...because is it possible that some big names (Soros, Rothschild size pockets) that just shorted the pound are gonna short metals next? Finance as economic war. Call me nuts... Google "The Oil Card" about how the petrodollar and the oil trade was used as an economic nuclear weapon against the Warsaw Pact.
Quite possible. I haven't looked at silver lately, but as of a month or two ago, I felt it was a good buy at the time. I very nearly bought some silver coins about 4 years ago, and held off. It then proceeded to double in price! And over the last year or so, it has come down to a little less than it was when I was considering it. Precious metals are generally viewed as a good long term hedge against inflation or times of great uncertainty. But bubbles can develop fairly quickly. Incidentally, a series 7 license can trade anything except for commodities. Getting the series 7 was a wild hair I got in the late 80's, and after I got it I decided deep down inside, I was really more accountant than salesman. A broker is first and foremost a salesman, and I was more interested at the time in financial planning.
No, you're not nuts. Financial warfare was how we won the Cold War. We told the Soviets we were going to undertake a military buildup (made necessary by the immense defense cuts under Carter). They in turn tried to keep up, and we essentially drove them into near bankruptcy because economically they couldn't keep up. Furthermore, the balanced budgets and slight surplus for maybe a year or so that we enjoyed in the mid-late 90's was, in my opinion, a direct result of the "peace dividend" resulting from destroying the old Soviet Union, forcing it's break-up. I don't know how Gorbachev is viewed today in Russia, but IMHO he showed a fair amount of courage and vision in essentially giving in, instituting "glasnost."
Pipe of the morning before the temps start to soar.....PS Cube Cut in a Chacom Lumberman. You can see the little cubes in the pic. I followed the suggestions I have seen for this blend, and filled the bowl by gravity feed. True to it's reputation, it takes several lighting tries before it really catches up, and requires very light tamping. I think I scored with this selection, so far it's really good. A burley/Virginia blend, seems a little more burley forward but the Virginia comes through. After a few more bowls, if my opinion holds up, I could see buying a quantity of this.
You know, it's because of moves like this, and I think some sort of federal tax is coming our way at some point that will be at least that much, that I'm starting to think about cellaring some substantial quantities of several blends. That's why I have been experimenting with several different blends, trying to identify the ones I might like to have a couple pounds or more.
A few years ago, after reviewing my portfolio performance, I came to the conclusion I lacked the knowledge and discipline to successfully invest in individual equities. I became a convert to the low expense ratio index fund method and broad diversification. I guess I wasn't a very strong convert though, even though prevailing wisdom advises against market timing I came to the opinion equities were inflated by low interest rates and overpriced based on historic P/E ratios. I drastically reduced my equity exposure last year. Being a few years from retirement I place a higher value on protection of capital than higher risk returns.
Depriving the Warsaw pact of hard currency was the point of the book. It posits that the Intel services of the UK, US, and Saudi Arabia conspired with the oil majors to keep oil dirt cheap in the eighties under Reagan and Thatcher. This may have been just as critical as the arms race.
I haven't been advertising, but every time I get some extra coin lately, I have been buying sleeves of OGS. Since it's the Internet My upstairs cabinet is filling up! For the reason you two have stated.
Bit breezy but not too bad. I think I coulda let it dry a little longer, and may not have packed it right.
In about twenty years, the full scope of Colombian and Mexican cartel money flowing into big firms (Google Wachovia or Wells Fargo and cartel) will be revealed. This may have affected P/E stuff more than people realize, as these firms were taking it to the casino in derivatives and stock manipulation.
I picked up one pouch during the Father's Day discounts... Says non aromatic. I plan on having a Raleigh week at work soon.
