091725072.html “(Bitcoin) Users - an odd assortment of uber-geeks, anarchists, libertarians, scammers and forex traders - sent about $4.3 million worth to each other in the last 24 hours.” In other words: ‘uber-geeks, anarchists, libertarians, scammers and forex traders’ = criminals. Interesting circumstance that all these pro-illegal tax/pro digital currency/pro IRS articles appear on April 15th – High Religious Holiday for the ‘debt is money’ axis. You get the point… 4.14.12 One Up, One Down
Courtney Donohoe, commodity beat for Bloomberg's taking
stock.
4.12.12 Either They are Intentionally Lying, or Most 'Analyst' Still haven't' Figured out how the Metals Markets Trade
This one wrote, apparently with a straight face:
"However, it doesn't stop here. During the early 1980s, there was a famous corner in silver (SLV), conducted by the Hunt brothers."
http://seekingalpha.com/article/490801-gold-speculators-are-being-fed?source=email_the_daily_dispatch&ifp=0
Excuse me for being particular on actual history, dates and facts - but the modern Exchange Traded Funds did not begin trading until 1989 in general and the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) did not start trading until 2006! And you are telling us the Hunt Brothers cornered SLV in the 1980s? Please begin to understand the basic tenets and shared nomenclature of the market you are trying to decipher. There are, really - not joking here - differences between a commodity forward contract and an ETF.
And this is your clarification article to correct an even more misaligned position?
You really want an education, look into how the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission changed the rules of the game, midstream, to intentionally torpedo the Hunt Brothers position. Simple facts, you can look it up - part of the discovery and due diligence process.
When the author and 200 comments won't even point out the most basic flaw with the argument factual premise you know that the public is still not educated nor on board and the bull has a ways yet to run...
4.11.12 Read the AUY Circular Good cash flow and revenue growth.
Absolutely disgusting how the continue to underperform weaker sisters in the sector.
4.11.12 New Diagnostic and Counterfeit Detection Book by Robert Van Ryzin
http://www.sellcoinbooks.com/us-coin/u-s-coins-close-up
Important to know coin diagnostics when buying heavily counterfeited date and type coins.
4.11.12 Fighting the Good Fight: The Stench of MERS and Bank Mortgage Fraud An especially compelling read if you own property in New York:
http://www.conorix.com/
4.8.12 Fronteer>>Pilot Loses Money Again/Still
What is known: Mining costs big bucks. What remains uncertain: Is Turkey risk positive or risk adverse.
4.8.12 The Important March Snowpack Survey for the Sierra Nevada Released
Snowpack is only 56% of normal. The northern basins are in better shape than the southern basins, which bodes ill to the miners (there are still a few) in the Walker and Carson watersheds.
Additionally, it could complicate the Walker River compact a bit... 4.8.12 There are several examples of great powers that peaked, fell, only to rise again: Over longer terms: Ancient Egypt triple peaked (Old, Middle and New Kingdoms) Britain triple peaked in the 16th, 18th and 19th centuries (Spain and France in between) Israel double peaked in the 10th Century and then again in the 9th B.C. Roman Empire and then Holy Roman Empire Hittite then Turk Assyrian Empire had similar peaks and valleys of power as the egyptians Persians resurrected the Elamite glory some 2.500 years later China: Ming Dynasty and 2020 Over shorter terms: Germany triple peaked (right now - the most powerful country in EurAsia) Japan double peaked (1941 and 1981) in just one century USA double peaked (1945 and 1990) in just one century Spain – 1588 and again in 1620s Just a few examples. I wish I knew asian and south American history better (no doubt similar stories with Aztec/Toltec/Mayan empires) 4.7.12 Beautiful Gold and Gold Quartz Match Case - an Original Shreve Piece http://fineart.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=5091&lotNo=68443&type=art5091cls-tem040612 Rather annoying that Heritage upped their take to 20%! You might be able to afford the 'price' but not the taxes/fees/service charges. Same with many other purchases (and a convenient way to stack the inflation numbers in one direction). 4.7.12 Never Realized How Many Blacks Served as Confederate Soldiers The US spends untold hours pushing the feel good 'Buffalo Soldiers', but spends even more energy suppressing basic facts underlying the conflict: http://blackconfederatesoldiers.com/ Jackson alone had over 3,000 negroes supporting his cause… 4.5.12 Hilarious Good Fun - GSA Mocks the Taxpayers
http://nation.foxnews.com/general-services-administration/2012/04/05/american-idle-croons-about-being-under-inspector-generals-investigation
Brags about how much citizen money they are wasting by making a you tube video!
The GSA commissioner resigns in disgrace, one of the few actually caught red-handed conducting mass scale fraud waste and abuse which is now commonly expected across all government agencies. And that is too bad. She should have thrown down the gauntlet to the EPA, ATF, DHS and other similar with a challenge: Who can waste the most taxpayer money in the shortest amount of time. Now THAT would make a great reality TV show.
Sure, the Navy had Tailhook- but they didn't put the video on the web...
4.3.12 The State of Nevada Gambles the State's Future on Wind Energy and craps out!
"$416,000 worth of turbines have netted the city $2,800 in energy savings."
Hey, at that rate you'll break even in less than 40 years!
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/mar/30/nv-energy-windmill-program-generates-rebates-littl/
But, it get's worse. See, the Governor had planned on a renewable energy trade junket to Europe this spring. The junket needed 10 or 11 firms to make it worthwhile.
Just ONE signed up, so the Governor scrapped the trade mission just two weeks ago and instead will conduct another trade mission in Asia in the fall.
Nevada pissed away a fair amount of money, but even worse, threw away her prime position as THE potential lead generator of wind and solar power in the country due to the poorly assembled demonstration program cobbled together.
4.2.12 Pop Quiz: Who Instituted the ‘Gold Standard’ in the modern western world Some posited 1704 Proclamation of Queen Anne, a very good guess. Indeed, the proclamation set the value of the Pound Sterling, but only in relation to other silver coinage. Queen Anne *attempted*, but did not succeed, in devaluing silver currency, but she did not devalue the value of gold stored by England. That would happen 13 years later when Sir Isaac Newton, via his position in charge (‘Master’) of the Royal Mint in England moved the Pound Sterling off the silver standard and onto the gold standard via his official and sanctioned re-evaluation of the ratio between the two metals in 1717. Some folks vote 1821 when Great Britain codified such. Alexander Hamilton instituted the gold standard in usa via practice in 1792. So we see that ESTABLISHING the gold standard was not an overnight event, rather a series of deeds and acts over the course of 117 years. Going off the gold standard in the west was also a process rather than an event. That arc took 58 years to accomplish in the US. The birth and death of a currency mirrors the birth and death of the country; each are drawn out stories of fits and starts over periods of centuries. And, there will be an entity that makes claim to the digital standard – already underway. The one that establishes digital standards against their own house will reach supremacy, no doubt about it… 4.1.12 Economists Find Yet Another Problem with US Economy
too many jobs...
4.1.12 Nor Cal Garden Cycles Planted Six Weeks ago: Chard, Peas (snap and sugar), Carrots Beyond shoot but not yet producing. Things are growing slowly (and took a while to sprout( because nor cal has had a dry but cold February and a cool and wet march).
Garlic and onions bulbs from last year regenerated and are almost harvest -ready; give it another fortnight.
Tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, eggplant, kohlrabi and broccoli will go in next; waiting for soil to warm up...perhaps 4 more weeks for the larger plants. Spells potential problem for eggplant, takes a long time to mature and doesn't do well with the cold snap in fall.
Lemons and Oranges in full production and ripening for last couple weeks. Grapefruit has been in production for about a month now, maybe six weeks.
4.1.12 California Crops No major freezes this year, so stone fruits and citrus are doing well. However, the citrus bug (asian citrus pysllid) that devastated some Fl. crops has JUST been found in So. Cal.
Last week the State (Department of Water Resources and US Bureau of Reclamation) announced possible water cut backs to central valley farmers of up to 30%.
Thankfully, March has been very wet - not sure how that will affect this announced apportionment (which is half political anyway).
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Natural Resources Conservation Agency (NRCS) complaining about their budget. NRCS (formerly Soil Conservation Service) cuts will actually affect farmers b.c. one cut on the table is their Conservation Technical Assistance Program. This aids farmer conservation management plans and irrigation system re-design. California farmers actually desire this service. NRCS is one of the *very* few government programs that actually produce anything and is, really, the only Fed Agency that California farmers will work with and trust.
4.1.12 Newmont Gold Mining Commissions a Gold-Plated Motorcycle by American Chopper Designs. Will appear on either the April 9thn or 16th show of American Chopper
4.1.12 The more the Govt wants to know
The less the population (willingly) tells.
The Forced Move to 'Digital Currency' will Further Push Trade to the Gray Market: Less folks will want 'digits' then they will want eggs, vegetables, carpentry and plumbing.
Greshams law (Bad Money pushes out Good Money) failed to anticipate the mercury Axiom (What they don't know they can't take).
Mercantilism trade in the western us states between 1862-1906 proved this without doubt. As the GOVT pushed scrip and paper, the folks pulled specie from circulation. As specie dried up, the merchants began publishing Good For Tokens. These tokens, typically produced in aluminum or brass, but also copper, served as a local currency and were 'good for' services or goods at a local restaurant, store, brother, or bar.
Local currency has ALWAYS remained legal and occasionally flourishes in one community or another.
This will increase as the faith in worldwide debt credits falters...
4.1.12 You Can't Find One Accountant that Knows Everything We bring one business set of books to once accountant, and the other business books to another accountant.
One of them is very efficient, but lacks estate planning knowledge. He TOLD us we could NOT open a SEP while collecting a W2
We SHOWED him the IRS publication that stated otherwise.
Nobody will know all One Million plus words in the IRS code, much less believe it all.
Diversity in all things, accountants included...
4.1.12 Paper and Ephemeral Market: Vern Potter's Report His experience with the Southern California shows is that the market has had strong public visitation and demand for confederate notes, obsolete notes, and even an increase in maps buying. Scripophily offerings from the public have been slim, except for common issues.
Apparently the big Chicago Paper and Money Exchange show was well attended, but purchases were underwhelming. This also matches recent reports from the last Baltimore show. Looks like the larger shows have stagnated while the smaller regional shows are experiencing stronger demand.
I suspect this situation results from market dynamics, where smaller collectors have just started to re-enter the market whereas this demand hasn't quite trickled up to the larger wholesalers and national retail outlets. Moreover, the dynamic might also reflect a growing reluctance to attend the large coin and money shows for SECURITY reasons. Unfortunately, there are professional thieves now scoping out Baltimore and Long Beach looking for easy scores from easy marks. I.E. older males traveling alone with a suitcase full of hundreds of thousands of liquid coin inventory. The presence of these professionals has not yet been reported at the local shows. Although, I suspect they will soon (if not already) begin targeting the hotel-buyer circuit. May come a point where one of the safest outlets to buy physical precious metals is at a gun show.
Email me if you want Vern' full report (as .pdf)
3.31.12 EPA Drops Suit Against Texas Company Regarding Supposed Contamination from Fracking
The EPA dropped yet one more specious political allegation once they realized the firm was willing to fight the political charade, using actual science against a political hack job:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303404704577313741463447670.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
3.31.12 Interesting Site and Concept The Gent is trying to start a sharing-based economic system.
Not sure why that is much different than a bartering-based economic system? 3.30.12 Someone Mentioned a Lack of Stock Buying in the Precious Metal Sector I posted my last two metal stox buys here, just threw days ago: PAAS and GSS. Believe me, not bragging…but look like a better buy here than they have in a looooong time, and a better relative buy than most other sectors. PAAS has decent numbers to boot. 3.29.12 End of the Canadian Cent Does it forecast the end of Canadian Coinage? Either way, how will it impact collectible Canadian coinage series? Typically, the change or end of an issue provides a temporary (months or few year) increase in interest; waning greatly thereafter. However, increasing relative value of the country's currency typically increases native collecting interest (and price). China has been a great example of that recently.
3.29.12 Increasing Rents Is another reason I like (certain) REITs here. The REITs I have bought relatively recently: NLY , and the apartment-focused MAA and EQR Problem is, these have had a steep run up last four weeks, needs a pullback…before a new position, (AVB in similar boat to EQR) Problem is, these
have had a steep run up last four weeks, needs a pullback before
establishing a new position, NIA, DYODD, GFY/WTF
ETC 3.29.12 Real Estate: Short Sale/HARPII/REO Short sales in California and Nevada have been a nightmare, and remain so. Instead of a short sale why not just buy a Real-Estate Owned (REO) property. Actually, REO is an euphemism for bank-owned property. You can buy REO from the bank directly or at a foreclosure auction? And, why not buy cash if you can afford it? Though personally, I really can’t see the financial/risk benefits (emotional satisfaction is another issue) of paying cash for a house.
No when you can get a loan at 4% (minus write off/depreciation + inflation) for an effective rate of…what, maybe .02%? Fine for those who can’t invest with any better results than a money market yield… If you WANT a mortgage (which I do) the banks are making more $ on REO, and therefore THOSE have been moving through their Risk Mitigation departments and committees. Also, not sure where the new Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP2) is going to rank, above Short Sales but below REO book is my guess. In fact, Bank of America (BAC) just this week (Wells Fargo was last week) came out with their HARP2 guidance book, my broker was waiting on this. Just y-day he gave me a preliminary quote of 4.5% for a HARP II on primary (not sure yet on points, fees etc, I haven’t talked with him since the quote). REO looks like 4.125- 4.25. FNM just TODAY quoted the 30 year avg basis this week dropped from 4.08 to 3.99 (before pts and fees, of course). Think you’ll find that REO runs the gamut from completely thrashed to move-in new).
Although I am much more familiar w/ Ca and Nv (my understanding is FL and Az are in similar situation) a high percentage of REO book was built in the boom 2000-2006. So, those homes are 6-10 years old.
The one I am personally in was built in 1941 but completely re-habbed. I moved in to a practically completely refurbished house. At the time the retarded banks were actually SPENDING money on their REO book (they replaced a deck and the laundry room floor on THEIR dime, while they lost 250k on the property!)
Many places are, indeed, thrashed b.c people stopped maintaining something they knew they couldn’t keep and/or vandalized out of spite before jingling mail).
Then again, some places are 6-8 years old, with just standard maintenance. (Of course, I am MUCH more partial to CA/NV homes built btw 1890-1955 than the crap they built in the past three decades).
Personally, I am looking for homes that were partially re-habbed, then stopped during rehab (owner/contractor went broke during project). These look the best value to me – but I am willing to finish the rehab. That’s where the larger profit lies).
Plenty of folks just want the move-in-ready home.
You have to get a home inspection anyway. The mortgage process now for REO book is basically the same as standard transactions. Wasn’t like that four years ago, but the banks finally figured out how to make it work.
I DON’T think they WANT short sales to work b.c. they make more money when it defaults.
Of course, in the back of my mind I ruminate the ONLY reason to make HARP2 work is b.c. they believe the long yield has no life for the foreseeable future, and HARP3 is inevitable. So poses reason to pause and think long and hard. (HARP2 has a one-time re-fi condition). 3.28.12 Hmm, today stock action not good Looks like my metal stock buys y-day were premature; may get stopped out quickly. Gold stock picked up steam to the downside. The weakness in the metals sector two weeks ago, was joined by the energy sector last week. Instead of a shallow divot, we have a nice pothole in the middle of the market at the materials sector joined the downturn (CAT et. al.). Interesting the strength in the banking sector. 3.27.12 Bought GSS @1.87 today First
time in a long time I’ve owned this pig; due for a bounce. Amazing
company, really. How can a firm have a loss of one-hundredth a cent per
share without TRYING REALLY HARD? Outperforming the sector
today, and the sector now looks good for a pop. Bought PAAS today. First time in YEARS I’ve owned this one. Bounce off the 52 week low today, got a fill near there. Would love to see a nice VIOLENT penetration of the 52 week and easy run up to the13 Day EMA. Mostly, the fundamentals are about as good as you’ll see in this sector (which ain’t saying much right now, granted). 3.26.12 Pictorial Allegory of a Defunct Gold Bugz Forum Columbus Nevada: 3.26.12 Northwest Panners and Miners A good reference: 3.26.12 Southern
Nevada Gold Explorers Confab this coming weekend: 3.26.12 Seeking Alpha Now Has Record Amount of Authors and Posters
And this past month seemed to have the LOWEST
precious metal content in years... 3.26.12 Baltimore Coin Show
One of the big ones. Reports I've read/heard so far
is that interest was decent, traffic good, moderate buzz - but little
buying by the public. 3.25.12 Crystalline Gold - Beautiful
The indian fish hooks are awesome
3.23.12 Brilliant and Accurate, Rule of Common/Natural Law Still Holds in Rural Nevada
“The individual rights of the minority are not up for public vote, and they are to be protected even if the majority wants to ignore those rights.”
- Eureka County Commission Chairman Leonard Fiorenzi
Contrast that knowledge with the typical tripe programming vomited constantly on the mainstream media.
Good to know
there remain thinkers that can discern a decent mining claim, worthy as
it may appear, still does not trump underlying natural rights The local office of Kinross may be looking for a new senior geologist, but Molycorps needs to search for new legal counsel.
Though mercury digs deeper and postulates: "The rights of the majority remain protected by the minority, even when the majority disavow these rights".
3.21.12 EPA Loses yet Another Lawsuit Supreme Court, once again, slams EPA for over-reaching regulations, inability to respect or understand constitutional restraints on government powers, and basic incompetence. Yet one more data point establishing a trend that confusion and incompetence at the EPA is overshadowed only by their graft, fraud, waste and abuse.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/46808695
3.20.12 US Housing Starts - Down again.
And this decline is from a 65+ year low. That's right, not a typo! New home starts are the worst they have been in the past seven decades.
http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=26
Even more worrisome, the Single Family Home construction charts are not leading the way, which typically happens during economic recovery. The money is only going into multi-unit apartments. That is housing for either those starting out in life on their own, or the poor/uneducated/jobless.
Guess which demographic is being catered to/planned for here?
Oh, but 'building permits' are up.
Reuters even got a woody and went so far on the weak limb of spring to report new 'green shoots'; hilarious!
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/19/ifr-preview-usa-idUSL1E8EJBHN20120319
Of COURSE 'permits' are up, those are reported figures easily made up by the pathologically lying bureaucrats.
What you CAN'T make up is obvious construction of stick houses and brick and mortar stores.
3.20.12 Bernanke: "Gold Standard would not solve problems".
Sure, not as long as he and criminal ilk were in charge of regulating it!
pretty much guaranteed to fail under those terms...
3.20.12 Today, a 7.9 Earthquake Simulation Drill was Scheduled for Chiapas at 12:00 pm
What actually happened? A 7.4 earthquake hit the very next state over, at just two minutes after schedule 12:02!
Just another coincidence, eh?
not unlike the 'exercises' planned for 9/11.
Remember the Air Force drill scheduled for 9.11.2001 - the one where airplanes would intentionally hit a building. That is, the reason no sorties were scrambled to intercept the plane headed for DC? Yah, I almost forgot about that one too...
Even Hitler couldn't have made up something that unbelievable and sold it to the volks, right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YME1BNu45KA&feature=related
3.20.12 US Mining Laws http://www.responsiblegold.org/laws.asp
3.20.12 US DOI Transfer Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement They just folded it under the BLM
News not yet on their web page, wiki, google, anywhere….
3.20.12 New Chief Poobah of Mining for State of Nv 3.20.12 They'll introduce one bill a month on 'cybersecurity' 'protection' 'freedom'
Until one passes...
Might you consider a wee bit o' support to EFF?
3.19.12 They Hate US for our Freedom Three year old child in wheelchair frisked, questioned, swabbed down to 'prove' he isn't a terrorist.
Of course, the way the TSA defines terrorist, we are ALL on that list...
Congratulations uneducated martyrs with box cutters (so the story goes), you won!
3.16.12 Solar Flare Effects on Price of Bullion? Well, I suppose it could happen... http://solarcycles.net/ultra-long-term-models/ 3.13.12 Cost Basis and Opportunity Costs: Factor When Evaluating Coin Financial Performance
NGC rated this the post of the month. Some good food for thought:
http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=5494446#Post5494446&utm_source=enews&utm_medium=enews&utm_campaign=ngc_enews_3_2012 3.9.12 CoinShows as a Barometer of the Coin/Tangible Asset Market? Ha, you might as well insert ‘brick and mortar’ store. Coin shows have been on the decline for 30 years, especially west of the Mississippi. Why drive an hour or more, pay for parking, pay for the entrance fee, hassle with the 1099 (if your purchases are limited to shows, your purchases are fewer – less spread out – therefore higher$$$), drive back in a traceable car to a fixed address (your house)? Haven’t you read about coin dealers getting carjacked back from a show? House Invasions of coin dealers? When, you can buy off ebay or a website with NONE of that hassle (true, there are other hassles, but not nearly as burdensome; don’t believe me – then ask those that stopped going to coin shows/coin stores. Furthermore, the coin shows have lost market presence due to proliferation of hotel buyers, gun shows and ‘cash for gold’ shops. Why pay full retail at a coin store when I can buy from a ‘cash for gold’ outfit that only started learning coin diagnostics 18-24 months ago? HELLO CHERRY PICKING!!! And the gun shows? Yah, I want the ATF photographing me and my license plate! (same for the coin show). PENULTIMATE LINE Heck, why even mess with paypal when you can swap on buy/sale/trade forums and craigslist. Setting up the parties online, closing the deal offline, with just you and the counterparty in the know?? BOTTOM LINE Do you want to measure the OCEAN? Don’t use a ruler…
3.912 Website Analytic Tools Free Analytic Sites http://www.urltrends.com Alexa.com They have been free for 10 solid years! How is that, who paid for all that bandwidth and infrastructure? Why, the CIA did – they are a front for the company. True. In fact, was just about 4 months ago they even developed a ‘pay-for’ package, mostly so folks like us would stop asking how they did everything for free! Google Analytics, free (with sign-up) but they report directly to NSA Of course, you will immediately recognize that your traffic analytics are driven by your site functionality and marketing. Site Functionality: Might as well start with the broken links: http://validator.w3.org/checklink Check out these design critiques: http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/ Marketing Analysis: Free, but require sign-in: http://www.clickdensity.com/ www.prchecker.info Page Rank is quite important I like this one, it provides quite a bit of information – even for sites that don’t set a cookie. Downside, I don’t know who is paying for it…. One important tool here is the key word analysis. It shows what web searches lead to your site. You then take these searches and tag your pages with those terms, which in turn drive up your page ranking and then traffic. Next, ‘Recent pageload activity’ is a goldmine of your visitors/customers. All kinds of good, solid, free info. For example, I just learned that almost 5% of my web visits are now from smartphones. This will drive my next page re-vamp/re-design. After a while, you need to graduate from the ‘free’ sites and may eventually purchase a statistical reporting package. Go to "control panel" or "my account" pages of your web hosting company. Downloadable programs, for a fee (which provides compensation to the authors) such as Webalizer orWusage will tell you what pages and sites are linking to your site by looking at the ‘referring URLs’ or ‘referring sites’ report. Next, download your web server's log files. These should be provided by your web hosting company in hte folder called logs or access_log, (which you download). If your hosting company doesn't provide log files find a better hosting company . Paid Sites http://webtrends.com/ http://www.websitepulse.com/ Hope you find that helpful,
3.6.12 California Department of Fish and Game Revising Regulations to Allow Suction Dredging Again Environmentalist are fighting the revisions, using the same poor scientifically invalid arguments. Here is a summary of the proposed changes. Comment period closed yesterday, though the CDFG may extend the deadline.
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/suctiondredge/
3.5.12 Chicago Paper Money Expo and Chicago International Coin Fair Starts tomorrow
3.3.12 The Moral underpinnings of Obamacare: Infanticide is Just as Desirable as Abortion Here the ‘liberal society’ lays out their ‘rationale’ http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2012/03/after-birth_abortions_the_new_choice.html Still waiting for their next installment: “Why killing nigger babies is more desirable than killing babies born near oxford” 3.3.12 CIA Asset Whistle Blower Speaks the truth about 911 http://2012indyinfo.com/2012/03/01/cia-asset-susan-lindauer-can-now-speaks-10-years-after-2001-9-11/ 3.1.12 Ron Paul and Honest Money Ron Paul has served quite well on the House Financial Services Committee for many years. He is chairman of the Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy. He has embarrassed the current and previous chairman of the federal reserve, running circles around their circular tripe; driving their silly arguments into the ground, exhibiting complete mastery of financial, monetary and fiscal policy and theory. Before that he helped/backed a number of coin and bullion dealers in the western US. The man has taught, laterally, hundreds of thousands of us the historical and proper place of gold and silver coinage within an economy. And some people think *he* is ‘confused’ and ‘dishonest’ on monetary issues? Appreciate the laughs!!! 3.1.12 Oooohh Berlin – The band Berlin scored a number of pot hits in the early 1980s. The singer, Terri Nunn, is one of the most amazing talents I have ever seen. In 1982 believe she had a four octave range. Her beauty is trumped by her passion, sense of self and talent. She will actually walk into the middle of her fans and basically let people put their hands all over her. Here she was in a street fair in Sacramento four years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmb9_UcYsaY&feature=related She developed a FULL FIVE OCTAVE range in her late 40s, still tours, still sells tickets. Here is Terri Last year AT AGE 50! Look at her body, but here the power, and TONE in her voice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8dADeG2xY4&feature=related At the end of the song do believe she hits that high A perfect and strong. So, with age maybe she is back down to *only* 4.5 octaves (otherwise she would have hit the C?). At my BEST – I had barely 2 octaves.. That woman is incredible - true underrated talent and fine specimen of humanity….
2.24.12 The Five Factors that Determine Collectability of Tangible Assets
Looking closer at the fifth factor – desirability – for paper collectibles. Desirability is similar to Rarity/Key piece, but the difference is that a rare or key piece is a known rarity to all who collect in that particular field. Desirability, on the other hand, is a quotient more specific to the particular collector. We buy/sell/collect/trade antique paper (ephemera) and have learned that a piece of paper that reminds someone of their youth, or hometown or otherwise provides an emotional response in the collector provides a high premium. Although the general population may not want, for example, a billhead or bank statement from OldTowne, Ohio – the people raised there, the history association, etc DO desire that piece of paper. What seems worthless to YOU or I, has a high value to THEM; sometimes surprisingly so. Desirability should not be confused with demand (for example, the 1909-S vdb Lincoln Cent or 1916-D Mercury Dime aren’t nearly as rare as some other esoteric issues, but they are common enough to produce a demand).
2.22.12 Global Warming Activist Admits his Perjury and Fraud In an effort to continue his larger pursuits of perjury and fraud
"...noted California scientist and environmental activist
(How can you be both?) has admitted that he assumed a false identity to obtain
and distribute internal documents from a libertarian group that questions
climate change. In a statement published on The Huffington Post, Peter
Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute...
And from the same Link:
Energy Institute of the University of Texas at Austin
finds no no direct link between fracking and groundwater contamination 2.22.12 Global Warming Activist Admits his Perjury and Fraud In an effort to continue his larger pursuits of perjury and fraud
"...noted California scientist and environmental activist
(How can you be both?) has admitted that he assumed a false identity to obtain
and distribute internal documents from a libertarian group that questions
climate change. In a statement published on The Huffington Post, Peter
Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute... 2.22.12 Forget Gold - Single 1961 Playboy pinup $8k (Heritage promo from last week) - Man finds 44 of top 100 Golden Age Comics cleaning out his uncle’s estate Worth about 2$ Million http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/unplugged/childhood-comic-collection-expected-fetch-2m-200923607.html 2.22.12 Bureau of Engraving and Printing make 1.4$B mistake Why the fuss? That crap is no different than any other of the garbage they produce. http://www.pmgnotes.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=1569&utm_source=enews&utm_medium=enews&utm_campaign=pmg_enews_2_2012 But, guarantee you this: A few of the crooked senior management (redundant) at that government boilerplate operation already salted away a few error notes for their private consideration and profit. 2.21.12 Back-of-the-Magazine Ads for Coins – Popular Mechanics 1949 There were several columns wanting to buy/sell stamps, less than one column for coins. Hope your dad/granpa chose the road less travelled (coins), and that you found this as interesting as did I… Popular Mechanics was previously an outstanding resource; now mostly a trite political piece of dung. Hard to determine what has devaluated quicker, the value of the nation's currency or public discourse... 2.21.12 Major Auction of Judean Coin collection upcoming via Heritage Look at their valuation: “between 200-750,000$. http://coins.ha.com/common/auction/catalog.php?SaleNo=3003&type=around-artnews-tem022112 They have no idea how to estimate this stuff” 2.20.11 NGC Certifies Rare 1854 Proof $10 Gold Coin Amazing the unknown rarities still floating around out there...
http://www.ngccoin.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=1568&utm_source=enews&utm_medium=enews&utm_campaign=ngc_enews_2_2012
2.20.11 Picked up a Great Book Ghosts of the Glory Trail - Intimate Glimpse into the past and present of 275 Western Ghosttowns. Nell Murbarger (Signed inside cover :Cordially, Nell Murbarger) First Edition). Desert Magazine Press, 1956. 291 pages.
275 Ghost Towns! There are only a couple dozen mining towns in the lower US 48 alive now! (and that is a generous figure).
I actually have two original photographs of Nell's. She was the photographer of Stanley Paher, the seminal ghosttown book publisher. These photos of Nell's look like they were taken while producing the book. I would love to increase my collection of these photographic out-takes, would provide even greater context.
2.20.11 GoldCorps Earnings Down (while revenue was up)
http://elkodaily.com/mining/goldcorp-earnings-down-in-quarter/article_5ee700ae-59c9-11e1-aecf-001871e3ce6c.html
Same story for Kinross. Not easy to make a living in the mining business...
2.20.11 Chicago Paper Money Expo and Chicago International Coin Fair 18th annual CPMX, March 8-11. Crowne Plaza O'Hare, 5440 N. River Rd., Rosemont, Ill. One of the highlights will be Lyn Knight's Chicago Paper Money Expo auction
2.8.11 GBG - Hollister bucks the production trend
Although gold production in Nv is generally down, Hollister
increased Au output in 2011: and mr. market creams the issue for 6%...
2.7.11 Do you Support online Piracy? The FBI suggests you are 'potentially engaged in terrorist activities'.
http://publicintelligence.net/do-you-like-online-privacy-you-may-be-a-terrorist/
2.7.11 Congress Approves Drones over the 'Homeland' 30,0000 drones in US airspace predicted by 2030
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/7/coming-to-a-sky-near-you/
Remember all those atrocities committed in Iraq and Afghanistan?
That was the training ground.
The real show is when those atrocities come to your town...
2.2.11 Nevada Gold Miners - Profit Up but Production Down A good thumb sketch presented here:
http://elkodaily.com/mining/royal-gold-s-net-income-up/article_53589c1c-4dcf-11e1-8fba-0019bb2963f4.html
Thanks again, Adella.
2.2.12 Most the GOP Cognoscenti are in Northern Nevada Right Now Rove, Romney, Paul, Santorum and minions.
The local MSM, Gannet, is pushing HARD the story that the economy is improving. They are doing everything possible to stem the tide and keep Nv from turning blue to red in the presidential election.
Amidst the constant barrage of lies, nary one word that a) the previous republican caucus in 2008 was an absolute criminal mockery or b) the vote-counter for Clark County, the most populous county in Nv, decided the winner of the previous Senate Race - a hard fought, dirty campaign.
And guess who won the senate race?
The ballot counters daddy!
True story...
(Chicago style politics, but with much better weather.)
2.2.12 Sold TSN @19.40 They creamed expectations today with an outstanding last quarter earnings. Managed to eke out 20% on the trade, but it took too long for my tastes. (Below was my analysis at the time of the buy).
Not too much has changed in the fundamentals EXCEPT the soft commodiy inputs, especially corn, have become much cheaper - boosting the poultry industry. As far as the next entry point - my guess is there should be a better buy when the 'bird flu' scam hits the news next; we are overdue.
2.2.12 Sold My Trade Position in SPY Up a little over 6% in three weeks is good enough for me. That level just around 126 it printed on 11.1.11 served as a triple top resistance, and now becomes a decent support (and potential re-entry).
2.2.12 Interesting Article on Mining Sands Looks like Financial Times has just added a section dedicated to the mining sector. Better late than never, eh? http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/dbff85de-4768-11e1-b847-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1lHPOT3P6
2.2.12 Stopped SOPA, but not ACTA or Sure, we stopped (well, we *delayed* SOPA).
The reality is that the bill will
be re-introduced every year until it passes.
And of course, in the interim, ACTA passed. More to the point, SOPA and ACTA are old news. Right NOW - this week - reps from nine countries are meeting this week, unreported by the MSM, in Beverly Hills. They are negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, which will further tighten the electronic noose. You haven't even heard of this, but YOU WILL COMPLY. 1.28.12 Somebody asked: What do I do with 50k$ loss through options? Great question. Not sure it applies to their situation specifically (since there were no details on type of options or circumstances), but for other readers:
Bookmark this resource: http://fairmark.com/forum/list.php?3 Have fun…. 1.26.12 2011 US GDP is 1.7% That is below required 2.5% to maintain employment numbers at a steady replacement rate. NOW, the ‘news’ confirms what the BOND market told you six months ago 2011 GDP: Real GDP increased 1.7 percent in 2011 (that is, from the 2010 annual level to the 2011 annual level), compared with an increase of 3.0 percent in 2010. http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/gdp/gdpnewsrelease.htm 1.26.12 MSHA Fines Stillwater Mine Montana http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/01/27/national/a075849S29.DTL 1.25.12 EPA Mandatory Vehicle Testing in Alaska Now recognized to be a waste of 30 years and taxpayer money.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/01/11/135516/epa-agrees-to-end-emmisions-testing.html
The legislature fights to keep the program going, protecting those that line their pockets.
1.25.12 Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 27-29, 2012 - Heritage Auction Appraisals Heritage Auctions will be at the California Historical Society to seek out quality collectibles for upcoming auctions.
Free verbal appraisals, Friday and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at 678 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94105. For specific details, please call 1-866-835-3243. 1.25.12 What to Do with the Troops Returning from Iraq? Have them train on YOU! US Troops to conduct citizen roundup exercises in Los Angeles http://www.kfiam640.com/pages/NEWS.html?article=9653697#ixzz1kTNkgusv 1.25.12 Google Considers You as a Tool No longer any opt-out considerations, if you use their product –you are acquiescing to their use of your database/profiling AGAINST you. Don’t use google search, there are much better products that DONT save your searches and DON’T build a database against you: - Dogpile - Gigablast- - Ixquick- - Scroogle Unfortunately, google owns Youtube. (Their browser Chrome sucks anyway, so that isn’t an issue) Thankfully, even the paid off stooges in the federal bureaucracy are now considering anti-trust actions against google. About time! 1.25.12 Iran Gold Stolen http://www.commodityonline.com/news/iran-banned-from-trading-gold-and-silver-45421-3-1.html The US and England (‘The City’) will not allow Iran to trade their gold anymore. No doubt, anything that Iran previously ‘stored’ in London or Under the World Trade Center was stolen long ago. Someday YOU will be a ‘rogue entity’ for claiming ownership of your gold. 1.25.12 Counterfeit is a Tool Of War
http://www.pmgnotes.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?NewsletterNewsArticleID=1533&utm_source=enews&utm_medium=enews&utm_campaign=pmg_enews_1_2012
So, if the Chinese are flooding the US with fake silver coinage, then it follows that...
1.22.12 The Police State Must Exert More Public Displays of Force
b.c. they know they have lost much public support. 1.21.12 Exploration Heat's up in the Bullfrog District Near Beatty Nevada.
I remember when it shut down one of the gents involved with the project said it would take gold over $1,000 for the Bullfrog to come back to life.
Sure enough.
Even more interesting, another bloke who knows told me that some of the Tonopah deposits start to become economic again with Silver at $100
Right NOW, land is cheap again...
1.21.12 General Moly Inc.'s proposed Mt. Hope Molybdenum Moving Forward That mine would have a 44-year life! Incredibly long timespan.
http://elkodaily.com/mining/blm-hearing-on-mt-hope-draws-full-house/article_9658cd46-42ff-11e1-a890-001871e3ce6c.html
1.21.12 Having trouble with your wireless/router? We were having trouble, getting booted off our router. Turns out that is b.c. we were using channel six, which is the default. We moved to a different channel. There is some great
software, free download, we use to identify Wi-Fi presence in the area
is called inSSIDer. 1.20.21 Stop SOPA When we notified Go Daddy that we were withdrawing the 8 domains we had registered with them, they sent a note. The note in effect stated that they were hopeful a better draft bill would be introduced. Of course, that was a bald faced lie since they had supported the existing bill. We now use Dreamhost.
By the time thousands of others moved away from Go Daddy they belatedly backed away from supporting the bill (at least in public).
Glad to see firms like Go Daddy and Netflix take it up the gas pipe, immediately, when they deserve such..
1.20.12 For the US Troops Returning from Iraq - What will become of them? There are no jobs, so they simply will receive a new assignment - Mexico.
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/one-mexican-state-bordering-us-was-deadlier-all-afghanistan-last-year
Closer to home = a war easier to manage.
1.17.12 For Those Frustrated that Occupy Wall Street Could not Emote a Cohesive Economic Message,
Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ngs-tOybJc&list=PL2B840843A7266F42&index=3&feature=plpp_video
OWS has not been able to develop any of their own economic dogma and therefore they have, at least the zeitgist arm has, simply adopted the re-hashed tripe of the Venus Project.
Basically, those that have nothing want to eliminate private property - mostly by stealing what you have and giving to those who are more 'needy'. Don't worry if this just sounds like communism, the computers will make the decision, not autocrats!
Oh yah, they also want to replace your country, religion, ethics and belief system with a new paradigm (basically, what they saw on Star Trek - Next Generation)
More funny than sad?
1.10.12 MSHA just shut down the Lucky
Friday Mine for one year 1.10.12 America's Debt - A Graphic Display Great page by the Pew Trust showing the increases in US debt over the past decade.
Read it and weep...
1.10.12 Interior Department fiat decree overturn Legal Right to Mine Lockup of uranium deposits in Arizona extended from three years to Two Decades.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/01/09/135327/interior-dept-bans-new-uranium.html
Salazar should be in prison for, at a minimum, Minerals
Management Service conducted directly before and during the Deepwater Horizon
gulf oil spill.
1.9.12 Very Strong Showing by Ron Paul Strong second place in New Hampshire and Third place in Iowa.
When I campaigned for the man in 1988 he had the support of only about 2% of the population. His message had spread wide and far and especially resonates with the younger crowd. That provides great hope for our country.
Of course now the press can't ignore the message - the genie is out of the bottle.
Who is behind the effort to misrepresent and slander Ron Paul: -The mainstream press -Mainstream political establishment -Military Industrial Complex -Private Prison Industry -Pharmaceutical and GMO Industries -International Drug Cartels - Banking Cartels
Who supports Ron Paul? -Young Americans -Those opposing the war on drugs/citizens (especially those of color) -Anyone that doesn’t believe we should be fighting multiple illegal wars on foreign soil for the oligarchs. -We who oppose the growing authoritarian police state in the US. - Proponents of honest money Well, pick your side…
1.5.12
Consignment Deadline for Knight Currency Auction Jan. 12
Consignment deadline for Lyn Knight Currency Auctions' Chicago Paper
Money Expo is January 12. 1.2.12 2012 Prognosis: Deflaglation (show me where I am wrong, please) (Part 1) Investing for Yield -2012 Right now investors are chasing yield, and are more desperate for this yield than anytime in the last 30 years, at least. TIPS Treasury Inflation Protected Security (TIPS) is a government bond that pays a base coupon (interest) rate and an inflation index modifier on top of the base rate (applied to your original basis [invested amount[). The inflation modifier is based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Workers (CPI-U) which presumably reflects the decrease in urban worker purchase power. Right now, the base rate on the last offering (the 4-month TIPS dated 12.30.11) is 0.125 but the inflation index modifier will actually create a loss on your basis (based on the rigged CPI-U, for a NEGATIVE yield. The previous offering (last quarter) also had a negative yield. This quarter’s negative yield was the largest in recent history, the trend is getting worse. Another problem is that these securities are rolled into indices sold as mutual funds on the secondary market, which creates price imbalances regarding their actual yield. In other words, you can loan the government your money for four months and have LESS returned to you (you pay $107 to receive $100) after the four months is up than you originally invested! Negative money velocity – another indicator of deflation. See here: http://www.treasurydirect.gov/RI/OFNtebnd I-Bond (Part 2) The Series I (Inflation) Bond actually preserves capital because your basis is guaranteed to not go down. Furthermore, because these are not sold on the secondary market they are not subject to the same market-induced price fluctuations. Currently the I-Bond is paying NO core rate and about a 3.0 percent 1-year inflation rate. So, between these two short term government offerings, you can either choose to break even or lose your money. Great choices, eh? You can go longer out on the yield curve, taking more risk, for extremely little more return on your money. Folks are doing JUST that, and have pushed the ugly 30-year bond up to obscene levels with yield lower than dirt. Why is that? Deflaglation Well, go back to the TIPS negative yield. Even with a 3% CPI-U, the yield is negative. Why would folks buy this? Well, truth is the little folks don’t – the big boys do. And the big boys are saying that the 3% supposed rate of inflation is fine when the growth rate (Gross Domestic Product) is positive; that is, the economy is expanding. However, a 3% CPI-U is not so hot when the actual inflation rate is 5%. But, the big boys are saying the expected inflation rate will not be 5% (otherwise they would be putting their money in the soft commodities like they did in 2009-2010). Instead, the major money is stating that the inflation rate is ACTUALLY about 3%, but the supposed 3% GDP IS A LIE. The CAKE Lies. The reason the short term TIPS yield is negative is because the inflation rate is actually LARGER than the GDP. Nasty DEFLAGLATION! More proof in the pudding…(Part 3) So, just where is the money flowing right now? For the last quarter, much of it has gone into the long term bonds. Let’s look at TLT [ISHARES Barclays + Year Treasury Bond Fund (TLT:NYSE)] as a proxy. Look at the five year chart. You can see the flow into US Securities during the financial panic of 2008. Last year, 2011, provided another financial semi-panic, more of a longer drawn out process in Europe. You see the same effect pointed out in the chart as money flowed into US Securities. Now the TLT is making another all time long term high, a double chart, at the same level the spike of 2008 provided. Would YOU put your nest egg there NOW? Looks like plenty of folk are afraid of doing just that (based on declining volume into this spike). Critical juncture; at a point where it could break hard either way with both potential signaling (or reacting to) a major market shock (major Europe or Mideast shock). Clearly money has flowed into the dollar, given the multiple travesties in Europe, more specifically US Dollar-denominated bonds. Is TLT really going to break out from here? Will the 30 year bond run now have a massive blow-off parabolic top? That would portend mass problems somewhere – a volcanic eruption in the euro land or war in the mid-east. The other side of that coin is a sure but slow slide into oblivion, as we have been experiencing. One indicator to look here is one of the interest rate sensitive bellwether securities, Annaly Capital Mortgage (NLY: NYSE). This major publically traded real estate Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) is impacted by mortgage rates as a function of interests rates, the underlying equities markets AND the GDP, since increase or contraction in the economy drives property rental trends. NLY has displayed a nice dis-correlation with TLT and has had a recent selloff after a remarkably steady two year price performance. NLY looks primed to break harder from here, either direction, as both 14 and 18 provide strong price pivots and support/resistance. For my money, I would bet NLY will rise from here, with the underlying equity markets, for the next quarter, maybe two. This would correspond with an expected pullback in the US Dollar after a very nice run. However, after that correction the US Dollar may well make another significant move up. Hence, the action in these five instruments (4 month TIPS, 20 (TLT) and 30 year US Note and Bond funds, NLY, and USD) suggest to me that the next quarter to two will have a decent run up into summer, selling off significantly in the summer, and then gradually rising into the end of the year. Against this background gold should continue a rise, along with the USD as the two better performers over the next 12 months. The difference is that the USD is experiencing a cyclical bull within a larger secular bear whereas gold continues to move up as a secular bull.ish move. In Sum Volatility should only increase overall. In short, these important bellweathers would portend similar – if difficult – equity, bond and dollar performance to what occurred in 2011 = deflaglation.
1.1.2012 Over 40,000 new laws take effect today. They hate us for our freedom...
1.1.2012 2011 Financial Results The benchmark US index, the S&P (SPX), represented ended the year down a fraction of a point. Fisher Investments predicted an up year of 8%, but were wrong. The third year presidential signal, and the superbowl indicator were also wrong. Gold ended the year UP 10%, up for the 11th year in a row. Bond prices have now been up for 30 years in a row. Silver was down 8.6%. The ones that did best were gold investors, or those that took a percentage of every transaction that you made during the year. 1.1.2012 Someone Asked about acid-treating coins (he seemed to have a basic safety understanding, so I replied. Here was my response: Hello, what you are referring to is ‘acid dating’ and yes, if fairly common on SLQ and Buffalo. An acid date SL quarter or Buff can find tougher dates, which typically retails for about 25%-33% of a Good 4 date. So, many collectors find it fun and occasionally profitable since the rare dates are still worth $$. For that reason, you might add very worn Barber quarters to find the 96s, 01s, 13s. The SLQ in my opinion aren’t worth the time b.c. 1) you can tell the 1916 by diagnostics even w/o a date and 2) That leaves the 21 and even the 23s – which just aren’t worth that much restored. It becomes a numbers game. Commercially there is something widely used for Buffs called ‘nic-a-date’. Of course, the treatment acid on the Buff is different than the treatment for silver since in the Buffs you are basically eating away nickel to leave more copper. In silver it is more of a technique application to etch the field more than you etch the diagnostic (date/mm) Be forewarned that all these acid treatments leave the tell tale ‘black scum’. So, you will either have a really ugly coin or need to conduct second and third treatments to blend the acid treated surface against the rest of the coin. My suggestion, given your chemistry background, is to develop and use your own acid formulations, start with the weakest acetic, etc and keep notes. You will find differing acids and molarities may have a more pleasing affect on various coin surface condition. You might have a look at this guy’s experience to start. http://buffaloreincarnations.com/about/restoration.php
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