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.

The Facts Of Life

'A Few Dollars More' Isn't Just a Movie, It's A Need

At the end of the month could you use a few dollars more?

     Everybody over-spends their income. No matter millionaire or hourly wage earner, we all wish at the end of the month we had more money.     Some people think the way to fix their budget is to cut spending. It doesn’t work for the government, but something has to give, right? Try as they might just like the government, they find they can’t bring themselves to cut the two or three expenses which would solve the problem. So the credit card balances continue to grow.

     Some people think the way to fix their budget is to cut spending. It doesn’t work for the government, but something has to give, right? Try as they might just like the government, they find they can’t bring themselves to cut the two or three expenses which would solve the problem. So the credit card balances continue to grow.

     Some other people think getting a second job is the solution. Part-time work pays an hourly rate for the most part and costs time which could be spent with family and friends. In the end, they decide the extra work really isn’t worth it. Once again, the credit card debt mounts. If only there was a way to create another channel of cash flow which wouldn’t spill over into valuable family time.

     Some people have turned to the passive income network marketing creates and in particular, a passive income generated by being an independent affiliate of Karatbars.

     Karatbars can turn a little bit of effort into gold. Assuming of course needing a few dollars more isn't just something you talk about and you actually want to do something about it, click on the lick below.

     Watch these two short videos to learn more. Afterwards, get in touch with me  with a  like, share and comment so I can help you join this powerful worldwide network of doctors, lawyers, CPA’s, and yes, even bankers, to create a more secure future for yourselves and your families with gold.

This Might Be Of Interest

Robin Hood, Outlaw Turned Central Banker?

     Everyone recalls the good robber lore of Robin Hood, the guy who led a band of 'merry men' in robbing from the rich to give to the poor. Seems now, Robin and his posse have branched out, leaving Nottingham's Sherwood Forest for anywhere there's a central bank.

     For instance, the European Central Bank is using negative interest rates to siphon off funds from northern banks like Germany in favor of the southern banks like Italy and Spain who are in desperate need of liquidity. Needless to say bankers in Italy and Spain are thrilled with Mr. Draghi's actions, while German bankers are accusing him of harming individual depositors and their pension funds. Mr. Draghi has been depicted in editorial cartoons lighting his cigar with a 100 euro note with the caption: 'Whatever it takes.' And by that, according to WSJ, he meant whatever it takes to save the euro. Defaulting EU members are bad for ECB business.

     Meanwhile, Beijing, takes it's lesson from the US housing bubble, by keeping zombie companies afloat to help Chinese banks shed bad loans. The loans are being' re-packaged as securities and transferred to special asset management companies that handle distressed debt,' according to Lingling Wei, writing for WSJ. Wei continues, 'Senior executives at China's big four state-owned banks say regulators are also exploring ways for banks to exchange bad loans for equity in certain too-big-to-fail companies --a potentially controversial step that they say could saddle banks with near-worthless stock and squeeze their liquidity. This is only a 'potentially controversial step' because a similar move in the US with subprime housing loans blew up, but that won't happen in China because the big four banks have a broader customer list? Robin Hood thinking at his level best.

   Also in the news, Germany is also repackaging subprime loans to sell as securities. Moving off bad housing loans, Germany is using bad auto loans as grist for its money mill. There's a new twist, Robin Hood would be proud of. This bubble has the potential to skip the banks and investment firms and splatter all over the common citizenry. The car manufacturers and their employees, the dealerships and their employees, the merchants to sell goods and services to these individuals, and finally, the smaller banks which issued mortgages which will go unpaid due to this trickle-down unemployment.

    But hey, never mind all this. The real news is the stock markets are up! The STOXX rose a full one-tenth of one per cent. The NASDAQ inched up seven tenths of one percent, while the DJIA climbed 1.2%. Never you mind the market isn't where it used to be because this is the fourth consecutive week there's been any increase at all. This amount of progress has to make up for the yield of 10-year treasury bonds dropping nearly 2%, doesn't it? With Robin Hood in charge we have to focus on the big picture, not the  fine print concerns from Morgan Stanley consultants who whisper, 'Not so fast.' After all, what does Morgan Stanley know about anything going wrong with selling bad debts as securities?

     Is it okay with you that I suggest that if any portion of the world financial news causes you to stop and think that you think about the solidity of gold as part of your defense against Robin Hood? It isn't you the central bankers are concerned with saving; it's their currencies they want to save and to control. Gold removes you from their power. Please watch these videos and learn how gold can save your future security. The move to gold is a simple process and I'm here to help you through it.

Go For Gold Here

     

5 Things That Wouldn't Be The Same Without Gold

     Gold gets a bad rap. Even though pundits say the price of gold will surge to new heights by October of this year, many people ignore the value of owning gold as part of their wealth building plans. With this in mind, let's look at 5 things that just wouldn't be the same without gold.    
     (1.) Your Rolex Presidential edition Federal Reserve Note watch;
     (2.) Your Federal Reserve Note Wedding Bands;
     (3.) Your 50th Federal Reserve Note Wedding Anniversary;
     (4.) The children's poem 'Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other is Federal Reserve note.

And last, but certainly not least:

     (5.)'Silence is Federal Reserve Note.' Perhaps this one is the most telling of all with regard to the intrinsic importance of gold in our lives, of who we are.
     Whether we consciously acknowledge it or not, gold permeates our lives through the objects we desire to own; the way we express ourselves; the people we care about. Federal Reserve notes are no substitutes for the real thing, so why keep them as the basis of your future, your retirement, your legacy when gold is better and easy to acquire?
     Can you image Long John Silver and his band of pirates setting sail to hunt for buried paper?

X Marks The Spot

Free All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast Buffet

     Everybody loves an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. Even, it seems, financial markets. Everybody bellied up to the serving line when The European Central Bank announced its new, mouth-watering menu consisting of a choice of rate cuts, additional bond purchases, and ultra-cheap loans for banks. Just as everyone reached for a napkin to mop the drool, ECB President Mario Draghi, according to the WSJ, signaled interest rates wouldn't fall any lower amid concerns about the impact on Europe's fragile banks. Damn. Nothing kills a good buffet like finding out there's no dessert at the end of the line and it was all over within an hour.
     Perhaps this was just as well. Hunger makes for desperate eaters. The bonds central banks are creating are now are comprised of the sovereign debt they already own, which the central banks then in turn sell back to themselves. Think about this carefully. Have you ever opened a new credit card account so you could consolidate the money you owe on a wallet-full of other credit cards to create more room on the other cards so you could continue spending? Sure you have. How did that work our for you?
     The truth of the matter is there is no healthy free all-you-can-eat buffet in the world financial markets. By cannibalizing themselves, the central banks are serving up the means for those downstream to cannibalize themselves. Thank you very much, but my body is not intended to be eaten as meat. I'd rather dig around in the earth for nourishment. Roots and grubs and the like. Oh, and then there is something else worth harvesting from the ground. Gold.
     The next time you watch GONE WITH THE WIND and you see Scarlett O'Hara standing in the twilight holding up a turnip shouting, ' With God as my witness, I will never go hungry again, and none of my kinfolk either,' think of me. I'm holding up  handfuls of Karatbars gold bullion in spendable sizes shouting to the sky, 'With God as my witness--"

Click Here For Health, Wealth, & Happiness

Take Noah, For Example

     Everybody has that one story heard in childhood that continues to inform, to shape, or haunt them in adulthood. Haunt, you ask? Let me explain. The stories I most recall are the ones which didn't make sense to me. Take the story of Noah, for example.

     Noah, I was told, was 500 years old with a wife and three sons who also had wives. I guess back then people lived longer before the advent of pre-packaged or fast food since people today are considered long-lived if they make it to 90, but I digress. This family of 8 not only built the ark, came up with all the timber and other supplies required, and in their spare time gathered male and female pairs of every kind of animal on earth, AND got them all loaded into the boat before the Great Flood hit. As a child I was supposed to accept this story in every detail. Never did. Still don't. Still think about it though and I've come to a sort of understanding I can grasp.

     What if the story of Noah isn't about boat building or wildlife preservation? What if the story of Noah is a story about how to flourish in the world? What if the story is about how we think? What if it's a story about how our thinking shapes how we act? Consider this.

     Noah is presented with an idea. At first thought, Noah thinks its a crazy idea. What if everything he has acquired in his 500 years on earth; everyone he loves, was suddenly washed away? The notion of the world coming to an end is insane, right? Yet, the more he pondered it, the less crazy and more probable the idea became. The next logical thought was 'Can I stop it?' No. 'Can I prepare for it?' How?

     He weighed several options and decided the best one was to build a huge boat. He lived in Mesopotamia and had witnessed the flooding of the Nile. The possibility of a tremendous flood seemed like a real possibility. He decided to build a boat. Even if the flood wasn't as bad as he imagined, his family would have a safer home than they had now. He called a family meeting to announce his plans and they all set to work.

     The neighbors made jokes about Noah's project. They said the old man had finally lost it. No one offered to help. No one thought maybe they should model their behavior on what Noah and his family were doing. They believed the earth was too big to flood. 

     Well, everybody knows what happened when it began to rain.

     Our lesson from the story of Noah is to think outside the box. Let our thoughts go outside of everything we know into the realm of what is possible and then to follow-up with appropriate action.

     The news headlines today are filled with the ups and downs of the world's stock markets; with bank failures, currency devaluation, and negative interest rates. In other words, it's beginning to rain.

     Some people say it's just a phase that will correct itself. Some people see some of the same storm clouds gathering on the horizon they saw in 2007 and 2008, but they procrastinate. The Noah's out there are acquiring gold and trying to help other people to do the same. Even if those storm clouds dissipate, which the everyone in the know says isn't likely to happen, it can't hurt to own something solid with solid value and worldwide appeal.

Your Ship Sails With A Click Here

Common Knowledge

    Everyone knows their paychecks aren't enough to cover ever-increasing living expenses. Everyone says they'd get a second, part-time job if they had time; if they had someone to look after the kids; if they could find a worthwhile part-time job; if they weren't so tired from the job they already have. Everyone hears on the nightly news the economy is doing well and that unemployment is down. Everyone knows the job they got after the layoff caused by the last bubble burst does not offer the same income as they had before unemployment hit, but it's the only job they could find. It's something. It's a government static. It isn't much else. It isn't enough. 

    So most people are looking for other ways to supplement their income. Most people are looking for a way to supplement their income without having to spend more time away from home. In fact, most people would like to find a way to earn an extra income which could eventually let them quit their regular job. 

     Would it be okay if I show you a way you can do this for yourself?

A Better Future Begins With A Click Here

3 Things We Can Learn From Pickpockets

     Pickpockets are probably the most successful thieves walking the earth other than politicians and central bankers. I probably shouldn't have mentioned politicians and central bankers, but then again, psychologists tell us there is a lot of knowledge to be gleaned from word association.

     First of all, every successful pickpocket has a game plan. As Coach Vince Lombardi taught his Green Bay Packers, learn and know one play and then be proficient in 27 variations of that play and you'll win the game. The game plan of the pickpocket is to create a distraction, get the wallet, and disappear. Success in all in the timing.

     Secondly, success requires patience. For pickpockets, and the like, this means getting to know the mark. The pickpocket watches to see how the mark moves through the crowd, how s/he responds to being jostled, whether s/he is in a hurry. After all, you can't just walk up to someone and grab their wallet unless you have a gun. Weapons of any kind go against the philosophy of the pickpocket, or the like, of taking people's money without them realizing it's gone.

     Lastly, once the observation is complete, the pickpocket, or whoever, moves without hesitation. No second thoughts. Hit. Grab. Go.

     Hesitation or procrastination brings loss and sorrow.

     Read. Learn. Take defensive action. Now.

Convert Paper Currency Into Gold

   
   
   
     

5 Thoughts About Gold On A Snowy Morning

     One of the obvious things about gold on a snowy morning is that it shows up. Gold doesn't get lost against the white backdrop of snowfall or a pile-on of banking rules and regulations.

     Like snow, gold piles up before you realize it. With the consistency of a regular schedule of converting currency into gold, your gold will drift to insulate and protect your money from sudden changes in the market climate.

     Gold doesn't melt, well, not like snow. Gold has maintained its buying power for over 6,000 years. And melting snow can't rust it, not like your car, but Gold can take you places.

     Gold is global money you can spend anywhere on anything.

     Gold is easy to get, easy to store for free, easy to earn more as you save and help others understand the power of gold. Ask me. I have first-hand experience as do the other members of the worldwide network with which I am affiliated.

      So tell me, what to do thing about, dream about on a snowy day? Better yet, tell me what keeps you awake at night. Maybe its procrastination. I can help with that.

Taking The Security Out of Social Saving

     People save for their future. They put money into a savings account and often an IRA. Every week, every paycheck, a lot of people in the US also put money into a union pension fund and Social Security.  Now these same diligent savers are told their payments are cut 51%, as is the case with The Central States Pension Fund, and even those less-than-half payments will last only another ten years before the fund is depleted. Even so, whether out of habit or disbelief this will happen to them, people continue to make regular deposits into their bank accounts, their IRA accounts, their Social Security and Pension fund accounts without taking another other defensive actions. The population is aging at a greater rate than new workers --new fund contributors--are entering the workforce. The cookie jar money will not be enough. Disaster looms on the horizon. Statistical fact, not a matter of faith. 

     Countries behave the same blind-sighted way. Central Bank governors and political leaders act as though things can and will carry on for the simple reason things have always carried on and come through. Greece and Cypress provide recent evidence this is 'in the box' denial. Heads-in-sand attitudes do nothing for individuals, and even less for countries.

     Take for example China. Once again, China hit the front page of the Wall Street Journal Market section. This time for hoarding. Not cash, but a cash crop. Cotton. ELEVEN MILLION METRIC TONS, enough to make 10 million pairs of jeans. This is 60% of the world's stockpile of cotton, a third of global consumption, according to the WSJ. This stockpile has caused a push down on the trading price to 2004 levels. Since the beginning of 2016, the price has fallen 11.7%. As bad as this is, the real kicker is the fact cotton deteriorates over time in storage. The Journal quotes Nick Hungate, global head of cotton at RCMA Commodities Asia Pte, as saying the quality cotton has already has already been sold, leaving the Chinese with lower grade goods. 

     The lesson here is clear, we need to open up our thinking. Change our minds; change our actions. To continue making deposits into bank accounts which no long pay interest doesn't work. Relying on social retirement funds doesn't work in the long run. Hoarding degradable materials like paper and cotton leaves only so much dust.

     Isn't it by far better to preserve the value of our earnings in a medium of exchange that doesn't run out, rust or rot? To paraphrase a children's rhyme:

    Ashes to ashes,

Dust to dust,

If you want to grow old,

You best save with gold.

Want to know more, hit me up. 

   
     

Roads Paved With Good Intentions Lead Out of China

     China loosened $107 billion for loans by reducing the amount of reserves banks are required hold on deposit in the central bank. The intent was to warm up the economic climate by encouraging spending and business development.

     Since the announcement on Tuesday, both Citi and Goldman Sachs have announced their intent to sell their approximate 20% interest in Chinese banks. Instead of stimulating growth, this news increased fear which is leading to public hording of yuan in case things get worse.

     One area taking advantage of the new cash flow is land developers. Property has been purchased and plans drawn up for residential, business, and recreational development. The hitch: Chinese yuans and the jobs and subsequent consumer spending to be created are all off-shore; primarily Malaysia.

     The road to growth development seems to have a fork in it. One branch leads to off-shore prosperity while the other circles back into more debt and devaluation of the yuan. 

     Anyone know where the exit ramp is? Apparently not the G-20. Gosh, has it already been two days since they met in Shanghai?

One More Proof of Gold As A Truthful Indicator

     The following is an excerpt from Roy Sebag's article, Buffett's Math Trumped By Gold, published by Goldmoney Insights, February 29, 2016. Mr. Sebag offers another analysis of gold similar to my own in Rockin' To The Golden Oldies. I think you'll find what he wrote most interesting.

GDP per Capita Priced in Gold

When it comes to financial analysis, I try and focus on what I consider to be "universal truths": wisdom or knowledge that is as close to foundational as possible. Mathematics for example, is universally true. Gravitational forces in the universe are also universally true. Buffett's analysis and conclusion lacks rigor as it relies on a subjective variable (deflating a historical nominal GDP by a CPI index to measure productivity and quality of life) and then disregards the most important one: That 20.67 US Dollars in 1930 was equivalent to 1 Troy Ounce of .9999 or better elemental Gold (Au).

Buffett makes the argument that his $56,000 today is six times better (even after his adjustment for inflation) than the $858 of GDP per Capita each US Citizen earned in 1929 but forgets to mention that $858 in 1929 was equivalent to 41.5 Troy Ounces of Gold in 1929. Here is the math:

1929 Nominal GDP	$104,600,000,000
1929 Population	121,878,000
1929 Nominal GDP per Capita	$858
1929 Gold Price	$20.67/Troy Ounce
1929 GDP per Capita in Gold	41.5 Troy Ounces
February 2015 Gold Price	$1,224/Troy Ounce
1929 GDP per Capita Today's Gold Price	41.5 oz * $1,224 = $50,796
St. Louis Feds 2015 GDP per Capita	$50,993

The result is unequivocal: When measuring on an apple to apples comparison, there has been little to no gain in GDP per capita over the last 86 years in the United States. There is most certainly not a six times increase in productivity nor is there an increase in the quality of life per capita as measured using the same unit of account that was used in 1929. Buffet's manipulating of the figures without reconciling under the apple to apples gold method is trumped by math.