page-loading-spinner
Home Economy

Economy

Image | Gold’s Regular Morning Mugging
Gold’s Regular Morning Mugging
by Adam Taggart

Not everyone is a morning person. And few people like Mondays.

But if you're a precious metals investor, mornings – especially Mondays – are brutal.

The Evidence

The precious metals are routinely sold off at or soon after the 8am morning open of the New York NYMEX exchange.

Below are the daily gold price charts (source: Kitco) for each Monday (or Tuesday, if Monday was a holiday) since early this year. The current day's gold price is noted by the bright green line. The morning takedown is highlighted by the orange oval.

Gold’s Regular Morning Mugging
 by Adam Taggart

Not everyone is a morning person. And few people like Mondays.

But if you're a precious metals investor, mornings – especially Mondays – are brutal.

The Evidence

The precious metals are routinely sold off at or soon after the 8am morning open of the New York NYMEX exchange.

Below are the daily gold price charts (source: Kitco) for each Monday (or Tuesday, if Monday was a holiday) since early this year. The current day's gold price is noted by the bright green line. The morning takedown is highlighted by the orange oval.

Image | The 10 Next Predictable Steps to Japan’s Unfolding Disaster
The 10 Next Predictable Steps to Japan’s Unfolding Disaster
 PREVIEW
by Gregor Macdonald

Executive Summary

  • Japan is intentionally devaluing its currency through money printing. The recent boost in the Nikkei is simply the result of this flood of new money.
  • Japan industry is now experiencing cost increases on two fronts: inflation of the money supply, and rising prices on the global market for commodities.
  • Rising bond rates are all but guaranteed.
  • Gold vs. the yen is surging and will pick up momentum from here
  • The ten predictable events that will happen next, as the unavoidable Japan disaster unfolds

If you have not yet read Part I: The Arrival of Japan's Sunset available free to all readers, please click here to read it first.

In Part II we explain why Japan has unequivocally entered the terminal phase of its 20-year reflationary experiment.

Further “abundance” harvesting from this point forward will be difficult if not impossible.

Is the devaluation of the yen really the successful technology that will fool nature? We think not. The outcome will have spectacular implications for many global assets, ranging from real estate, to stock markets, to oil and gold.

Observers of Japan from this point forward should be sober about the threshold the country has now crossed. Japan has effectively said to the world: Go ahead, make my day. Sell our currency, give us inflation, and get out of our bonds.

Japan has indeed taken to heart the Krugman dictum, and committed to irresponsibility.

The 10 Next Predictable Steps to Japan’s Unfolding Disaster
 PREVIEW by Gregor Macdonald

Executive Summary

  • Japan is intentionally devaluing its currency through money printing. The recent boost in the Nikkei is simply the result of this flood of new money.
  • Japan industry is now experiencing cost increases on two fronts: inflation of the money supply, and rising prices on the global market for commodities.
  • Rising bond rates are all but guaranteed.
  • Gold vs. the yen is surging and will pick up momentum from here
  • The ten predictable events that will happen next, as the unavoidable Japan disaster unfolds

If you have not yet read Part I: The Arrival of Japan's Sunset available free to all readers, please click here to read it first.

In Part II we explain why Japan has unequivocally entered the terminal phase of its 20-year reflationary experiment.

Further “abundance” harvesting from this point forward will be difficult if not impossible.

Is the devaluation of the yen really the successful technology that will fool nature? We think not. The outcome will have spectacular implications for many global assets, ranging from real estate, to stock markets, to oil and gold.

Observers of Japan from this point forward should be sober about the threshold the country has now crossed. Japan has effectively said to the world: Go ahead, make my day. Sell our currency, give us inflation, and get out of our bonds.

Japan has indeed taken to heart the Krugman dictum, and committed to irresponsibility.

Image | The Arrival of Japan’s Sunset
The Arrival of Japan’s Sunset
by Gregor Macdonald

For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled. ~ Richard Feynman

Waiting for Japan's economy to make a strong recovery has been an ongoing game since 1990. Shall we play that game one more time?
The Arrival of Japan’s Sunset
 by Gregor Macdonald

For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled. ~ Richard Feynman

Waiting for Japan's economy to make a strong recovery has been an ongoing game since 1990. Shall we play that game one more time?
Image | James Howard Kunstler: The Dangers of the Age of Delusion
James Howard Kunstler: The Dangers of the Age of Delusion
by Chris Martenson

It’s characteristic of the time that we’re living in that there simply is no sense of consequence. And that’s exactly what you get when you have a Federal Reserve that’s out of control and a public that is filled with technological narcissistic visions of Santa Claus delivering rescue remedies on demand. And so there’s no general sense that when you do things, bad things can happen. 

James Howard Kunstler is concerned. Sure, he still has the same issues with the West's highly energy-consuming suburban lifestyle that he famously brought to light in his books, The Long Emergency, the World Made by Hand series, and Too Much Magic. But beyond our decaying fundamentals, he's distressed by society's unwillingness to be honest with itself about the issue's it's facing.

James Howard Kunstler: The Dangers of the Age of Delusion
 by Chris Martenson

It’s characteristic of the time that we’re living in that there simply is no sense of consequence. And that’s exactly what you get when you have a Federal Reserve that’s out of control and a public that is filled with technological narcissistic visions of Santa Claus delivering rescue remedies on demand. And so there’s no general sense that when you do things, bad things can happen. 

James Howard Kunstler is concerned. Sure, he still has the same issues with the West's highly energy-consuming suburban lifestyle that he famously brought to light in his books, The Long Emergency, the World Made by Hand series, and Too Much Magic. But beyond our decaying fundamentals, he's distressed by society's unwillingness to be honest with itself about the issue's it's facing.

Image | Off the Cuff: When the Wheels Will Come Off
Off the Cuff: When the Wheels Will Come Off
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson

In this week's Off the Cuff podcast, Chris and Charles discuss:

  • The (Dire) State of the Union
    • The money for the Administration's grand vision just doesn't exist
  • The Housing Market
    • Bubble pricing returning to several markets
  • Currency wars
    • Why the dollar will likely strengthen further from here
  • The Next Correction
    • Here by summer?
Off the Cuff: When the Wheels Will Come Off
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson

In this week's Off the Cuff podcast, Chris and Charles discuss:

  • The (Dire) State of the Union
    • The money for the Administration's grand vision just doesn't exist
  • The Housing Market
    • Bubble pricing returning to several markets
  • Currency wars
    • Why the dollar will likely strengthen further from here
  • The Next Correction
    • Here by summer?
Image | Affordable ceramic purifier uses nanoparticles to clean water
Affordable ceramic purifier uses nanoparticles to clean water
by JW

Another example of a simple solution for purifying water in emergency and off-grid situations. 

http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/puremadi-ceramic-nanoparticle-water-purifier.html

 

Affordable ceramic purifier uses nanoparticles to clean water
 by JW

Another example of a simple solution for purifying water in emergency and off-grid situations. 

http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/puremadi-ceramic-nanoparticle-water-purifier.html

 

Image | Car Survival Tips for a Blizzard
Car Survival Tips for a Blizzard
by Mat Stein

[NOTE: This article is adapted from When Disaster Strikes: A Comprehensive Guide for Emergency Planning and Crisis Survival]

What should you do if you are stuck in your car during a killer snowstorm?

In mid-December of 1992, unusually dry conditions had people cancelling their reservations for Christmas in Tahoe, but then the weather changed. A couple days before Christmas, it started snowing, and for the next three months it seemed to barely ever stop! The week between Christmas and New Year's, we averaged two feet of snow each day at our home in Truckee, and at nearby Donner Summit they averaged around four feet a day! The storms were so bad that at one point Highway 80 over Donner Summit was continuously closed for three days.

As the storm increased in intensity, the stream of bumper-to-bumper holiday traffic heading toward Reno moved slower and slower, eventually slowing to a complete stop. The snow kept falling at a rate of more than two inches an hour, burying thousands of stranded vehicles. Highway 80 over Donner Summit had turned into a 75-mile-long parking lot! Emergency vehicles could not get through. Snow plows could not get through. Cars ran out of gas from people idling their engines in attempts to stay warm. It was a three-day process to painstakingly remove each snow-bound car, one by one, along 75 miles of freeway. The restaurants and stores in Truckee ran out of food, and there were no available beds at any of the inns and hotels. Hundreds of stranded travelers slept on their jackets on the local high school's gymnasium floor – and they were the lucky ones compared to those who had been stranded in their cars, out of gas and freezing cold!

Every winter, thousands of people are stranded while driving in the snow. On more than one occasion, I have been overly confident in my abilities to drive in hazardous icy and snow covered roads, forgetting that while I may know how to drive in the snow, that does not mean the other guy does. When driving in winter weather, it is best to heed the old Yankee saying: Hope for the best, but plan for the worst!

Car Survival Tips for a Blizzard
 by Mat Stein

[NOTE: This article is adapted from When Disaster Strikes: A Comprehensive Guide for Emergency Planning and Crisis Survival]

What should you do if you are stuck in your car during a killer snowstorm?

In mid-December of 1992, unusually dry conditions had people cancelling their reservations for Christmas in Tahoe, but then the weather changed. A couple days before Christmas, it started snowing, and for the next three months it seemed to barely ever stop! The week between Christmas and New Year's, we averaged two feet of snow each day at our home in Truckee, and at nearby Donner Summit they averaged around four feet a day! The storms were so bad that at one point Highway 80 over Donner Summit was continuously closed for three days.

As the storm increased in intensity, the stream of bumper-to-bumper holiday traffic heading toward Reno moved slower and slower, eventually slowing to a complete stop. The snow kept falling at a rate of more than two inches an hour, burying thousands of stranded vehicles. Highway 80 over Donner Summit had turned into a 75-mile-long parking lot! Emergency vehicles could not get through. Snow plows could not get through. Cars ran out of gas from people idling their engines in attempts to stay warm. It was a three-day process to painstakingly remove each snow-bound car, one by one, along 75 miles of freeway. The restaurants and stores in Truckee ran out of food, and there were no available beds at any of the inns and hotels. Hundreds of stranded travelers slept on their jackets on the local high school's gymnasium floor – and they were the lucky ones compared to those who had been stranded in their cars, out of gas and freezing cold!

Every winter, thousands of people are stranded while driving in the snow. On more than one occasion, I have been overly confident in my abilities to drive in hazardous icy and snow covered roads, forgetting that while I may know how to drive in the snow, that does not mean the other guy does. When driving in winter weather, it is best to heed the old Yankee saying: Hope for the best, but plan for the worst!

Image | The Real Reason the Economy Is Broken (and Will Stay That Way)
The Real Reason the Economy Is Broken (and Will Stay That Way)
by Chris Martenson

We are far enough and deep enough into the most heroic monetary and fiscal efforts ever undertaken to finally ask, why aren't these measures working?

Or at least we should be.  Oddly, many in DC, on Wall Street, and the Federal Reserve continue to steadfastly refuse to include anything in their approaches and frameworks other than "more of the same."

So we are treated to an endless parade of news items that seek to convince us that a bottom is in and that we've 'turned the corner' – often on the flimsy basis that in the past things have always gotten better by now.
The Real Reason the Economy Is Broken (and Will Stay That Way)
 by Chris Martenson

We are far enough and deep enough into the most heroic monetary and fiscal efforts ever undertaken to finally ask, why aren't these measures working?

Or at least we should be.  Oddly, many in DC, on Wall Street, and the Federal Reserve continue to steadfastly refuse to include anything in their approaches and frameworks other than "more of the same."

So we are treated to an endless parade of news items that seek to convince us that a bottom is in and that we've 'turned the corner' – often on the flimsy basis that in the past things have always gotten better by now.
Image | Don’t Worry; Be Resilient
Don’t Worry; Be Resilient
by charleshughsmith

At some point, absorbing more information about the unsustainability of the Status Quo yields diminishing returns; it becomes emotionally draining and thus counterproductive.  Part of this exhaustion results from recognizing our powerlessness within the Status Quo, where independent thinking and structural innovation are winnowed out as threats to existing institutions and industries.
Don’t Worry; Be Resilient
 by charleshughsmith

At some point, absorbing more information about the unsustainability of the Status Quo yields diminishing returns; it becomes emotionally draining and thus counterproductive.  Part of this exhaustion results from recognizing our powerlessness within the Status Quo, where independent thinking and structural innovation are winnowed out as threats to existing institutions and industries.
Image | Time to Choose
Time to Choose
by Adam Taggart

Whether you’re aware of it or not, a great battle is being waged around us.

It is a war of two opposing narratives: the future of our economy and our standard of living.

The dominant story, championed by flotillas of press releases and parading talking heads, tells an inspiring tale of recovery and return to growth. 

The other side, less visible but with a full armament of high-caliber data, tells a very different story. One of growing instability, downside risk, and inequality.

As different as they are in substance, they both share one fundamental prediction – and this is why you should care: This battle is about to break. And when it does, one side will turn out to be much more ‘right’ than the other. The time for action has arrived. To position yourself in the direction of the break you think is most likely to happen.

It’s time to choose a side.
Time to Choose
 by Adam Taggart

Whether you’re aware of it or not, a great battle is being waged around us.

It is a war of two opposing narratives: the future of our economy and our standard of living.

The dominant story, championed by flotillas of press releases and parading talking heads, tells an inspiring tale of recovery and return to growth. 

The other side, less visible but with a full armament of high-caliber data, tells a very different story. One of growing instability, downside risk, and inequality.

As different as they are in substance, they both share one fundamental prediction – and this is why you should care: This battle is about to break. And when it does, one side will turn out to be much more ‘right’ than the other. The time for action has arrived. To position yourself in the direction of the break you think is most likely to happen.

It’s time to choose a side.
Total 3441 items

Community

Top Conversation

 Prep Now for the Coming Winter Challenges
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the needs and sustainability of our family. We have six young children, our oldest just turned 12 and our youngest just turned 3 months old. I love the considerations that the article had above and thought I would add a few things that I have considered for our situation. My...
Image | hgrootveldgmail-com by hgrootveldgmail-com
36 95
View the conversation
Image | Privacy Academy

Privacy Academy

Learn more
Image | Peak Prosperity Community

Peak Prosperity Community

Learn more