Precious Metals in the News

Gold to $57,000, Silver Even More? Interview of Adrian Douglas Part 1 of 2

Gold to $57,000, Silver Even More? Interview of Adrian Douglas Part 2 of 2

The Super Simple Case for $175 Ounce Silver

THE MADNESS OF A LOST SOCIETY: Part 1 & Part 2 FINAL WARNINGS

Utah Considers Return to Gold, Silver Coins

It's been nearly 80 years since the U.S. stopped using gold coins as legal currency, and nearly 40 since the world abandoned the gold standard, but the precious metal could be making a comeback in the United States -- beginning in Utah

The Utah House was to vote as early as Thursday on legislation that would recognize gold and silver coins issued by the federal government as legal currency in the state. The coins would not replace the current paper currency but would be used and accepted voluntarily as an alternative. 

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/03/utah-considers-return-gold-silver-coins/#ixzz1FplGyiCf

Why the Dollar's Reign Is Near an End

The single most astonishing fact about foreign exchange is not the high volume of transactions, as incredible as that growth has been. Nor is it the volatility of currency rates, as wild as the markets are these days.

Consider this: When a South Korean wine wholesaler wants to import Chilean cabernet, the Korean importer buys U.S. dollars, not pesos, with which to pay the Chilean exporter. Indeed, the dollar is virtually the exclusive vehicle for foreign-exchange transactions between Chile and Korea, despite the fact that less than 20% of the merchandise trade of both countries is with the U.S.

Chile and Korea are hardly an anomaly: Fully 85% of foreign-exchange transactions world-wide are trades of other currencies for dollars. What's more, what is true of foreign-exchange transactions is true of other international business. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries sets the price of oil in dollars. The dollar is the currency of denomination of half of all international debt securities. More than 60% of the foreign reserves of central banks and governments are in dollars.

The greenback, in other words, is not just America's currency. It's the world's.

But as astonishing as that is, what may be even more astonishing is this: The dollar's reign is coming to an end.

I believe that over the next 10 years, we're going to see a profound shift toward a world in which several currencies compete for dominance.

The impact of such a shift will be equally profound, with implications for, among other things, the stability of exchange rates, the stability of financial markets, the ease with which the U.S. will be able to finance budget and current-account deficits, and whether the Fed can follow a policy of benign neglect toward the dollar.

Read More at:   http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703313304576132170181013248.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read

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As I'm sure you all have been watching, silver is now up and over the mythical $35.00 ounce mark, this happened much faster than I anticipated, I still believe silver to be a solid investment/commodity for insurance of personal wealth and diversification there-of; however, we are quickly coming to a point where silver will no longer be as "cheap" as it is today, as the saying goes, "get it while you can."

This Week's Random Musings

There are a few notable items of interest this week; however, these struck me as sticking out the most.

Terror Threat 'Most Heightened' Since 9/11, Napolitano Says

 "The terrorist threat facing our country has evolved significantly in the last ten years -- and continues to evolve -- so that, in some ways, the threat facing us is at its most heightened state since those attacks," she said before the House Homeland Security Committee.

Source:  http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/janet-napolitano-warns-terror-threat-heightened-sept-11/story?id=12874207

No, not really.  Nothing has recently changed in the past several years, home grown terrorism has always be viewed as a larger threat than external terrorism forces.  So why this statement from DHS at this time?  Well, that's easy, because Congress just voted down part of the unconstitutional Patriot Act, taking big government advocates by surprise.  So in retaliation, big government trotted out the specter of fear.  Once again, this is not about keeping you safe from terrorism, it never has been, it is about keeping you under the control of big government.

US lawmakers clash on Patriot Act measures

WASHINGTON — US lawmakers clashed Friday over how long to extend key provisions of a controversial surveillance law, designed to help authorities thwart terrorist plots, before they expire at month's end.

At issue were three core measures in the Patriot Act adopted in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist strikes to fill what the government complained were gaps in its abilities to track and catch extremists.

The provisions allow authorities to use roving wiretaps to track an individual on several telephones; track a non-US national suspected of being "lone-wolf" terrorist not tied to an extremist group; and to seize personal or business records seen as critical to an investigation

Source:  http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i53OCgmRV-LgD9bcuzdXwyvKoXRA?docId=CNG.b31639fa6d87c5c3f1e98f48717cb3b9.61

Notable Videos:

CALIFORNIA DEATH SPIRAL : L.A. Cinematographer Wakes Up - 1 of 2

 CALIFORNIA DEATH SPIRAL : L.A. Cinematographer Wakes Up - 2 of 2

A couple of notable videos.

SchiffRadio.com Exclusive! Peter Wallison of FCIC says investigation was COOKED! [Part 1]

SchiffRadio.com Exclusive! Peter Wallison of FCIC says investigation was COOKED! [Part 2]

Peter J. Wallison, a codirector of AEI's program on financial policy studies, researches banking, insurance, and securities regulation. As general counsel of the U.S. Treasury Department, he had a significant role in the development of the Reagan administration's proposals for the deregulation of the financial services industry. He also served as White House counsel to President Ronald Reagan and is the author of Ronald Reagan: The Power of Conviction and the Success of His Presidency (Westview Press, 2002). His other books include Competitive Equity: A Better Way to Organize Mutual Funds (2007); Privatizing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks (2004); The GAAP Gap: Corporate Disclosure in the Internet Age (2000); and Optional Federal Chartering and Regulation of Insurance Companies(2000). He also writes for AEI's Financial Services Outlook series.  http://www.aei.org/scholar/58

SchiffRadio.com Exclusive! Charles Blahous admits Social Security is a PONZI SCHEME!

Charles Paul "Chuck" Blahous III (born 1963) is a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and a Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, specializing in domestic economic policy, a U.S. public trustee for the Social Security and Medicare programs,[1][2] and a former (2001–2007) Special Assistant to US President George W. Bush for Economic Policy within the National Economic Council whose Deputy Director he was in 2007-2008. He lives in Rockville, Maryland.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Blahous

Survivalist Jim Rawles On Peter Schiff Radio 02/03/11 (part 1)

Survivalist Jim Rawles On Peter Schiff Radio 02/03/11 (part 2)

 

Survivalism expert Jim Rawles on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory 11 Mar. 2010  This is an older video (obviously); however,  for those of you who are new to Rawles and "prepping", this videohas a lot of information in one segment.

 I've been a follower of Jim Rawles for a few years now, his books and blog are top notch, both have more information than you can possibly take in and I've yet to find much fault with his methods. Rawles website is www.survivalblog.com

             James Wesley Rawles is a survivalist-fiction author, blogger, and survival retreat consultant. Rawles is a Christian conservative. He is the editor of SurvivalBlog.com, a blog on survival and preparedness topics. Rawles is the author of the survivalist novel Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Wesley_Rawles

Self Reliance is Freedom.

In this day and age, self reliance is nearly a forgotten art. It is my opinion that if more Americans became self reliant, we would have far fewer problems. It seems to me that far too many Americans believe it is the duty of the government to take care of them, nothing could be further from the truth. Here are a couple of my favorite quotes illustrating that point.

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." - Gerald Ford

"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." - Ronald Reagan

"The federal government has taken too much tax money from the people, too much authority from the states, and too much liberty with the Constitution." - Ronald Reagan

"Every time that we try to lift a problem from our own shoulders, and shift that problem to the hands of the government,to the same extent we are sacrificing the liberties of our people." - John F. Kennedy

"[W]hat more is necessary to make us a happy and prosperous people? . . . a wise and frugal government . . . which shall leave [men] free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned." - Thomas Jefferson

I could go on forever with the quotes, but I think you understand my point. My point is that EVERY American should be doing EVERYTHING within their power to ensure they are self sufficient or at least self reliant.

In that vein of thought, one day I was thinking about the scenario of an economic collapse such as what happened in the Wiemar Republic or the 2001 economic collapse of Argentina. What about the social collapses we are currently seeing in Greece, Spain, Ireland, England, Egypt? What would happen to you if you were not able to turn on a switch and have heat and light? Could you keep your family warm and fed? Now most of us "preppers" address that in some way shape or form, I have a few kerosene heaters, good ones too, but what if the kerosene pumps are dry? In that case, I have propane heaters, grill, and camp stoves, which are great, until the propane tanks run dry and you can't purchase more, what then?

Well I have a fireplace, but the problem with newer zero clearance prefabricated builders grade fireplaces is that they really aren't fireplaces, but more of a decoration. They are about 3% efficient and honestly don't heat worth a damn.

So, I was pondering all this and while doing so remembering the prepper axiom, "two is one, and one is none." Which means a person should have multiple redundant capabilities. It occurred to me that a wood burning stove would be the perfect solution for heating my house and for cooking. So, I went about researching wood burning stoves and found that most are 70-80% efficient (compared to the fireplace which is 3% efficient) and require 1/3 of the wood as a fireplace needs. I settled on the Regency F3100 large wood burning stove (http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Wood/Wood-Stoves/F3100.aspx).

Here are a couple of its specs:

Maximum BTU 80,000
Log Size 21"
Burn Time up to 10 hrs
Optimum Efficiency 75.40%
Firebox Capacity 2.9 cu. ft.
Emissions (gms/hr) 4.19
View Area 183 sq. in.
Room Size 3500 sq. ft

Here are some photos of the progress so far:

  This is what we started with, it was nice to look at, but wasn't very functional.

  Demolition

"Class A" chimney pipe installed

Rock board installed.

The rock board was "mudded," the carpet removed, and fire board was laid.

Hearth stones laid and some of the chimney rocks put on wall.

 ***UPDATE*** WE'RE DONE!!!  All that's left is for the mortar to cure.  We will also be adding some wood trim to the perimeter of the hearth stones, to finish the look and to save our toes.

With the stove I've noticed that while I'm burning the HVAC units never turn on, ever.  Also, with the stove burning, the temps in my house are usually 72F upstairs and 70F downstairs at 1/2 to 2/3 capacity, I could open the air intake fully, but that would honestly put out too much heat and go through wood quicker than necessary, reducing its efficiency.  The only place this stove really doesn't heat well is the basement, which I expected.  When I rely solely on my HVAC units for heat, they run at 66-68F and they run constantly, as they run I can hear the cash register in my head; cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching.  Why not put that money into making yourself self reliant, instead of giving to your local power company?

Not only will this little beauty ensure I will always have a way of keeping my family warm, a method for cooking and baking, ensuring I can put hot food in my families bellies, but it also drastically cuts down the amount of electricity I use, therefore slashing my electric bill during the winter.  Not bad for one little investment.  Also, I've noticed the stove puts out a deep, bone warming heat, not like the barely tepid air slowly spewing from your HVAC registers, but a true warmth.

My point is that every American needs to take stock of their lives, what they have, and what they would need to ensure they could survive, at least for awhile, without the aid of government.  Are you capable?  Are you ready?  Take one facet of your daily living, then think how you can invest your money in making that facet completely autonomous, when we give ourselves the ability to be self reliant, we are giving ourselves freedom .

Gold and Silver Market Manipulation...

Interesting thoughts on JP Morgan's manipulation of the gold and silver markets, what it might mean for you, today.  Introduction to "the Pilgrims."

THE SILVER STEALERS : Skull & Bones, Meet the Pilgrims

DEATH OF THE DOLLAR... & BULLION CONFISCATION?

I got this blurb from "Special K." on the Pilgrim Society:

The Pilgrims Society is a British-American society established 1902. The patron of the society is Queen Elizabeth II.  The Pilgrims Society members consist of the wealthiest businessman and the most influential politicians.  It was erected over a century ago and meets at least 2 or 3 times a year. Still, 99% of the world has never heard of it. The primary purpose of this organization is to keep the ties between the United States and Britain as strong as possible. All the important members of the 1910 Jekyll Island meeting were Pilgrims; Vanderlip, Strong, Warburg, Davison, Norton, and Aldrich. Senator Aldrich’s closest ally in congress, Edward B. Vreeland, was a Pilgrim too, together with his brother. Vreeland helped Aldrich establish a privately owned central bank. Of course, J.P. Morgan, George F. Baker, John D. Rockefeller, and Jacob Schiff were also members.

For more information on "the silver stealers" please review this website:  

http://silverstealers.net/tss.html

A couple of very interesting and very informative videos.

The Ruling Class vs. Liberty

The American Dream Pt.1

The American Dream Pt. 2

 NIA News Update - 12 January 2011

Prices of Food Going Up, Silver Purchases at Never Before Seen Levels, Fed about to Implode?

Jobless Claims Jump, Wholesale Food Costs Surge

The split between weak underlying inflation and high food and energy prices makes it harder for Federal Reserve officials to argue publicly that inflation is not a threat. A fear of inflation being too low has underpinned the Fed's efforts to support the economy by purchasing government bonds.

Another key factor is the bleak jobs picture, not helped by the Labor Department data.

The number of Americans who continued to claim benefits after an initial week of aid did retreat sharply to 3.88 million from 4.13 million, offering some reason for hope.

Still, the total number of Americans on benefit rolls, including those receiving extended benefits under emergency government programs, jumped to 9.19 million from 8.77 million.

Source:  http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70A41H20110113?pageNumber=2

US Mint Reports Unprecedented Buying Spree Of Physical Silver

Three days ago we noted that in just the first week of January, the US Mint had sold 2,221,000 ounces of silver "a number which if run-rated would be an absolutely all time monthly record," A quick glance at the tally today, shows that something very scary is going on. In the subsequent three days, the number has surged by 50% and has hit 3,407,000 ounces of silver! In just the first 12 days of the month we have already surpassed the total monthly sales of 9 separate months of 2010.

Source:  http://www.zerohedge.com/article/us-mint-reports-unprecedented-buying-spree-physical-silver?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+zerohedge%2Ffeed+%28zero+hedge+-+on+a+long+enough+timeline%2C+the+survival+rate+for+everyone+drops+to+zero%29&utm_content=FaceBook

S&P, Moody's Warn On U.S. Credit Rating

Two leading credit-rating firms have cautioned the U.S. on its rating, expressing concern over a deteriorating fiscal situation that they say needs correction.

The warnings issued Thursday echoed prior statements by the companies, however, and financial markets largely ignored them. Treasury yields, which move in the opposite direction as prices, were lower in late-morning trade and the cost of insuring U.S. debt against the risk of default, already below that of Germany, the euro-zone benchmark, barely budged.

"My traders are shrugging it off as stuff we've heard before," said Tom Di Galoma, head of interest-rate trading at Guggenheim Partners in New York.

Moody's Investors Service said in a report that the U.S. will need to reverse an upward trajectory in the debt ratios to support its triple-A rating.

Source:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703583404576079311379009904.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection

 

Could the U.S. Central Bank go Broke?

Varadarajan Chari, an economics professor at the University of Minnesota and a consultant to the Minneapolis Fed, says that at some point during its exit from easy monetary policies, the Fed actually may go broke -- at least on paper.

"The most obvious exit strategy is, when inflation starts to pick up, to stop and reverse asset purchases," he said. "That's likely to include requiring the Fed in an accounting sense to see a significant accounting loss."

The Fed now holds just over $1 trillion in Treasuries, Chari noted, and if inflation rose by a couple of percentage points, it would dent the value of those holdings by about 10 percent, leaving the Fed with a $100 billion loss.

"I'm sure it will have some negative political fallout," Chari said. "But not economic consequences. Their ability to print money means it (insolvency) doesn't mean anything."

Source:  http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE7096FE20110111?pageNumber=1

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Those of you preparing yourselves and your families by buying physical gold and silver, purchasing large quantities of long-term storage food stuffs, and putting your money into commodities such as, corn, wheat, sugar, coffee, oil, etc are to be commended; for it will be you that will be the back-bone supporting the structure of freedom.  For those whose eyes are not yet open will not be able to support themselves or their families, let alone support any type of structure, those with their eyes closed will run to the Government--as intended--begging for help.  Those with the foresight to prepare for themselves and their families will be able and ready to stand on their own.

For those not quite believing in self-reliance, ask yourself this very simple question.  Do I wish to be a slave to the Government, or do I wish to be free and stand on my own?  The answer will provide your path.

As Predicted, the Attack on the Second Amendment has Once Again Commenced...

Arizona Rampage Reignites Gun Control Debate in D.C.

"Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., is a longtime gun owner and has often spoken out in support of broad Second Amendment rights. However, the tragic attack on Giffords that left six dead and 14 wounded is reigniting the debate over gun ownership in America.

In 2008 and 2009, Giffords signed on to briefs to the Supreme Court urging justices to overturn gun control laws that severely restricted the access of those who sought to purchase and own firearms. In both cases, the court ruled to roll back the restrictions. At the time, Giffords noted the “long tradition” of gun ownership in the United States adding, “It is a tradition which every law-abiding citizen should be able to enjoy."

Many of Giffords’ Democratic colleagues are taking a different tone, including Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., who said Sunday, "Guns kill. And those who glamorize gunplay or worship gun ownership do no service to humanity."

 On Monday, Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., announced that he is working with Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., on legislation that would ban the manufacture and sale of high-capacity ammunition clips like the one allegedly used by Tucson shooting suspect Jared Loughner."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/10/arizona-rampage-reignites-gun-control-debate-dc/#ixzz1AkrLAkFv

 

US lawmaker urges ban on large gun clips

"A US Senator announced Monday he would soon present legislation to ban high-capacity ammunition clips after a gunman used one in an attempted assassination of a US lawmaker over the weekend.

"The only reason to have 33 bullets loaded in a handgun is to kill a lot of people very quickly. These high-capacity clips simply should not be on the market," Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg said in a statement.

Lautenberg said high-capacity ammunition "clips" holding more than 10 rounds at a time were banned under the Federal Assault Weapons Ban that the US Congress enacted in 1994 but did not renew in 2004.

The lawmaker said his proposal, to be unveiled when the US Senate returns to work late this month, would ban ammunition clips that can hold, or can be easily converted to hold, more than 10 rounds."

 Source:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110110/pl_afp/uscrimeshootingpoliticsgunscongress_20110110235722

Could tighter gun laws have saved lives in Tucson?

"Had the federal assault-weapons ban, which Congress let expire in 2004, remained in effect, Saturday's shooting in Tucson would likely have killed and injured far fewer people. And if either Arizona or federal law made it harder for people with a history of mental health problems to get guns, then the suspect in the rampage might never have obtained a weapon.

Gun-control advocates are reminding lawmakers and the public of how readily disturbed shooters can obtain rapid-fire weaponry in a fresh push to tighten laws in the wake of the shooting, which killed 6 people and injured 14, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.)."

Source:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/could-tighter-gun-laws-have-saved-lives-in-tucson

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How is it so many progressives have it wrong?  Because they lack the basic understanding of our founding documents and wish to impose their will on to you.  They are after nothing less than power and control over YOU.  

The simple fact is, if everyone carried a weapon, far fewer people would have died in this terrible event.  He would have been put down quickly, like a dog, by someone using their Constitutionally provided right to bear arms.  Quite frankly, our founders believed it to be the duty of a citizen to be armed, at all times, to be able to protect yourself and you fellow countrymen.  It is my opinion that it is just like voting and serving jury duty, it's the duty of the citizen to maintain and bear arms at all times, and if you live in a state that infringes the Constitutionally given right to bear arms...well, it may be time to give serious consideration to moving to a state that embraces freedoms, not living in one that removes them.

"The right of self-defense never ceases.  It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals."  -- President James Monroe (November 16, 1818)

"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed." -- Thomas Jefferson.