What's In Your Reserves?

Everyone has a financial crisis now and then. Some people are unprepared and panic. Others decide it's time to flip the mattress, rotate the sofa cushions, and put their fingers into cracks and crevices they haven't done since before they quit smoking and was desperate for a cigarette.

It happened to me yesterday. The bank said I was overdrawn. My rainy day had come...again, but this it wasn't about grocery money or car fare.  There was no rainy day cache to go to. I flip the mattress and rotate cushions as part of my weekly house cleaning ritual, so no luck there. I might well have been screwed. Except for one gleaming light piercing the darkness. Gold.

I've been saving gold by the gram through my Karatbars affiliation. And yesterday, gold saved my behind. Up over 20% since New Years, my gold accumulated value over these seven months. As such it took a lot less gold than dollars to enable me to cover my banking arithmetic mistake.

What happened to me was alarming as well as embarrassing. I'm glad everything worked out. I wouldn't wish such a thing on anyone, but it can happen to you. So I ask you, what's in your reserves?

Want to do what I do to be ready for emergencies?  The First Step Is To Click Here

Don't Mind That Man Behind The Curtain. I am EU, The Great & Powerful

     Now that Britain may decide to leave, the EU is being touted as the best thing since, what? The end of World War II? The end of communist aggression? Sliced bread?
     The European fortress is showing some cracks in how it views international trade letters of credit. Without such instruments, businesses cannot buy or sell goods. The buyer's bank sends a document to the seller's bank to guarantee the buyer will pay for the purchase on receipt of the shipment. When the buyer has possession of the goods, payment is then transferred to the seller's bank account. Simple. Logical. This is how business has been done for as long as there have been merchants and consumers.
     The Arabs still use the original ancient system, made modern by telephone. Across the Middle East, funds transfer accounts with a simple phone call. Money is given to the local money changer who in turn calls his contact where the money needs to go. He tells his associate so-and-so has given him money to pay so-and-so for such-and-such. He then asks the associate to give so-and-so at his end the amount of money so the buyer can get his merchandise. the associate agrees and makes a notes the debit to the account of the caller. Easy. Logical. No chance of misdirected funds or theft by hacking.
     An oversimplified demonstration of trade, but it serves the point.
     Now the EU wants to add more regulation to the practise in the name of protecting taxpayers from the inability of the buyer's bank to pay due to failure in the interim. Like a bank will collapse overnight? When the financial gurus warn such things can happen, the EU and the Central Banks flip levers to blow steam and magnify their voices as they shout  they are great and powerful and safeguards are in place, and their are warning signs and these things are the result of a series of events which can be monitored. One single event can't through a bank into failure. 'I AM EU, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL.'  Yet more regulations are called for? When the Wizard of OZ said it, Toto proved to Dorothy it was a sham. Are we not as smart as a little dog?
     Buyers and sellers agree the only purpose of these added regulations is to slow down a system already downshifted to first gear. They say it will eliminate small business from the growth opportunities international trade within the EU offers.   However, EU regulations don't extend receivers outside the European network, like the US, China, Russia, and India to name a few.
     The is a huge difference between being in a network and being caught in a net. The citizens of Great Britain appear to be waking to the difference.
     The key to successful international trade is having international money. Gold has served as international money for aeons. Gold has lasted because it is the most reliable instrument for trade   mankind has ever known.
     Consider this as an example. When an American travels to Europe, he converts his dollars into euros and loses some value in the exchange. Gold is universal. Gold buys anything anywhere. Once currency is converted into gold, there is no lose of value.
     To learn more about why you should own gold and how to get it click here.
   
     

Oil As Duct Tape

     Oil prices are on the rise. The dollar is on the rise. The NYSE is on the rise based on the stronger dollar and the expectation of the interest rate rise by the Fed in June. Surprised crowds cheer. Happy Days are here again. Really?

     Summertime is vacation time is travel time is increased gas consumption time. Increased oil prices now mean travellers will once again allocate the money they could have spent on the substance of their domestic vacation to the fuel required to get them to their destinations. Foreign tourism? The exchange rate favors Americans going abroad, but doesn't contribute significantly to the American economy. American goods are more expensive overseas as well as for foreign travellers visiting the States. But...the value of the dollar is based on oil, so oil prices will save the economy in the end, right? Like duct tape on a leaky garden hose.

     In the meantime, the stronger dollar has pushed down the price of precious metals. Some people point to an accusing finger and say, 'See? Told ya all that talk about gold and silver was a load of hooey.'

     Which path into the future to take? The decision comes down to two decisions. One, believe in the power of duct tape without any doubts or worries and a readiness to apply more layers of the stuff as needed like tht garden hose that cost more to tape up than replace,  Or two, see the duct tape for what it really is and seize the opportunity to own more gold during the price slump while it lasts. 

    So duct tape or gold?

   

   

Living In A New World Economy. Two

     Gold and silver coins minted in the US are once again legal tender at the current market value of the precious metals. Utah followed by Oklahoma have passed legislation which allows the coins to be exchanged at the current market value of gold or silver without a capital gains tax.
     A similar bill passed by both houses of the Arizona legislature was vetoed by Governor Doug Duecy on the grounds the measure did not allow for the state to collect a capital gains tax. The tax would be calculated on the difference, for example, of the minted value of a gold dollar coin (one dollar) and the current value of the coin which could be as much as $40 dollars.
     Texas appears to be the next state to legalize the use of gold and silver, however, the Lonestar State bill takes the use of gold and silver a step further. Gold and silver as legal tender will also apply to bullion. The usage of bullion eliminates the question of capital gains. Bullion is only 'minted' by weight without any inherent value pressed into the bar.
     Another benefit of bullion is its universality. A gram of gold is a gram of gold in the US, the UK, China, Japan, or Russia. No longer would travelers have to deal with currency exchanges and fees. A benefit for citizens motivates government agencies to lobby for the inclusion of some kind of capital gains tax to block the popular movement to restore gold and silver to their historical place in everyday lives.
      Gold and silver bullion not only help people save the value of their labor, but in doing so, gold and silver help to preserve of their standard of living at the community and state, and national levels.
     The prosperity of any country is built on natural resources, like precious metals, forest, rivers,etc., and the combined labor of its citizenry. This was true in the beginning and it will hold true in the new world economy.
     This is how community works. Community is network of like-minded people working for a mutual goal. To find out more about my community and  Learn how you can become a part of it here

Living In The New World Economy: 3 Advantages of Gold

     A lot has been written recently about two main money safe havens in the event of the predicted currency collapse. This writer makes no secret of his enthusiasm for gold. The 'what happens next?' scenario is a topic for broad discussion, but I want to point out just three reasons for my preference for gold.
     One. Gold is physical. Gold occupies tangible space. The other? A hologram at best.
     Two. When someone breaks into a secured vault or a private home, CCTV and/or an alarm system offer the chance the thieves will be apprehended and the gold returned. Hackers of a cyber-wallet leaves no such trace, nor hope of a recovery of the stolen property.
     Three. The holder of gold has access to it without dependency on electric power to run internet or WIFI to access a virtual wallet. After all, power plants don't run for free. In the event of economic collapse, what or who will keep them running?
     So as the television commercial asks, 'What's in your wallet?' it might be best to know your wallet is real.
     Want to learn more about gold and the reasons to own it? this website is accessible anywhere in the world Gold-- For Real
   
   
     

Fables For Living In A New World Economy: Chapter Seven. The Emperor's New Clothes

     Once upon a time the world was ruled by a very gullible emperor. Truly, the man knew nothing and believed everything. One day the emperor called for his tailor to bring him the new suit of clothes he had ordered several weeks prior. This sent the tailor into a tizzy since he had no new clothes made for his ruler since the royal banker had never provided the funds for the materials.
     'Tell me Mr. Banker, what am I to do? The Emperor wants his clothes, but you never sent me the money to make them, and so I have nothing ready for him.'
     'But I did send the money.'
     'Clearly you're mistaken. Had I received it I would be in this predicament.'
     'The money I sent you is invisible.'
     'Invisible money? Sounds like another one of your pranks, Mr. Banker.'
     'I don't do pranks, Tailor. I am a professional.'
     'As am I. So what do you suggest, that I present the Emperor with invisible clothes made with your invisible money?'
     'Excellent idea!'
     'I feared you would say that. It isn't your head on the block. Oh, how I wish we still paid for things with gold. Life was so much simpler then and costs were so much cheaper.'
     'It goes against my belief to tell you this, but there are some people who are using gold now.'
     'Gold? Really? Instead of your so-called invisible currency?'
     'Like I said, I don't much like it. Hard for men like me to make an honest living with gold --it's just so constant, you understand. So, common.'
     'Easy to know about you mean. So how can I find out more about these people who are using gold to pay for goods and services? I want to join them.'
     'Very well, then, Tailor, here's what you do--' How To Pay For Goods & Services With Gold
     

Fables For Living In A New World Economy: Chapter Six. Rumplestiltskin

     In a land not so far away, there once lived a moderately successful man who owned a couple of mills. One mill ground wheat into flour; the other corn into meal. This man's wife had died, leaving him with a daughter. The Miller's daughter grew into a beautiful young. By this time, the man had become dissatisfied with his state in life, in spite of his success. He yearned for a higher place in society and so he was determined to establish a friendship with the region's leading politician. Knowing the man's taste in women, the miller saw his daughter as a way into the politician's circle.
     So when the miller finally was introduced to the politician at a fundraiser, he made sure to bring his daughter into the conversation.
     'She sounds delightful,' said the politician. 'I might have a place for her on my staff. Tell me, what experience does she have?'
     This was the miller's big chance and he didn't want to blow it with some run of the mill talent, so he lied. 'My daughter can turn paper into gold,' he boasted in a stage whisper.
     'She what?'
     'My daughter can turn paper into gold.'
     'How does she do that?'
     'That's a family secret, but if you need proof put her to the test. You won't be disappointed and then perhaps we can discuss the property next to mine where I want to expand my mills.'
     'Fine. Fine. Bring her to my home tomorrow and we'll see that she can do.'

     'You told him what? Father! How could you tell such a preposterous lie? What did you hope to gain from this? You know I can't--'
     'I know no such thing, and neither do you. Have you ever tried to turn paper into gold?'
     'You know I haven't.'
     'Well, there you are then. We can't say you can't when you've never tried. I'm sure it isn't that difficult if you put your mind to it. Now, hurry and get dressed. I want you to look your best today when you meet him. He'll be s dazzled by your beauty, he'll forget why we're there.'

     'Good morning, miller. This must be your daughter. Come this way. I've prepared a room for her to work her magic.'
     The three of them walked down a hall and then down a flight of stairs,  down another hall, and then the politician opened a door and gestured for them to enter.
     'Such a large room,' the miller commented as he gazed gobsmacked around the space.
     'It's filled with stacks and stacks of paper.'
     'Not just paper, my dear, these are stacks and bundles of dollar bills. All of my campaign contributions and such. You'll find a stool over there in the corner. Will you need anything else?'
     'Sir, I don't know what my father--'
     'The stool to sit down is all my daughter requires. Perhaps we should go somewhere we can chat privately so she can get to work.'
     'Of course. We'll leave you to it then. You should have everything you need. I'll check back with you in the morning.'
     'In the morning? You mean you're leaving me in this dungeon overnight?'
     'I assumed changing this much paper into gold would take that long. If you finish early you can press this button and one of my maids will come to get you.'
     With that, the two men left, closing and locking the door behind them.
     The miller's daughter plopped down on the stool and began to cry. Suddenly, she heard something rustling from the opposite side of the chamber and a funny-looking little man emerged out a one of the larger piles of paper.
     'How can anyone get any sleep with you making all that noise?'
     'I have a better question, little man, how is anyone supposed to change all these paper dollars into gold by tomorrow morning when she hasn't a clue how?'
     'Change paper dollars into gold?'
     'That's right. Can you believe my father told this man I can do that AND he believed it? God, it might as well be straw!'
     'You can you know.'
     'No, I don't know. That's why I was crying.'
     'Easy as pie.'
     'I don't know how to bake either.'
     'All right. Easy as blowing your nose. Here, take my handkerchief.'
     The young woman blew her nose and put the kerchief in her pocket. 'I'll want that back after it's been laundered.'
     'Of course. Now tell me how I can change dollars into gold. We need to get busy here.'
     "You are the eager lass, aren't you?' She glared at him. 'Okay. What you need to do to get started is--' Want to know Rumpelstiltskin's secret? Click Here

Fables For Living In A New World Economy: Chapter Five. Jason And The Golden Fleece

     Once upon a time, there was a king named Iolcus whose brother Pelias put him in prison and stole his throne. His next step was to murder the king's son Jason. The Queen fooled Pelias by pretending to mourn her son as though he were already dead while she secretly had him smuggled out of the kingdom. 

     When Jason was old enough, he returned to the kingdom to claim his rightful throne. His uncle Pelias challenged him to find and return with the legendary Golden Fleece in order to prove his worthiness to rule.

     And so the first thing Jason did was to form a network so he could find the best sailors available for the quest. Next, he used his network to find the best shipbuilder and hired him to build a vessel large enough for Jason's crew and supplies for the long journey. And then Jason and his crew set out for the Golden Fleece.

     During Jason's exile, he was nurtured and tutored by his mother's friend, the centaur Chiron. Chiron taught Jason about various plants and how to prepare them for food or medicine. He taught him about the wild animals and how to learn from them. So when Jason and company arrived at the island where the Golden Fleece was said to be kept, Jason once again used his networking skills to locate and take possession of the prized Golden Fleece.

     Jason's return to the kingdom surprised his uncle Pelias. Even more so when he realized Jason wore the fleece over his shoulder. 

     'How did you do it?' his uncle asked. 'I thought for sure, I mean I feared you might die in your quest.'

     'I might have if I had set out alone, Uncle. But I had a network of people working with me and looking after me.'

     'Amazing. So now tell me more about this network you mentioned.'

     'Well, Uncle, it's like this: everybody says they want to know how it works, but few people actually do anything with what they learn.' As Jason spoke, he walked over to the throne and sat done. 'So if you have a few minutes before you have to leave, pull up a stool and I'll tell you about the network and how you can acquire gold, too.' Find Out About Jason's Secret Here 

Fables For Living In A New World Economy: Chapter Four Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs

     Once upon a time, not so very far from now, the widowed father of a young woman married a very selfish and evil woman. The woman was so evil that when her new husband took ill, she refused to send for the doctor or to allow any of the servants to care for him. And so he died and she inherited his castle, his land, his livestock, and most important --his money. Now her only problem was ro rid herself of his daughter.
     She allowed the girl only the clothes on her back. The only food the girl ate was whatever she could forage in the nearby woods. Whenever the girl asked for a little money for either a new dress or for something to eat, the wicked stepmother replied, 'A more intelligent and industrious girl would pick apples from the orchard and sell those in town to make some money. You reap what you sow, my dear, you reap what you sow.'
     And so the girl went into the orchard with a basket and started picking apples. However, she was so weak from hunger she soon felt the need for a nap and fell quickly asleep  under the trees. Soon, a troupe of dwarfs walked nearby and spotted the young maiden. she appeared so perfectly beautiful, the decided to make certain she was alive.
     The one they called Doc found a pulse and declared her alive. However, try as they might, the dwarfs could not wake her. concerned for her health and safety, they carried her to their cottage and placed her on one of the beds.
     When she woke, she didn't know where she was nor who her hosts were and was frightened. They assured her they meant no harm and one of them brought her a bowl of beef broth and spoon fed the broth to her.
    'Why were you sleeping in the orchard, Miss?'
    'Snow White. My name is Snow White.'
    'So tell us, Snow White, why were you sleeping beneath an apple tree?'
    'I was picking apples to sell in town to get money for food when suddenly I couldn't hold my eyes open. I decided to take a quick nap.'
    'You must have been exhausted. And hungry, too, judging by how quickly you emptied this bowl of broth.'
    'Don't you have a family to look after you?'
    'My father died, so all I have is a stepmother. I think she'd be happier if I joined my father.'
    'Doesn't she care for you and feed you?'
    'No. she told me if I wanted food or a new dress I should pick apples and sell them in town.'
    'We know a better way to accumulate wealth than that. Are you interested in know our secret?'
    'Oh, yes! Please tell me.'
    'This isn't for everybody, you understand. Not everyone is willing--'
    'Will your secret also get me away from my wicked stepmother?'
    'It can indeed. If you do what we tell you.'
    'Tell me. I want to know your secret more than anything --well, almost. Getting away from the stepmother tops my list.'
    'All right, then, here's what you do' Find Out What The Dwarfs Told Snow White Here
   
   

Fables For Living In A New World Economy: Chapter Three Old Mother Hubbard

Old Mother Hubbard

went to the cupboard

to get her poor dog a bone.

But when she got there,

the cupboard was bare

so she booted up her computer and logged into her gold savings account and sold a gram of her gold. The proceeds from the sale were deposited onto her MasterCard debit card and then she called a taxi to take her to the store. And then she bought food for her dog and for herself and lived happy in the knowledge she would continue to survive and thrive through in spite of the global financial crisis because of  her network of like minded people who had wisely converted their cash into gold bullion. Find Out How They Did It Here

Fables For Living In A New World Economy: Chapter Two. Little Red Riding Hood

Once upon a time there lived a girl people called Little Red Riding Hood because of the hooded cape she always wore. Red lived in a village located on the far side of the forest from her grandmother, but visited the old woman everyday. Red would bring her grandmother meals, her medicine, and news of the goings on in her village.

One day, her grandmother asked Red if she would go to the bank and bring her all the money from her savings account. a couple of her grandmother's friends visited the day before and warned of something ominous happening at the bank. 'Oh, Grandmother, what could possibly go wrong at the bank. It's been there forever. You know how those two friends of you are, always suspicious of shadows.'

'Red, they were truly upset. You know the bank stopped paying interest years ago, and now there are plans to charge us for just holding our money on account. I'm afraid I'll lose everything eventually due to these new fees the bank wants to charge. Please do your Grandmother this favor and bring all my money to me. Here's my deposit book. I've signed everything so the teller can give you the money.'

'I'll do this for you Grandmother, but I still think it's rather silly. I'll withdraw your money and bring it to you tomorrow.'

And so the next day, Little Red Riding Hood made good on her word and withdrew her grandmother's money from the bank. she set out as usual on her path through the forest with the money in her hand basket, along with other supplies her grandmother needed.  What she didn't notice was the wolf who followed her out of the bank.

Once the girl was deep into the woods, the wolf made his move. 'You there, in the red hood. I want to talk to you.'  Red Riding Hood stopped, but kept her distance from the wolf.

'I know you. You saw you working at the bank. What do you want with me?'

'I want you to give me back the bank's money. I know you have it in your basket.'

'Your're mistaken. I don't have the bank's money. I only have my Grandmother's money which she asked me to fetch to her. I have to go now.'

'Your Grandmother has no claim to that money. It belongs to the bank. Her money became a bank asset the minute she made her deposit, as stated in the bank savings account agreement. Read it for yourself right here.'

'The print is so small it barely blackens the paper.'

'Use my magnifying glass then. You'll see everything is stated quite clearly. Everything precise and legal. I'll take the money now.'

'Not so fast. this money came from my Grandmother's account, so you'll have to explain this all to her. I'm sure her bank papers say something completely different. She's had that account since she was a girl. Her parents opened it for her so she would have the interest in her old age.'

'Fine. But you'll see there is no interest.'

The two of them continued on the way to Grandmother's house. The wolf continued to tell her how banking had changed and if anyone is to blame it's people like her grandmother who obviously never read the letters the bank sent.

When Red and the Wolf walked into the old woman's bedroom, there stood a stranger there. A woodsman Red had never seen before. The wolf shrank back as his gaze fell on the man's gold ax.

'This is my granddaughter, Red, I was telling you about. Red, this nice young man has offered to take my money and store it for me at no charge.'

'Sorry, Granny,' said the wolf not sorry at all, 'but that isn't your money. It belongs to the bank and I've come to take it back.'

The Woodsman stepped forward and waved his gold ax over Red Riding Hood's basket. 'Mr. Wolf, I think you'll find you're mistaken. There is no cash in this basket. Take a look.'

The Woodsman statement confused Red since she had taken the money from the bank and herself put it in the basket. When she pulled off the cover, she gasped. the wolf gasped. The grandmother smiled. The woodsman grinned from ear to ear.

'What happened to the money? I demand you tell me your trickery,' shouted the wolf.

'No trickery here except for you own,' said the woodsman. Grandmother said she wanted her money, so real money is what she has in that basket.'

'But there only gold in my basket now,' sobbed Red Riding Hood.

'The only real money there is in the world,' explained the woodsman.

And so the wolf left empty-handed and the woodsman, Red Riding Hood, and her grandmother lived happily ever after. Find Out What Was In Red's Basket and How You Can Get Some by clicking here

Why Friday the 13th Is As Good As Any Other Day

I don't believe in luck-- good or bad. Being open, observant of opportunities along with timing and the gumption to do something with it wins the day.

As someone recently said, 'There is nothing more costly than a missed opportunity.' I would add there is nothing more spectacular, and more fulfilling than an opportunity put to good use.

BTW, your invitation to join my network of like-minded people saving with gold and helping others to do the same is still open. Why wait any longer?

 Good fortune Starts Here

Fables For Living In A New World Economy: Chapter One. The Three Little Pigs

Once upon a time, not so long ago, the three pig brothers each received an inheritance. They thought of so many ways to spend that money, but they agreed the first thing to do was for each of them to build a house.

'I have an idea,' said the youngest brother, 'Let's network together to build our houses. We can pool our resources to find the best people and materials, and get a good deal for each of us.'

'No way,' his brothers exclaimed at once. 'We each have different things we want in a house. Your idea to network sounds like a trick to take our money to build your house. No, we'll take care of ourselves.'

The first little pig decided to cut corners on construction costs so he would still have money for other things, like upmarket furnishings, as well as to do some travelling. He visited a friend of his whom he knew had just built himself a new home to get his advice. And since this friend worked in finance he could tell him exactly what the pig should do to make his home secure.

'Bonds. And bond derivatives,' his friend suggested right off. 'The bundles are air-tight and strong. You can't build a better foundation than one build with these.'

So the first little pig bought the bonds needed to build the basement foundation for his house. He also cut corners on other building materials. The completed house seemed secure and cozy, plus the first pig had lots of cash left over. He moved in feeling quite pleased with himself.

The second little pig thought he could do better than his older brother. Instead of building his house on bonds, he used bricks of compressed dollars. 'Those bonds could lose their strength someday,' he thought to himself. 'So my bricks will be made from compressed dollars. Everyone in the world knows the strength of dollars. My foundation will last forever.' When his house was complete, he, too, had lots of cash left over and so he was quite pleased with himself when he moved in.

The youngest little pig hoped his brothers really knew what they were doing and that they would be happy in their new homes. However, he believed he was better off working with a network of people who knew how to build houses which would last. His net worker friends taught him the secrets of a forgotten metal, a metal which has lasted for thousands of years. 'Gold makes the best foundation for anything you want to build,' they told him. So little by little he acquired the gold he needed for his house. He not only built for himself a substantial, secure, and comfortable house, but he had also made a place for himself within the network. Because of that, he understood a network is a community of independent, but like-minded individuals who are truly interested in serving the community as well as building a future for themselves. Each prospering as the community prospers.

The three little pigs were as happy as, well as you may expect, pigs in the sunshine. Until one day, a pack of wolves took over the town. They knocked on the door of the first pig and demanded he open his door and sell them his bonds at a discount or they would destroy his house.

'I can't let you do that. My bonds are my foundation. My house will cave in without them.'

'We want to be fare, pig, so we're offering to buy your bonds before we exercise our right to confiscate them to save the town.'

'I have nothing to do with the town; I don't owe it anything.'

'You have no friends, you mean, to help you. We're liquefying your bonds.'

And so they encircled the house with firetrucks and used the hoses to blast gallons upon gallons of water at the ground line of the house. Before long, the ground was saturated and the house caved in. The pig ran as fast as he could to the second pigs house.

'The town wolves came with hoses and hundreds of gallons of water and caused my house to cave in,' he cried. 'Please, may I come and live with you?'

'You should have known those bonds wouldn't hold up,' the second pig chided, 'but I can't leave you homeless because you wouldn't listen to my advise. Of course you can stay with me.'

In a short while, the wolves came knocking at the second pig's door shouting, 'Open up. We need you to give us our dollars. The bonds your pig brother built his house on didn't hold up. We now need your dollars to save the town.'

'I built this house on dollars. I can't just hand them over to you because my house will cave in. You'll have to go elsewhere.'

'We need your dollars and so we will take them. We're within our rights to do whatever it takes to save our salaries, I mean, our town. We have plenty of water to flood your basement until the dollars float up into our hands. Get ready to move, pigs.'

And so, the wolves proceeded to aim their hoses at the house. And like the bonds, the water disintegrated the dollars and the house caved in. The tow pig brothers went running to their youngest brother.

'Brother, let us in. The wolves have destroyed both of our houses and we have nowhere else to go. Can we please live with you?'

'You dismissed my idea to network and yet, my network built the house you now want to live in. you are my brothers, so of course I can't turn you away, but--'

Just at that moment, the youngest pig was interrupted by the wolves who were now at his door. 'Open up, littlest pig. We need your bonds and cash so we can save ourselves. You must give it to us.'

'Sorry, but I have neither of those. There is nothing you can do to me or to my house. Go seek your loot elsewhere.'

'Did your brothers not tell you about our powerful water hoses? We can cave in your house if you refuse to hand over what we asked for.'

'Yes, they did. your hoses won't harm my house. I don't have any bonds or dollars to give you.'

'Have it your way then. Aim the hoses, my friends. We'll flush out these pigs and get our due.'

The water blasted the third house like a gale force storm, but nothing happened. Well, nothing happened to the house, that is. The water ran toward the wolves' trucks and caused them to sink into the mud. When the wolves saw what was happening they dropped the hoses and tried to drive away. The wheels spun and spun and eventually opened a huge trench into which all the trucks and wolves fell and covered over with even more mud.

Because of that, the two older pig brothers apologized to their youngest brother and asked if he would tell them about the network, and his friends who helped him build such a durable house.

He invited them to join him back inside and brought them milk and cookies. As they ate, the youngest pig began to tell his story.

'Once upon a time, there was gold...'  Click Here To Find Out What Happens Next

Connecting The Dots Points To US

 Time was when circling the wagons provided some defense of position. The mentality continues to influence policy even though there are no wagons to circle. Outmoded thinking in today's economy will bring about its own demise.

     A headline from this morning's news: Puerto Rico is set to default on its loans. As a US territory this particular default will bring the consequences evidenced in similar conditions to America's doorstep. As 'legal guardian' of the island nation, the US is the co-signor of PR  debt. the US taxpayer has the ultimate obligation to cover the payment. Another hack at the American economic lifeline.

     If ever there was a better time to trade dollars for gold, it was yesterday. The step-by-step failure of central banks and their governments --Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Austria-- is not an Nintendo game and so the best real-time defense is a gold defense.

     Watch. Read. Learn. Grab Your Lifeline Here

3 Weekend Observations

     One month ends as the next begins this weekend. Payday for most people. I noticed as I waited for my turn at the ATM in the bank foyer, I was the oldest person in the room. Inside at the teller windows was the line-up of canes and walkers and shopping carriers on wheels. It appears the elderly don't use debit cards.

     The scene brought to mind the photos published of the senior citizens of Greece and Cyprus in tears sitting on sidewalks and curbs in front of closed banks. Banks suddenly taking a 'bank holiday' to prevent a run on them as the government went bankrupt. When those banks re-opened their customers were limited to 60 euros per day withdrawals. How would the elderly pay their rent, buy their vital prescription drugs, and groceries on so little? Then again, many of these people had no savings left as their money was confiscated for the bank bail-ins. So they had their social security, you say? No. That was gone as well. As I looked at the lines at the teller windows, I wondered how many of these people, if any at all, were prepared for such a thing to happen in the United States.  I used to wonder why my grandparents kept a good portion of their cash in their home safe. Now I understand. They had come through the Stock Market Crash of 1929. They were prepared for a re-occurrence.

     Outside of the bank those walkers and canes click-clacked their way to the newsstand, cash envelopes in hand. Not to buy a newspaper or magazine. The queue was now for lottery tickets. Slips of paper with the lucky numbers of these marginal survivors. Long lists of numbers for which these people spend $20, $40, even as much as $100 on a dream of riches. Somehow I find this a much more tragic scene than if they sat on the curb in tears because they couldn't get their money out of the bank.

     Speaking of converting paper money into lottery tickets and scratch-offs, how much do you spend a week? A month? Even $10 per week comes up $40 for the month. How much do you win? Uh-huh.

     What if you took that $40 and deposited it into a plan to convert dollars into physical gold? A far cry from the $1260 an ounce for gold, you object? Of course, it is, if indeed you could only acquire gold by the ounce.

     The beauty of Karatbars is they come in 1g, 2.5g., or 5g bars of .999 pure gold bullion. Easy to afford with the savings plan you determine. Easy to spend, too, if you need it. See The Reason To Buy Karatbars Here Better yet, Karatbars will store it for you for FREE. Should circumstance require you to convert your gold back into dollars, Karatbars will buy back your gold and deposit the money into a pre-paid MasterCard so you have operating capital to get through an economic emergency.

     If you're going to place money on a bet, doesn't it make sense to you to put it on a sure thing? Those loser lottery tickets end up blowing in the wind. Gold is your money outside the system.

     The few minutes you spend to watch these short videos could change the course of your future.

The Future Is Now.

Do You Know 3 Things That Happen Behind Your Back?

     People say 'first impressions are lasting impressions.' When people talk about meeting someone the first question asked most often is,  'What is your impression of her or him?' Yes, a full body scan was performed and judgments made based on grooming, clothing choice and fit, especially fit. and shoes before their eyes trail back up to your eyes and  smile. That's pretty much the sum total of your first impression.
     This is followed by conversation. More judgments are made based on the resonance and timbre of the voice, articulation, and intelligence and humor expressed.
     You're impressed with the person in front of you. You offer your business card with a promise to follow-up in a couple of days. Hopefully, you received a business card in return, along with an agreement regarding future contact. You judge the encounter as a success and start thinking about your next meeting. But. But what happens as you walk away? What opinion is formed behind your back? What happened to your business card?
     First of all, the fit of your clothes now takes center stage. The necklace and earrings, the shirt and tie are out of sight. Now the emphasis is on tailoring. I think it was Zig Ziglar who once advised if you don't have time to shine the entire shoe, do the heels. If the person you were just speaking with sees well-polished heels, memory will attest to an overall shoe shine. Likewise, shirttails hanging out the back will instill a memory of overall sloppiness, regardless of how perfect you looked from the front.
     Secondly, the way you walk will cause a major reaction if you swagger away as though you just closed the deal. No one wants to be taken for granted, and that's how an over-confident gait translates. You may have lost the follow-up not to mention the deal.
     Finally, attention comes down to your card. How does it look? Is it concise or over-embellished? Does the size lend itself to slipping into a wallet or does it stick out so that it feels awkward and messy? If your business card fails you, nothing else matters because where it went took you as well as your contact details with it.
     You need a new card. You need a better card. You need a card guaranteed to be kept. You need a card that encourages the people you  meet to want to know more about you and your business. A card they will use to refer associates and friends to you because everyone wants to be associated with the elite so they can be elite, too. And just like ordinary business cards, these cards are also tax-deductible as a business expense.
     I can show you just such a card. This exclusive card is designed for elite professionals. Your new business card is available from only one resource. I'm happy to tell you where to get such a card if you really want to know.
     But you know what? Everyone says they want to set a new standard, but few of them ever do. You know the type. They complain their clothes don't fit right and probably should workout more, or at least find a good tailor while they lounge in sweatpants and tee-shirts in front of the TV with a bag of chips. Not your type at all. Right? So here's where you go.

Click Here If You're An Elite Professional

Ever Dream Of Being A Star?

Everybody says they'd like to be a star, but few people ever do anything about it. Like Marlon Brando in ON THE WATER FRONT, they make the sad claim 'I couldda been a contender. I couldda been somebody' be use of innovative and cutting edge but it just never worked out.

Not so with the people at The Voices of Africa Foundation.  They recognized an opportunity to 'empower impoverished women and youth to improve their communities sustainably through the use of innovative and cutting edge information and communication technology and fair trade income generation.' Voices of Africa endeavors to bring foreign expertise to local knowledge to improve quality of life through improved healthcare and education. The foundation doesn't just build buildings and walk away. A broader approach is utilized for sustainable development.

Voices of Africa runs a halfway house for young homeless men ages 8-18, providing housing, food, clothing and education to break the cycle of poverty.

Partnerships with SchoolAid UK will build 10 school libraries in Tanzania, 5 in Kigamboni, and 5 in Mwanza. The TabLab Project will bring solar power and educational tablets to schools in Tanzania.

Voices of Africa Foundation also provides pro bono consulting services to small organizations working for the good of women, children, youth, and the handicapped in East Africa.

A lot of work to fill a lot of gaps. Definitely a constellation of stars!

You, too, can be a star with Karatbars.

Karatbars offers a special 1g card in support of Voices of Africa Foundation. The price of the card is approximately 71 euros of which approximately 10 euros goes to the foundation.

It's a win-win. You save with gold and help a worthy cause.

Be a star with Karatbars.

Gold holds.

Get Your Gold Star Today!

Trying To Protect Your Money? Here Are 3 Things To Bear In Mind

Gold holds.

Gold holds.

Gold holds.

For value, security, and safety gold holds.

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What's The Difference Between a Paper Bag, a Bank, and Gold?

Only one doesn't fail under stress.

Gold holds.

Legends And Stars To Guide Us

'I freed a thousand slaves I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.'  --Harriet Tubman

Since this quote went viral, several historical experts claim this is a fake quote. There is no evidence Harriet Tubman ever said this. However, I don't think this courageous former slave was much given to recording her thoughts with pencil and paper. The epistemology does show, however, the statement was most likely pulled from a fictional story about Ms. Tubman to be used in a college paper in 1970, the familiar statement has aged into it's truth.

Regardless of who said it, the statement is profound for its veracity. People in general are seduced, indoctrinated, and (dare I say it?) enslaved by the media. In her new book,  ABOVE THE LINE: MY WILD OATS ADVENTURE, Shirley Maclaine writes:

'Fear lowers our vibrational energy , therefore we become more controllable. The people who control our material existence on Earth have designed methods of creating fear. We see it every day. I believe it is their designated task to keep us confused and in a state of controlled fear....We think that we are free of tyranny. But we are the tyrannizers of ourselves. I believe the media is mostly giving us senseless entertainment so that we don't bother to think. Something like the Roman games, a distraction from what is actually going on. Unwittingly, perhaps, Hollywood has contributed to mind control with its violent special effects and senseless diversionary scripts.'

More of us can be free if we will only acknowledge we are slaves. If we consider money at all, we think of our income and how many ways to spend it. Few people have enough money in the bank or invested in real assets to cover themselves should they lose their jobs, or for retirement, or a collapse of the economy. We all seem to think we'll pull through somehow IF something like being fired or a collapsed economy were to happen. Besides, the economy won't collapse. Right? That's what people thought in 1929 and in every 17 year cycle since then, up to 2007.

Ms. MacLaine writes about memories, dreams, thoughts, and insights she experience while making a movie on the Canary Islands, the last vestige of Atlantis. Some of these included the importance of gold in the Altantean Age.

Gold has maintained its role in every civilization since Atlantis. Governments have tried to push it down, but gold is reemerging into our lives. The eternal value of gold is set to replace our current fiat currencies.

Converting dollars into gold now puts those who can imagine the future ahead of the curve. It might as well be us, as anyone.

The Future Starts Now

It's In The Bible

     Isn't there something in the Bible that says what's bound on Earth is bound also in Heaven? And whatever is done in the East, will be felt in the West? Maybe I'm confusing the Bible and Buddha, but I do know about the importance of the balance of energies. And the ramifications when things go kerplunk.    

     No other terrestrial event more clearly demonstrates the yin and yang energy dynamic than earthquakes. An occurrence on one side of the globe is followed within weeks, sometimes days by an earthquake of similar magnitude on the other. Take for instance the most recent pair, Japan and Equador. Both were costly in property destruction and loss of lives.

     We see similar activity in the financial markets. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) took interest rates into negative territory in an effort to weaken the yen and bolster Japan's economy. What happened instead is a stronger yen and a weaker economy. The counterpoint in the western hemisphere is a weaker dollar, decreased bank earnings, lower prices on oil, and a higher spot price on gold. Global energy is out of balance, but the yin-yang pattern perseveres. And yet, the notion of taking interest rates deeper into negative territory is not out of the realm of possibility for the BOJ. 

     The main cause of the lack of equilibrium appears to be inept manipulation.  One example of failed price fixing is confirmed  by Reuters.  Troubled Deutsche Bank confessed and settled claims it manipulated the price of gold scant minutes before it took similar action with silver.

     Confidence shockwaves washed up on Goldman Sachs amid reports the Wall Street bank hit ZERO in revenue from its stock portfolio sending, ripples in dwindling investor confidence through the so-called Big Six.

     These are only the ones the Richter scale sees, so far. There are other shockwaves building.

     The Central banks and global markets are out of my control. 'Not my monkeys; not my circus' as the saying goes. All I can do is whatever I can to protect myself, my family, and my friends from the ill effects of bad guesses, and wrong or selfish actions by whoever commands the show under the  big top. Living well in spite of world circumstances is my big WHY. Karatbars is HOW I trade dollars for gold in increments I can carry and store, not kilos which would fall through my floor or require an armed guard. An added benefit is I will soon be able to fire my boss. 

     If your WHY is similar to mine and would like to learn more about my HOW, click on the link below. None of us is promised tomorrow, so take action today.

Fire Your Boss Now

 
 

Inquiring Minds Want To Know, Don't You?

     Yesterday's oil news centered on the Sauds walking out of talks regarding price and production of oil. Today's news reports the price of oil rose as supply is now controlled. Next paragraph: oil workers in Kuwait have gone on strike; hence the crimp on supply. So, for me, the question of the day is who encouraged the oil workers to strike now, not while the talks were ongoing; not in the time leading up to the talks, but now, after the talks failed.

      Guess it goes to show there is more than one way to get what you want, even if you can't negotiate.

      Second question of the day: this worked for the price of oil, what' next? Banks, maybe? 

    Goldman Sachs experienced a 12% tremor. JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley. Warning shots, perhaps, of something higher on the Richter Scale to come? What do you want to bet the answer is in who called the Kuwaiti strike?

2 Warning Signs For Safety

     When you look up and see geese flying over head, do you suppose any of them questions the reason they're migrating? Amid all that honking, is one of them really saying, 'Why are we doing this? This migrating business is a scam! It's for the birds!' 

     Yet people ask me why I'm changing dollars into gold and helping other people to do likewise. 'It's a scam!' they exclaim. 'If you want to throw your money away, I'll take it. Gold is for the--'

     What scam? Gold is the world's oldest money. That's about 6,000 years compared to a mere 300 years, give or take, of paper money. Gold holds its value and safeguards wealth against any possible disaster. If this were not the case why would China, Russia, India, the EU, and yes, even the United State all have buy orders for all the physical gold they can get to their coffers? The demand for physical gold to so high now that mine stocks are on the rise due to stepped up production. 

     When you see geese flying south, you know winter is on the way and you start to prepare. When you see world powers buying gold in the thousands of tons, you should know they aren't stockpiling gold because it's pretty. 

     If ever there was a time to follow the leader, this is it. Remember this, the early bird doesn't go hungry.

   
Gold. What's on your plate?

Your Table's Waiting

6 Serious Ramifications Of A Cashless Economy

   Governments are campaigning to make the idea of a completely digital economy palatable. They claim the reason for eliminating cash is to put the clamps on drug dealers, terrorists, and armed robbery. They push further by citing the convenience and arguing that most people conduct their business with credit and debit cards anyway. So what's the big deal?

     Credit and debit cards are options spending, not instruments for saving. Once the option of cash is eliminated, banks are free to shift completely to negative interest rates. Negative rates mean you and I will pay banks for holding our money until we spend it. Negative rates can eat through our money in no time. Using credit or debit cards for every single instance we want to use our money (with a transaction fee, no doubt, because we are trapped into this method of payment) becomes a matter of record; the last bastion of personal privacy will be gone, but that isn't all.

     There will be no more cash to put inside children's birthday cards. How do we instill the value of money if all children know is a piece of plastic? How can they understand the concept of 10 pennies to a dime; 10 dimes to a dollar; how do you describe blue to a blind person?

     No more cash to put into the collection basket at church. So do congregants sign up for a weekly debit? Church income will be totally transparent and, as such, a measurable resource for tax revenue when the tax-exempt status of churches is eliminated.

     No more cash to give as a tip to waitstaff, a doorman, a taxi driver, or the grocery bagger. 

     No more cash to help the homeless get something to eat, or a shelter bed. Those people who have already fallen through society's cracks will drop into non-existence. How are the disenfranchised supposed to obtain a debit card when whey don't even have an address? It seems to me that once we surrender our cash, we also surrender our compassion, the core of our being that makes us human.

     On the flip side, a single digital currency may send more people to the darknet in an effort to maintain some degree of privacy. I've never visited the dark net so I have no first-hand experience to share. My understanding of it, however, is as the realm of drug dealers, illegal weapons sales, and pedophiles.  All of the activities the world governments claim would be curtailed by eliminating cash. Logic says the move to eliminate cash isn't so much to protect citizen as it is to enslave them with constant  monitoring. More to the point, the citizens become the governments' ATM machines; drone bees serving the elite.

     Rather than venture into the Darkside, I'm banking my survival with gold. The experts all agree gold is the best alternative for the interim.If you'd like to know how you can do the same, I'm happy to tell you. In the meantime, please

Read. Learn. Do Something.

'You Can Take That To The Bank' Used To Mean Solid

     I don't hear it so much anymore, but when something was the real deal; it was genuine; it was solid, like the Rock of Gibraltar; it was noteworthy, people said, 'You can take that to the bank.' There must be a reason this expression has fallen out of our everyday lexicon. I wonder what it could be.

      Could the reason have something to do with Brazil, the largest economy in South America, is teetering on the edge of collapse?

     Could the reason we don't use banks as an example of solidity anymore have something to do with Italian banks which after using bail-in tactics to confiscate savings accounts from their depositors are still scrambling to shift bad debt packages around to try to stay afloat and causing riots in the streets?
      Could the reason have something to do with Russian President Putin calling for another bail-out for Vnesheconombank, Russia's most important bank lender to cover a $3 billion payment coming due on $20 billion in foreign currency debt? This on top of $2.9 billion in debt left from the Olympics?
    Or, might it have something to do with complaints and accusations brought by German Finance Minister Schaeuble against the ECB for causing more problems than it has solved and even managed to put German pension funds in danger? 
     Perhaps recent remarks by former US Secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers that 'those who think they are endowed with magical powers to manipulate society have created a complete mess and they are too brain-dead to realize the consequences are devastating.' 
     Any or all of these conditions have changed attitudes toward banks in general. They are also, no doubt, reasons more people are converting savings dollars into physical gold. 
     I too have begun to protect my savings with gold. If you'd like to know how, I'm happy to tell you. In the meantime...

Read. Learn. And enjoy your day.
     
     

    

Water, For Example

Water, for example, seeks its own level.

Water cleanses, refreshes, nourishes.

Water transports.

Water feeds.

Water carries minerals wherever it goes.

Water, for example, carries gold.

Be like water.

I Just Learned What The World Needs Now Isn't Love, It's...

     1965. Jackie DeShannon's recording of Burt Bacharach's song 'What The World Needs Now'  is such a hit it's covered by Dionne Warwick two years later, and by Diana Ross in 1994. 

     2016. Germany's Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schauble tells the Central Banks of Europe and the United States what the world needs now is a healthy interest rate. He blames the ECB for the popular backlash against policies that have depleted the returns on savings of millions of Germans. Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats and her coalition partners the Social Democrats are losing ground to  the populist Alternative For Germany movement. Herr Schauble is quoted as saying to ECB President Mario Draghi, 'Be very proud: you can attribute 50% of the results of a party that seems to be new and successful in Germany to the design of this [monetary] policy.' 

     Add to the mix the news of the 10-year US Treasurys reported recently reported as 1.72%. This rate is below the consumer price index of 2.3%, so the real rate is -0.58%. A glaring contradiction of Ms. Yellen's claims about the non-existence of negative interest rates in the US. However, the US is not alone. Germany's 10-year yield is below 0.1%. Guy Haselmann, head of US interest rate strategy at Bank of Nova Scotia  expects the US 10-year yield to sink to 1.25% before the end of 2016 from a recent 1.72%, noting the previous low of 1.40% occurred at the height of the 2012 euro crisis. He also mentions the possibility the rate could test sub-1%.

     Bond declines explain a lot of what's happening in the markets at present. Stocks have been flat or slightly up, while gold is posting a 17% gain for 2016. When bond real rates go negative, the cost of holding gold evaporates.

     Zhiwei Ren, managing director and portfolio manage at Penn Mutual which hold $20 billion under management, said he would sell Treasurys if the 10-year yield hits 1.5%

     Central Bankers and government leaders converge on Washington, D.C. next week for the Spring meetings of the IMF. A real love-fest to be sure, but what the world needs now is prayer. And with an increase of 17%, I am glad I'm getting paid to save with gold. If you want to know how you can, too, I'm happy to tell you, but in the meantime...

 
Read. Learn. Watch. Take action.

The Market Forecast Is The Best Reason to Buy Gold

   
     

5 Things Everyone Ought To Know About Gold

     Everyone says saving money isn't as easy as it used to be. Some people are intrigued when I tell them I save by converting my currency into gold. Other people shake their heads and dismiss my efforts as nonsense without a clue as to what gold is. This article isn't for them because they're locked into an outdated way of thinking about money and scrimping to try to save some for emergencies, for college tuition, or retirement. No, this article is for the people who understand the world has changed, that banks don't pay interest on savings accounts anymore, that an economy based on debt is moving them deeper into debt along with it. 5 Things Everyone Ought To Know About Gold is for people who are tired of their money slipping through their fingers and sense there must be a way to shore it up.

     The 5 things you ought to know about gold are:

1.) Gold is money. Like the five dollar bill in your wallet, it doesn't grow or multiply on it's own. People do not invest in gold; people own gold, the same as they own dollars, pounds sterling, or euros. Gold is a vehicle to contain and preserve value. While the price varies due to currency fluctuations, gold's buying power remains constant. 

2.) The US may not be officially on a gold standard, but gold sits in the shadows of the Fed balance sheets to keep the figures out of the red. As James Rickards writes in his book THE NEW CASE FOR GOLD, the gold certificate account listed on the Fred's ledger amounts to $11 billion based on 1971 valuation. However, current a mark-to-market brings this hidden asset to more than $300 billion. Mr. Rickarts goes on to point out the US gold holding consists of  about eight thousand tons of gold. While the US is not on a gold standard in the historical context, it does rely on gold support.

3.) Gold certificates are not the same as owning physical gold. Gold certificates, like dollars have been over-printed. In other words, there are more certificates than there is gold available for payout should all of the certificate holders decide at once to cash them in for dollars.

4.) Already the markets show the decline in the value of the dollar and the increased price of gold. Gold is a reliable, solid asset.

5.)  According to Mr. Rickarts, Mike Maloney, Robert Kiyosaki, and Bo Polny gold should represent at least 10% of your wealth strategy. They all advise converting currency to gold now.

The Value In Small Gold Bars

Can Reading Make You A Prophet? Yes.

     'Read the writing on the wall,''  a lesson from the Bible's Book of Daniel is especially relevant in a high-tech world. Daniel, a Jewish student living in Babylon during the 5th century B.C. captivity, was known among this peers as a spot-on interpreter of dreams. When mysterious handwriting appeared on a wall in the king's chambers, Daniel was summoned in the hope he could offer some insight to the meaning of the message. Daniel informed the king his reign was nearing an end. The king was slain that very night. Herein is a lesson in the power of reading, comprehension and application.

     Modern technology fetches data in seconds. Data is collated in seconds more. Decisions to buy or sell are made and lives are changed. Why is someone who reads noteworthy?

     The answer is in the person's reading material. Geoffrey Abbott, a fund manager at GCA Capital reads the annual letters to investors from CEOs. By his thirtieth birthday at the end of May, he will have read 3,000 of them. The letters provide a snapshot of the CEO's perceptions of his company and his philosophy, as well as successes and goals. A dating profile, if you will, which hopefully will go beyond 'poking' into a solid relationship with investors. It's a statement beyond number crunching of the short term and long range goals to express the vision of the CEO for his company. Vital information to possess. 

     Yet, Geoffrey Abbott's task is newsworthy and that says he is unique. Numbers provide a snapshot of a company at any single given time. A collection of those snapshots can demonstrate a trend, but the story of the company comes from the written word. From the written plan comes the action. 

     Reading is knowledge. Knowledge is power. 

   
     Read. Learn. Take appropriate action.

The Karatbars Philosophy

The Dollar --It's What's For Lunch

    US Dollars continues to dwindle not only in pockets, but also in value. Mainstream media proclaim this is a good thing. Look at the lift to the markets. Commodities, energy and risk bonds are thriving. At the same time, investment firms like Sunrise Capital Partners are buying euros and Australian dollars as they bet against the US Dollar. SCP are not the ones making such wagers.
     A weaker dollar stands to erase the benefits of the push-down on commodity prices, and according to Ira Iosebashvili writing for The WSJ, punishing emerging markets including China and fueling a brutal shakeout in the US  energy sector. Ultimately it's American consumers who bear the weight as they watch the power of their paychecks shrink.
     The key takeaway here is the US Dollar comes somewhat blindly to the banquet of the world economy. This time,  not as a guest at the table, as the main course. Perhaps it's time for individual consumers to order from a different menu. How about a nice helping of solid assets topped with Gold?
     Gold. The better remedy to acid reflux, gas, and bloating. Before consuming Gold, please contact your friendly Karabars affiliate. Symptoms of  owning physical Gold include, but are not limited to feelings of euphoria, security, and confidence in the future regardless of volatile circumstances. People who join Karatbars have been known to be filled with a strong desire to help others. Please watch this video before you or anyone you know misses this opportunity to feel better.

Currently The Highest Recommended Pain Reliever

Truth As A Kaleidoscope

     Yesterday's morning news cheered the rise in the NYSE. Hooray! they shouted, the market experienced its highest rise in 6 years. Consumer confidence was said to be up as well. Hooray! Hoorah! Ha-hooey!

     Underneath the banter a reason for the market increase was whispered. Investors are pulling out of hedge funds. The pull-out amounts to $15.3 BILLION during the first two months of 2016. A significant amount of money which investors have to put somewhere. Hence, the market rise. A move not motivated by confidence, but rather a method of cost-cutting. Hedge funds command sizable fees for the service they provide. What puzzles me is how investors who have depended on the astute maneuvering of the hedge fund managers think they can out maneuver the masters of the game. Sounds to me like Monique has donned a new pair of earrings and a fresh lipstick and taken to walking the streets again.

    Stocks may have rebounded, but as today's morning news reported, the US markets closed down yesterday, way down. Market volatility has insightful investors hedging their bets. The smart money is on a market collapse. As the market goes, so goes the dollar.

     Another bellwether of times to come, of course, comes from banks and mortgage lenders. New mortgage activity is down, so the push is on for equity loans. The banks want people to start taking cash out of their homes for home improvements. Property values are increasing (possibly because the inventory is stalemated?) and the banks want to stake their claim. Home improvements do indeed create jobs and increase sales of manufactured products, but shouldn't $119,790 as an average line of home equity loans make us the tiniest bit nervous in light of the increased betting on a market collapse?  The key lesson from RICH DAD, POOR DAD is that a house is not an asset unless it brings more money in than takes out. I tell you, that hog Monique really gets around. 

     RICH DAD author Richard Kiyosaki, Bo Polny, Mike Malloy and others strongly recommend converting cash into precious metals like gold and silver. Gold is real money. Goods and services have been purchased with gold in every century in every culture, in ever country of the world. Another recommended solid asset include farmland. However, for city dwellers like myself, gold in small spendable amounts of 1g. to 5 g. is far more practical. 

     As you can imagine for obvious reasons, Monique won't go near farmland. Gold and silver makes her lips break out and swell. Not a good look for a pig without a kaleidoscope.

Escape the Hog Here

Remembering Monique

     Monique's moment of fame came during the Democratic National Convention in the Summer of 1992 when Texas Governor Ann Richards mentioned her at a luncheon in her keynote speech. Referring to Republican spin tactics at the time, Ms. Richards exclaimed, 'You can put earrings and lipstick on a hog and call it Monique, but it's still a pig.' God, how I loved that gal! Ann, I mean, not Monique. However, now may be a good time to reintroduce Monique because of something happening in American banks and savings and loans.

     You see, somebody at Harvard did a study about how banks in South Africa were growing their business by offering depositors an incentive. By opening a savings account and making deposits, individuals were offered the chance to win a lottery for cash prizes. Such marketing was designed to make the notion of savings fun and exciting for people of limited means who are also inclined to buy lottery tickets as a way to get rich quick.  When people here learned the bank, a division of First Rand Ltd had taken in about $200 million over three years and paid out only $150,000 in prize money, they recognized a good deal. 

     A similar program was established in Boston. It ran for three years before the Supreme Court of Appeals shut it down in favor of the National Lottery Board. According to Lisa Ward, writing for the Wall Street Journal, 'the ruling stated 'the program violated the government's monopoly on lotteries.'

     The easy fix came with the American Savings Promotion Act. Passed with ease by both houses of Congress and signed into law by President Obama in December 2014, the law changed the word 'lottery' to 'raffle.' Same program; different shade of lipstick. 

     It can be argued that the people who make deposits into a savings account or CD are at least not throwing their money away on the whim of a set of numbers. After all, they do still have the money in their accounts. Lottery tickets come at a price which it lost if the numbers played are not drawn.

     When the ultimate plan is to eliminate cash, perhaps even make having it illegal, --and several financial experts say the world is headed toward a cashless economy --what more efficient way to induce people to surrender their cash than to incorporate the words 'lottery' or 'raffle' and 'win cash prizes' into the marketing?

     Consider also separate legislation renamed bank 'depositors' as bank 'creditors.' Should the bank or savings and loan need a bail-in, the money is gone anyway in the interest of saving the bank to be repaid or not as future circumstances permit after salaries and bonuses, taxes and other business expenses are taken into account. Wouldn't a better incentive to save be to offer a rate of interest above a fraction of one percent? This way everyone putting money into a savings account or CD wins, not just a handful of hopefuls.

     So once again, after the flowing gown drops to the floor, and wig goes on the dresser, and the make-up gets wiped clean, the angel we thought came to save us is just that damn pig Monique.

     

When Push Comes To Shove

     A lot of people will say, 'If you ever need help with anything, give me a call." The truth is very few of them will take that call. A lot of people say, "I wish I could figure out a way to come up with some extra money." The truth is very few of them are open to suggestions.  A lot of people complain or talk about their big plans. The truth is they want only to hear themselves talk. You know the type. You can't count on them for anything; when push comes to shove they're nowhere to be found.  

     The nuns of my childhood pegged them correctly. I learned if I needed help to meet a project deadline, go to the busiest person I could find. Busy people get things done and they're ready to help. The other people will say, "Ah, gee, I know I offered to help, but now is not a good time for me. I just poured myself a glass of wine and my TV program is coming on. Darn. I might be able to do something with you next week. Call me if you still need me."

     When push comes to shove; your bank balance is being eaten away by fees, the paycheck isn't going as far as it used to because of rising prices of food, housing, and transportation, and you want more information about what you can do about it, I'm here for you.

Let's Get Started

   
     

   

Honor Among Investment Bankers?

      Everybody was hurt one way or another by the bubble burst of 2008. Well, everybody except the people who caused it and profited by it. Sure, there were fines paid which were minimal compared to the haul. Criminal charges? Those occurred mainly in Iceland. Most escaped judicial process, free to do it all again. In addition, they still collected their commissions and bonuses. The calamity wasn't only the financial losses, but the lackadaisical efforts of the Justice Department. Amidst extraordinary loss stands a number of instant billionaires, but no heroes. Until now.

     As reported this morning by Max Colchester, Jenny Strasburg, and Margo Patrick writing for the Wall Street Journal, Zurich has a new sheriff in town. Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam has worked diligently since his appointment in July to unwind the high-risk bets left behind by his predecessors. Still, trading revenues for the investment bank are facing a 45% decline for the quarter.

     Efforts to stem future losses include increasing job cuts by 2,000 to bring the total to 6,000. The announcement brought Credit Suisse shares up .9% to 14.45 Swiss francs. Mr. Thiam is also paring down the size of the global markets unit by  nearly 30% by exiting out of businesses which include distressed debt. Restructuring efforts are already showing results even though the plan is expected to take 12 to 18 months. 

     The overall scope of developments at Credit Suisse is indeed monumental, but there's one impressive detail me that tells the hero's tale. The 2015 bonus pool for the Credit Suisse investment bank was cut 36%. Mr. Thiam requested his own bonus for the year be reduced by 40% 'out of solidarity.' Such is the stuff of honorable people. Such people are heroes. 

     

     

Sounds Like A Great Place To Meet Bunnies, well, I suppose you can

     If ever there was something which sounds like a great place to meet bunnies --no, not Hugh Hefner's mansion-- I would have to say Karatbars. That's karat with a K rather than carrot with a C. So no, no bunnies here. However, some very smart rabbits are affiliates who are preserving the value of their earnings by converting currency into spendable quantities of 24K .999 pure gold bullion.

     When most people think of buying gold, the first mental image is a jewelry store displaying all sorts of gold necklaces, earrings, rings, and watches. However, when cash is needed these items require the services of either an auction house or a pawn broker. Not a quick remedy to an emergency.

     Others collect vintage gold coins, especially dollar pieces. The danger here is since they are government minted, the government can declare them worth only face value. A gold coin collection then is drastically reduced.

     The third common image of gold takes the form of bars. The question here is, where to store them? An in-home safe? A storage locker? As the Greeks learned when the banks shut down, not only were they denied access to their safety deposit boxes, the valuables in those boxes became bank assets, so needless to say bank deposit boxes are out.

     Karatbars offer free accounts for customers and affiliates to acquire gold, but also offers free storage. When you choose to sell the gold you have in storage, Karatbars buys it back from you and deposits the money on your debit card. Nothing could be easier or more secure.

     Karatbars is the warren for smart does and bucks who want to protect themselves, their families, and friends from the ravages of current and pending banking and market conditions.

     Click below to learn how to begin collecting karats today.

Welcome

     

3 Simple Steps To Turn Prospects Into Your Biggest Fans

     Having listened to the concerns and needs of a prospect, everyone wants to jump in with a sales pitch. Yet, everyone knows the adage, 'Actions speak louder than words.' What to do?
     First, present the prospects with exactly what they said they want.
     Second, present an alternative which is a variation also represents a slight quality upgrade.
     Third, present a product or service which goes beyond the prospects' expectations as a delightful surprise.

     Easy. Why not skip steps 1 and 2? Those steps prove to the prospects you were listening and understand what they said. Everyone likes to get what they want. More than that, everyone loves a surprise. Especially a surprise that answers a secret desire. A surprise that says, 'I'm here for you.'

   I happen to know of just this sort of surprise. Some people have already utilized this surprise with tremendous results. I'm happy to show this surprise to the ambitious select few who will take the time to ask me about it at mdan53@gmail.com.

     

Listen To Your Uncle Aesop

The Grasshopper And The Ants

         Have you ever had an idea which led you along a train of thought you didn't initially suspect? Such is the case with me this morning. Aesop's fable about the Grasshopper and the Ants has bounced around in my head for days. I assumed this was a result of all the articles I've read about banks close to failing, varies central banks, the Chinese economy, the US economy and news about the Fed and Janet Yelling, not to forget the people off Japan clearing out home supply stores of their inventory of safes. All of it seemed to converge into the one story told by a Greek centuries ago.
     Aesop tells of a grasshopper who spent his Spring and Summer days living a bohemian lifestyle. Mr. Grasshopper enjoyed the luxury of an abundant world, singing and dancing for his supper. One day, he noticed a group of ants gathering food and carrying it back to their home. They neither sang nor danced, just worked. He laughed at them. Told them they were silly to worry about the future when the future was capable of taking care if itself. They ought give themselves a break and enjoy the warm sunny days. The ants replied they knew winter was coming and they would need all this food as well as the other supplies they laid in store. The Grasshopper laughed and danced away. When winter came, the ants were cozy in their home with plenty of food to eat and they relaxed after all their hard work. Mr. Grasshopper died of exposure and starvation. The moral of Aesop's story: be focused in what you do so that no one can talk you out of your goal; be prepared.
     The link above is for a 1934 Disney cartoon. Keep in mind President Franklin Roosevelt advised Congress on 6 June 1934 of his intention to create a national social insurance plan so that Americans hit be the Great Depression would be able to have food and shelter. Pay close attention to the final minutes of the cartoon to the message conveyed. Also worth noting is the bill creating Social Security was signed into law 14 August 1935. The US stock market crashed 29 October 1929.
   No wonder this story came to mind with so many financial advisers, market forecasters, and economic cycle observers saying financial conditions are not as good as people are led to believe. The persist in telling people to convert their cash and even some of their stock into the solidity of gold and silver.
     Some people are happy to sing a song about how the world will never change. They have no worries for their future. Everything really is too big to fail. Other people are ants. The ant people are converting their wealth into gold. The ant people are creating a secondary stream of income to help when things do go unimaginably wrong. Ant people who have not started to take precautions yet will begin today by clicking the link below.
   

Be An Ant Today

     

The True Meaning of 'Running'

     The presidential primaries have produced a lot of talk about running. They're all lightweights compared to a guy I happen to adore. He's an actor who wears colored nail polish and high heels with a suit or a tuxedo, and he's one of the funniest men in the business. When it comes to running, there's no one this season who more clearly demonstrates the meaning of the word. Eddie Izzard.

   Currently, Izzard is in South Africa on a mission to run 27 marathons in 27 days. TWENTY-SEVEN. He's running to raise money for Sports Relief, an adjunct to the perhaps more famous Comic Relief. The biennial charity event brings together the worlds of entertainment and sports to raise money to help vulnerable people in both the UK and also the world's poorest countries.

   Why 27 marathons in as many days? Izzard is dedicating his participation this year to the memory of Nelson Mandela, a man who obviously had a great impact on Izzard having only met one time. Twenty-seven is the number of years Mr. Mandela was imprisoned by South Africa's apartheid government. Today is Izzard's 23rd run in 24 days. He lost a day for medical check-ups, so to catch up he will run a double hitter today. 

     So while the candidate hopefuls talk about running, about what they will do if...Eddie Izzard is on South Africa's eastern cape doing something truly golden.

If you would like to learn know about Sports Relief, here the link to the charity's website.Sport Relief

     

Where's Paul Harvey When We Need Him?

     Whenever I went anywhere in the car with my Dad, whether it was a routine errand or a fishing trip, there was always an extra companion in the front seat. The first thing my Dad did after pulling safely into the road was to turn on the radio and tune to Paul Harvey. I remember Mr. Harvey almost as a favorite relative because of  the regularity of his captivating tales. If we reached our destination and Mr. Harvey hadn't finished, we sat in the parked car and waited for the famous Harvey tag line: 'And now you know the rest of the story.'

     Mr. Harvey instilled in me a hunger to know the back story of people and events; to find out the details of the story which was held back, edited out. Mr. Harvey's voice whispers to me as a read a newspaper or online article, 'There's more to this than they're telling.'

     Take this morning for instance. The news media continues to focus on the US primaries; which candidate won, which lost, and which may not have lost yet. Crowds gather to shout profanities or to cheer as though they're at the Roman Colosseum watching gladiators fight to the death. Brief mention is given to the rise of the stock market trades, but not the less than 1% those trades actually represent. Market improvements are subliminally tied to the political front runners as they're mentioned in almost the same breath by the newsreaders.

     During my morning commute, I open the Wall Street Journal to the Money & Investing section. The main headline reads: '$101 Million Whodunit at the Fed.' Somehow thieves acquired all the right codes to transfer all those millions of dollars out of the Bangladesh account at the NY Fed into private accounts in four countries. It was revealed that Bangladesh keeps most of its wealth in cash at the Fed. Cash. Now what other news stories have there been in a past fortnight about cash? Oh, yes. News of discontinuing 100-dollar bills and negative interest rates so people won't park their cash in banks but will spend it instead, electronically. Electronic banking is the way of the future,. It's safer. Tell that to the Finance Minister of Bangladesh who lost his job over this. Only $68,000 of the stolen funds have been recovered, by the way. Officials at the Fed are still sorting out the who and how this robbery happened.

     The next prominent headline on the page reads: 'Trading At Banks Turns 'Grim.'" As some in the media prefer to rouse cheers from the crowd about those less than 1% market rises, Justin Baer, reporting for the WSJ, plays the Paul Harvey role today. The first quarter is typically a busy and profitable season for bank traders. Not so for the first quarter of 2016. 

     Mr. Baer quotes an unnamed senior bank executive describing the situation as 'grim.' In 2015 the first quarter was a high water mark with revenues of $23.7 billion amounting to 32% of the annual trading revenue. This year Morgan Stanley laid off 25% of their traders and sales staff. Grim indeed.

     Most people want to believe things are getting better for them financially. The market rose again by less than 1% don't forget. However, as our eyes move below the fold of the Money & Investing section, we read: 'Plan B for High Rent: Adult Dorms.' Venture capitalists like Maveron and even Fidelity Investments are developing residential properties modeled on college dormitories. Residents will pay rent on a single room spaces with common dining and recreational areas under the guise of helping young people make the transition to a big city for jobs and to make friends in a new place at a reduced rental rate and privacy; free from out of town relatives and friends expecting a place to stay on a visit. This more than any other evidence you can find screams the bets are against your financial situation improving very much any time soon. Otherwise, why would anyone spend $1.4 billion in New York alone on what comes down to a re-invented SRO?

     If you haven't taken action yet to acquire your golden parachute, why are you waiting? None of the candidates have discussed your economy in any detail. For one reason, they know they can't save you. I don't believe in fear, but I solemnly believe in being prepared. 

'And now you know [more of] the rest of the story.

Open Your Parachute Here

Open the link and watch the videos to learn more and them get back to me with your decision to take action. I'm here to help.