AMAZON - Amazing what you can purchase & at great prices too! Links to Amazon UK and Canada

And for those in the US - Amazon Shopping

Friday, December 31, 2010

S&P 500 winners and losers in 2010

FACTBOX-S&P 500 winners and losers in 2010 Reuters

Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions

Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions Of 2010 Glassdoor.com Blog

Most Popular Charts of 2010 - THe Economist

Economist Mag: Most Popular Charts of 2010

Effective tax rates

Which government takes the biggest bite out of an income of $100,000?
Effective tax rates: Let's get fiscal The Economist

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Florida in Chill

Miami is experiencing its coldest December in 115 years. Global warming?
South Florida at Play - Sun, Sand and Chill - NYTimes.com

Surprises for 2011 from Doug Kass

Interesting thinking on what could happen - it would be a big surprise.
Surprises for 2011 from Doug Kass

Baby boomers near 65 with retirements in jeopardy

They were spending, not saving. Bet ya they want you to bail them out!
Baby boomers near 65 with retirements in jeopardy - Yahoo! News

Sunday, December 26, 2010

10 Traits That Make You Filthy-Rich

Patience - for both spending money and investing,
Satisfaction -be careful about spending money, don't waste it on nonessentials,
Organization - don't waste money on late fees, interest etc
Discipline - Save you income e.g. pay yourself 10% off the top
Reflectiveness - think about it
Creativity - be prudent - make things last, stay out of debt, don't over spend
Curiosity - learn, study, improve
Risk taking - calculated risks
Goals - set goals its a road map
Work Smart & Hard

10 Traits That Make You Filthy-Rich - TheStreet

Deepwater Horizon’s Final Hours - NYTimes.com

Very good story on the Horizon's final hours and the people who where there.
Deepwater Horizon’s Final Hours - NYTimes.com

Saturday, December 25, 2010

‘Managed nationalism’ turns nasty for Putin

Most interesting what is going on in Russia. I did not realize. The baseball bat sales are 4 bats for every baseball sold; and the top selling bat is the aluminium bat; it is the weapon of choice.
FT.com / Europe - ‘Managed nationalism’ turns nasty for Putin

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Unmasking The Unintended Consequences Of US Central Planning

Government policies - stupid, time and time again. Do we learn? No, since there appears to be no costs. However, there is cost, more debt that someone will have to pay some day, or standard of living reduced. America and Western World does not live by principles, but short term thinking. This by some smart men which are just plain stupid.
Unmasking The Unintended Consequences Of US Central Planning zero hedge

Monday, December 20, 2010

Did The Price Of Oil Help Cause The Financial Crisis Of 2008? Will Surging Oil Prices Soon Spark Another Financial Crisis?

Did The Price Of Oil Help Cause The Financial Crisis Of 2008? Will Surging Oil Prices Soon Spark Another Financial Crisis?

Spanish "Ghost Towns", Shadow Inventory, Cooked Books; Spain's 2011 Real Estate Funding Crisis

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis: Spanish "Ghost Towns", Shadow Inventory, Cooked Books; Spain's 2011 Real Estate Funding Crisis

State Budgets: Day of Reckoning

State Budgets: Day of Reckoning - 60 Minutes - CBS News

Gold Stocks in a Failing Fiat Currency

Gold Stocks in a Failing Fiat Currency - Casey Research

Wikileaks Warns on Bank Of America: 'Place Your Funds Somewhere Safer'

Wikileaks Warns on Bank Of America: 'Place Your Funds Somewhere Safer'

10 Trends for 2011 by Gerald Celente

10 Trends for 2011 by Gerald Celente

The mini ice age starts here | Mail Online

Global warming....Not
DAVID ROSE: The mini ice age starts here Mail Online

As Soros' Gold 'Bubble' Hits Record, Many See It Floating Even Higher

As Soros' Gold 'Bubble' Hits Record, Many See It Floating Even Higher

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Govt Spending Now vs FDR

I am not a fan of FDR, however, his programs were lot smarter than of Bush and of the current govt and Congress and Senate.  Yes, it was govt programs, but at least they produced something and kept men employed.  Current programs, do not produce any thing and kept men unemployed.  It is an ugly shame; and just plain stupid.  

Bail outs for the banks and Wall Street.  Nothing for the people. 

Govt is to be of the people for the people.   But money rules and the people are fooled. 


From Stock Tiger: 

In March 1933 president Franklin D Roosevelt issued an executive order establishing the Civilian Conservation Corps CCC. This was an incredibly smart and useful thing to do at the time and one that would reap rewards over all the years that have followed. The program was planned to employ 250,000 young men from 18 to 20 years old to work in the areas of soil erosion, flood control and other manual labor that could in the long run greatly benefit the country and in the short run help to relieve some of the unemployment problem. They were given housing, food and medical attention and were paid $30 per month with a mandatory $22-$25 of that sent to their family. By July of that year there were already over 1400 working camps with 250,000 workers. Because of favorable public opinion of this program, by 1935 the program was expanded to the age of 28 and over 500,000 enrollees were employed in about 2900 camps with 82% of Americans in favor of this program. Over the years this program was expanded to include a mandatory minimum of 10 hours a week of vocational and academic training to prepare workers for work once they left the program. Generally, workers signed up for a minimum of six months work with the possibility of staying for up to two years. The official program ended in 1942 but this became like a model which is still used today in various conservation programs throughout the country. During the time of this program the workers planted about 3 billion trees to help reforest America and they constructed more than 800 parks nationwide with thousands of miles of public roadways. America now has some incredibly beautiful national and state parks with thousands of miles of well constructed trails produced during this period. Though this program ended over 60 years ago the benefits continue. There are over 30 million RV enthusiasts supporting a myriad of businesses basically made possible by the work done in these programs.


Since the current economic crisis began the Fed has spent over $3 trillion in loans, bailouts and stimulus programs. The Fed is run by the banks so it is logical that they used this money for their own members' benefit instead of doing something that would directly help the country's citizens but congress has allowed this. In 1933 the country had a much smaller population and the economy was such that the $30 per month payment was agreed upon. If the government established a temporary worker program today perhaps they would have to pay $3000 per month but this money instead of going to banks, for them to use investing in the stock market, would go directly to the people and then into the the general economy benefiting everybody, including the banks. Goldman Sachs who received TARP money makes up to $100 million a day in stock trading profits benefiting no average American and certainly not benefiting the millions of unemployed and over 40 million living in poverty. It is difficult to get a reliable figure as to how many people are unemployed at the moment. There will always be a small percentage that are unemployed by choice, maybe temporarily or maybe due to health reasons. If the government were to now establish a work program for temporary relief of course not nearly all people could qualify for various work due to skill set sets and other reasons. For illustration purposes let's use the 14 million figure which is about how many are currently unemployed. To pay each of them $3000 per month would cost $504 billion per year or about $96 billion less than the Fed is proposing to spend only through June in buying government treasuries. If they used this money in a productive way, as seen here, you would have immediate results, at least temporarily. This money instead of being hoarded by banks would go directly into the economy and over time spark many new businesses which would then be in competition with the government for workers. It is a shame and so typical that the government does the opposite of what it should do when faced with a problem.

The US imports oil while natural gas sits unused as they say there is not a good piping distribution system to deliver it where needed. Perfect - a work program to create a nationwide delivery system and say goodbye to imported oil. President Kennedy launched an industry to put a man on the moon in 10 years creating hundreds of companies and thousands of jobs and some of that was really rocket science. Laying some pipes around with the help of some of the 14 million unemployed is not but the administration and congress instead extended payments to unemployed people with no work requirement so the country sees no lasting benefit.

Through all this the stock market though is up......which IMMHO does not make sense....but it will in time and then everyone will be surprised. 

Beware Europe: “Threat from Islamic terrorists"

Beware Europe: “Threat from Islamic terrorists will grow and escalate in 2011” – Dr. Rohan Gunaratna Asian Tribune

Friday, December 17, 2010

Deutsche Bank's Lewis: Buy Gold Because It's Still Cheap

Deutsche Bank's Lewis: Buy Gold Because It's Still Cheap

World Collapse Explained in 3 Minutes

British explains the European economies
YouTube - World Collapse Explained in 3 Minutes

Falling Forward: America’s Loss of Direction Since the End of the Cold War

Gonzalo Lira: Falling Forward: America’s Loss of Direction Since the End of the Cold War

Summary of Latest Federal Individual Income Tax Data

Interesting data....the top 50% pays for 97% of the govt spending

The top 5 % of taxpayers pays 60% of the govt spending; as well, the % being paid is up over the years, even though there has been tax cuts. Hmmmm.....lower tax rates = higher tax revenues. Its the facts.

The Tax Foundation - Summary of Latest Federal Individual Income Tax Data

Tipping Point: 25 Signs That The Coming Financial Collapse Is Now Closer Than Ever

Tipping Point: 25 Signs That The Coming Financial Collapse Is Now Closer Than Ever

The New Normal? Bond Managers Buying Stocks. The Reformed Broker

The New Normal? Bond Managers Buying Stocks. The Reformed Broker

Gold to reach $1800 - probably in Q1 2011 - James Turk

Mineweb.com - The world's premier mining and mining investment website Gold to reach $1800 - probably in Q1 2011 - James Turk - GOLD ANALYSIS Mineweb

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Stocks may fly as fear fades | Reuters

Stocks may fly as fear fades Reuters

Wave goodbye to Internet freedom - Washington Times

The US FCC plans to regulate the internet to ensure freedom.  Right! 
EDITORIAL: Wave goodbye to Internet freedom - Washington Times

Silver as an investment

Silver as an investment
Kitco - Commentaries - Sean Rakhimov

Four Ways to Sidestep Ireland's Woes and Profit From the EU's Economic Muscle - Seeking Alpha

Four Ways to Sidestep Ireland's Woes and Profit From the EU's Economic Muscle - Seeking Alpha

Tighter food supplies, high prices to persist | Reuters

Tighter food supplies, high prices to persist Reuters

Scary Picture: Spiraling U.S. debt

Scary Picture: Spiraling U.S. debt » Investment Postcards from Cape Town

Dennis Gartman's Top 3 Trades for 2011

CNBC's Fast Money: Dennis Gartman's Top 3 Trades for 2011 - CNBC

Gold Fever Infects Already Ailing Economy

Gold Fever Infects Already Ailing Economy - NYTimes.com

Mounting State Debts Stoke Fears of a Looming Crisis

Does not look good. Where is man's intelligence?
Mounting State Debts Stoke Fears of a Looming Crisis - NYTimes.com

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

What to Wear When Using US Airports

What to wear when using US airports.

4thamendmentwear

what to do if cops pull you over

Good to know (in the US anyway)

#/v/4440575/what-to-do-if-cops-pull-you-over/?playlist_id=157991

Investment Outlook - Allentown

Great article. The developed countries are financially tapped out, thus demand for more stuff (goods and services) is not growing. The developing countries do not have the financial systems, but have people that are working for less than the developed world. Thus jobs are moving from the developed countries to undeveloped. This is equalizing the world, and the standard of the living for the developed world is dropping and will continue to do so at a faster pace. The developed world solution, is not an economic one of getting a handle on it (eg less debt and more productive), but one of printing money and adding debt. This "solution" only makes the depression worst.

PIMCO Investment Outlook - Allentown

US Inflation Could Spark Global Unrest

David Skarica: US Inflation Could Spark Global Unrest