What Ever Happened To.........

[frankq]

It would appear that housing is building momentum and that people with more than half a brain understand that the coming budget "cuts" are really no big deal, in spite of what our "fearless leaders" would have you believe. Capitalism will trump the rest of the nonsense being spewed out there because Capitalism works....Period. It's the best economic system there is. Once again, it has been shown that gold is a fear trade, not a growth trade. Given their druthers, investors would rather have their wealth in securities because that's what makes the world go 'round. If you're waiting for the end of the world, you'll be waiting a long time......

[frankq]

Do You Want Pepperoni on that Housing Recovery?

Everywhere I turn I’m hearing about the strong housing recovery that is propelling our economy, generating jobs and spurring a resurgence in retail spending by the millions of deleveraged consumers. Wall Street paid economists on CNBC, NYT economic “journalists”, and even the Fox News blond bimbo brigade all assure me the housing market is in a strong recovery and it’s the best time to buy. There are just two small problems with the story. None of the propaganda spouted by the mouthpieces of the kleptocracy is supported by the facts. And what little uptick in sales and prices that has occurred is due to collusion, fraud and manipulation by Wall Street, the Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department, and connected crony corporate interests.

I challenge anyone to show me the tremendous housing recovery on the new home sales chart below. New homes sales have “surged” to an annual pace of 369,000, only 74% below the 2006 peak and about 50% below the long term average. New home sales fell in December at the fastest rate since February 2011. Existing home sales also fell in December, are pacing at 1999 levels, and are still 30% below 2006 levels. In a country of 115 million households, with mortgage rates at all-time lows, there were a total of 26,000 new homes sold in December, and only 10,000 of them were actually built. For some perspective, new home sales are at the same level as they were in 1967 when the U.S. population was 200 million
www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article38880.html


You challenge us to to what?......

We are now in the cover-up stage of a scandal, similar to Watergate when the White House was stone-walling. The difference is that the corruption and capture of the government is much more pervasive now, and includes a significant portion of the mainstream media, so meaningful reform is difficult. Most of what has transpired so far has been designed to distract and placate the people in their righteous anger. The Fed deceives the Congress and the public, turns a blind eye to glaring conflicts of interest, and is essentially debasing the currency while transferring the wealth of the nation to their cronies. And still the regulators do not enforce the laws they have, and Washington drags its feet while accepting buckets of cash from the perpetrators.” – Jesse

Just curious....who do we attribute this quote to?......Would that be Jesse Ventura? Because the above is from the same source.  Apparently the author of the piece is a guy named James Quinn.

James Quinn is a senior director of strategic planning for a major university. James has held financial positions with a retailer, homebuilder and university in his 22-year career. Those positions included treasurer, controller, and head of strategic planning. He is married with three boys and is writing these articles because he cares about their future. He earned a BS in accounting from Drexel University and an MBA from Villanova University. He is a certified public accountant and a certified cash manager.

If I may ask, which "major university" is James Quinn a strategic planner for? What exactly does a "Stratigec Planner" do at a major university? In addition, is this piece from the UK? Could we have some verifiable info that tells us this is a scandal? At that point, we can look at that info and be better equipped to debate it's authenticity or, possibly agree .......Thanks. 

[frankq]

Ok....Just for the hell of it, I checked out Quinn Advisors. His site also says that he's a "Strategic Advisor" to a "major" university, but, alas, no name of said "major" university. But I did find out what he does:

Quinn Advisors, LLC provides investors, and other financial clients with key buy-side advice.


This powerful external management tool is based upon unique life settlement and longevity market-centric experience not usually available from in-house staff, or professionals.



Uniquely Qualified:The Quinn organization is one of a small handful of firms qualified to provide comprehensive reports, sound advice, and guidance to institutional investors in, or considering life settlements as an investment.
The Elusive Answers:The life settlements industry and the longevity markets are structurally evolving. Often potential settlement investors find that such settlement or longevity market situations are unresponsive to their standard review, analysis, and testing procedures.

There are many unknown risks, complex and confusing situations, as well as important, but undeveloped opportunities.

Quinn Advisors, LLC can provide the necessary answers, and clear the information field so effective, accurate analysis, and market execution can occur.

It sounds like he's an insurance guy....If somebody can read this and, in English, explain what it is this guy is saying here and just what this "powerful external" (as opposed to internal) management tool is I would appreciate it 'cause I'm just not picking up on it. Sounds good though........Thanks.

[sunrnr]

Whatever happened to .... defensible positions on a topic supported by fact; debates founded on the principles of critical thinking; and mutual respect based on the acknowledgment by each side of a debate of each other's intellect and a lifetime of experiences?

Q, at least you are trying. Good on ya, mate!

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

Q, at least you are trying. Good on ya, mate!

No doubt, great stuff Q, can't wait to get through it all.  Just seen that it was your bday mmhmm.  Happy belated one! So happy to hear you had a great time!   

[damnotagain]

Feb 27, 2013 13:27:06 GMT -5 frankq said:

It would appear that housing is building momentum and that people with more than half a brain understand that the coming budget "cuts" are really no big deal, in spite of what our "fearless leaders" would have you believe. Capitalism will trump the rest of the nonsense being spewed out there because Capitalism works....Period. It's the best economic system there is. Once again, it has been shown that gold is a fear trade, not a growth trade. Given their druthers, investors would rather have their wealth in securities because that's what makes the world go 'round. If you're waiting for the end of the world, you'll be waiting a long time......

Good morning frankq.

Capitalism at work . Possible loss of 654,000 jobs . There should be little or no effect on the economy or housing ? At least we will not notice anyway. Gold will be around long after all the paper deteriorates. 

With possible job loss , just on the DOD side of sequestration. " "For every $1 in DOD spending reductions for military equipment, an additional $2.64 in sales losses will be experienced by other businesses with 71 percent of these lost sales occurring as a result of decreased consumer spending by workers directly and indirectly affected these DOD spending reductions," the study claims.

The AIA study claims indirect job losses will be nearly twice as much as direct job losses: 654,315 vs. 352,000.

The AIA study claims indirect job losses will be nearly twice as much as direct job losses: 654,315 vs. 352,000.

[damnotagain]

So much for editing post . 

Link: www.wtvm.com/story/21391919/sequester-job-losses-could-be-exaggerrated

[frankq]

There are no real cuts. There are only reductions in the annual increases that have been factored into the budgets for the next 10 years. Only the government can call that kind of nonsense a cut. I don't see anyone rushing to buy gold lately. I do see defense stocks up 7% for the year already though......

Job losses will be driven more by politics than the actual economics of the sequester.

[frankq]

Sure that is the reason? As sales are through the roof cross the town. We are thinking it has something to do with the UN treaty signing and that date approaching to comply in just a couple of months. Why we is part of the official club now you know.

So, it's this UN treaty thing that is driving gun sales? Or are you speaking of the delays in gun permits?  Does anybody out there know what this is? What UN treaty deal are we talking about here that has so many Americans buying guns? So it has nothing to do with gun control talk? What are we supposed to comply with?

[frankq]

Whatever happened to ..Gold $3000.00? The real question for us as investors is, where do you think a good reentry into the GLD would be since gold is beginning to hit percentage drops not seen in several years? Are we looking to start testing the waters when gold breaks $1500 and buy little chunks on the way down there?

[damnotagain]

Feb 28, 2013 13:55:47 GMT -5 frankq said:

There are no real cuts. There are only reductions in the annual increases that have been factored into the budgets for the next 10 years. Only the government can call that kind of nonsense a cut. I don't see anyone rushing to buy gold lately. I do see defense stocks up 7% for the year already though......

Job losses will be driven more by politics than the actual economics of the sequester.

Adding 1 million more people to the unemployment rolls will be a further drag on the economy. Political or not, There are real people behind those numbers. 

As for budget cuts your right that is a joke, as the US deficit only continues to go up.

Central banks bought more gold in 2012 , 1.1 million metric tons, that's more than they purchased in the last 50 years. When it was $1650.00 an oz.

[frankq]

It's almost as silly as it seems. Some folks investing in this and investing in that,yet they don't keep track of where they live and what's going on. We call that irresponsibility.


Obama Backs UN Gun Control Treaty Within Hours of Reelection www.ohiolibertycoalition.org/obama-backs-un-gun-control-treaty-within-hours-of-reelection/


Yeah, thanks for the link. I read this. It's interesting for sure, especially this part:

"Since the treaty has not been finalized, we don’t know what new restrictions the treaty will attempt to place on American gun owners." -

So I guess we'll have to wait until we get an actual treaty so we can actually see what's actually in it so that we actually know whats happenning....Until then, the rest of us will assume that the current demand for new permits and guns is the result of the most recent talk of bans and such like it was the last couple of times and not a function of the restarted U.N. talks. It's something to watch for sure.

[frankq]

We are not going to be suckered into ridiculas argument much less senseless debate about some things that go on. Ya know,the political agenda and support of was on at Msn Market Talk and nothing has changed folks.

Well, you don't have to get nasty. I just asked a simple question. What political agenda?

[sunrnr]

Feb 28, 2013 14:11:55 GMT -5 frankq said:

Sure that is the reason? As sales are through the roof cross the town. We are thinking it has something to do with the UN treaty signing and that date approaching to comply in just a couple of months. Why we is part of the official club now you know.

So, it's this UN treaty thing that is driving gun sales? Or are you speaking of the delays in gun permits?  Does anybody out there know what this is? What UN treaty deal are we talking about here that has so many Americans buying guns? So it has nothing to do with gun control talk? What are we supposed to comply with?

I think the start was mention of more people being hired (job growth) by states to help process all the background checks resulting from a huge increase in gun sales. Somehow this morphed into the UN's discussion on the international arms treaty proposal. Originally, the discussions were meant to provide a non-legal binding on countries to curb the sale of small arms. Turns out fact and logic showed international issues due to the sale of small arms is negligible, thus the discussion was halted.

Later, sale of large scale weapons such as tanks, missiles, defense systems, etc. became an issue. THe U.S. is one of the largest international arms dealers in the entire world (some $55 billion/yr). Somebody has jobs and is making money. Now it's being suggested (by many countries, not just the US) to re-open the discussions towards development and institution of a legally binding UN International Arms Treaty. This was done in 2012 with no resolution, so another try will be made in March of this year.

Of course, the hue and cry went up that the treaty, if enacted, would take away America citizen's arsenal or at least register each and every weapon.
People are hugely afraid of the U.N. They're expecting the black helicopters and shock troops to come knocking on the door any night.

*Need to do without this comment.  Thanks.  - mmhmm, Administrator





 

[sunrnr]

Feb 28, 2013 19:53:38 GMT -5 frankq said:

We are not going to be suckered into ridiculas argument much less senseless debate about some things that go on. Ya know,the political agenda and support of was on at Msn Market Talk and nothing has changed folks.

Well, you don't have to get nasty. I just asked a simple question. What political agenda?

  "... nothing has changed folks ...."? Well, at least we agree on one thing. The need to change has to be there before it can happen. You'll never feel that need.

[sunrnr]

Feb 28, 2013 15:37:30 GMT -5 damnotagain said:

Feb 28, 2013 13:55:47 GMT -5 frankq said:

There are no real cuts. There are only reductions in the annual increases that have been factored into the budgets for the next 10 years. Only the government can call that kind of nonsense a cut. I don't see anyone rushing to buy gold lately. I do see defense stocks up 7% for the year already though......

Job losses will be driven more by politics than the actual economics of the sequester.

Adding 1 million more people to the unemployment rolls will be a further drag on the economy. Political or not, There are real people behind those numbers. 

As for budget cuts your right that is a joke, as the US deficit only continues to go up.

Central banks bought more gold in 2012 , 1.1 million metric tons, that's more than they purchased in the last 50 years. When it was $1650.00 an oz.

1.1 million metric tons? World supply of gold held by countries in 2010 was ~36,000 tonnes. Estimated amount of gold ever mined is ~ 160,000 metric tonnes as of 2007. Total gold production is ~50,000 troy ounces or just over 1.5 metric tons.

The banks and hedge funds are not buying physical gold, only gold instruments and futures.

[damnotagain]

Please, It is the complete opposite sunr , Banks are buying physical. 

"The figures and data shows that the fundamentals of the gold market remain very sound with global demand having increased gradually and sustainably and supply remaining restrained.  

Importantly, most of the buying was buy store of wealth and long term diversifiers (Asian and European coin and bar buyers and central banks). This is not ‘hot’ speculative money and therefore this gold is in strong hands and unlikely to be sold for some time.

The recent increase in demand have been very gradual in tonnage terms and is very sustainable given the extremely low level of gold bullion ownership internationally and particularly in the western world. Allocations to gold in global investment portfolios remain negligible."

www.zerohedge.com/news/global-gold-demand-2011-rises-04-200-billion-central-banks-asia-and-europe-diversifying-gold


a

[frankq]

Please, It is the complete opposite sunr , Banks are buying physical

If there is so much Buying demand, prices wouldn't be falling. High demand never equals plunging prices....

[usaone]

Mar 1, 2013 4:46:53 GMT -5 damnotagain said:

Please, It is the complete opposite sunr , Banks are buying physical. 

"The figures and data shows that the fundamentals of the gold market remain very sound with global demand having increased gradually and sustainably and supply remaining restrained.  

Importantly, most of the buying was buy store of wealth and long term diversifiers (Asian and European coin and bar buyers and central banks). This is not ‘hot’ speculative money and therefore this gold is in strong hands and unlikely to be sold for some time.

The recent increase in demand have been very gradual in tonnage terms and is very sustainable given the extremely low level of gold bullion ownership internationally and particularly in the western world. Allocations to gold in global investment portfolios remain negligible."

www.zerohedge.com/news/global-gold-demand-2011-rises-04-200-billion-central-banks-asia-and-europe-diversifying-gold


a

That article is from 2011. Ancient history. You guys are running out of ammunition.

[sunrnr]

Mar 1, 2013 4:46:53 GMT -5 damnotagain said:

Please, It is the complete opposite sunr , Banks are buying physical. 

"The figures and data shows that the fundamentals of the gold market remain very sound with global demand having increased gradually and sustainably and supply remaining restrained.  

Importantly, most of the buying was buy store of wealth and long term diversifiers (Asian and European coin and bar buyers and central banks). This is not ‘hot’ speculative money and therefore this gold is in strong hands and unlikely to be sold for some time.

The recent increase in demand have been very gradual in tonnage terms and is very sustainable given the extremely low level of gold bullion ownership internationally and particularly in the western world. Allocations to gold in global investment portfolios remain negligible."

www.zerohedge.com/news/global-gold-demand-2011-rises-04-200-billion-central-banks-asia-and-europe-diversifying-gold


a

Ok, can you explain to me how the 1.1 million metric tonnes number you posted can be real, when the estimated total amount of gold EVER mined is a 100 times less? I believe you're off by many factors of 10. As I read it, the amounts discussed are totals of gold to be sold/bought by contract over a period of years, not all at once.

There's a finite amount of gold existing in the world today. The amount increases very slowly. At the same time gold is "used up". You can keep pushing buying gold all you want, but the supply of physical gold is extremely limited and unavailable to the individual "investor".

As has been said many times in the past, gold's worth is only realized when it's sold or traded for some other "valued" instrument.

[sunrnr]

Apparently once again things are left out. As we are aware that it's not hundreds of gallons per year but thousands. And here is a good point made before the show. by a poster,

Quote: I would like to see a reporter list just some of the health affects from at least 4 or 5 of the radionuclides fund in radiation…before speaking to the *guest…then as the guest how he/she could claim "there is no threat to human life and health."

People do not know anything except what they get from mainstream media…so they certainly do not know that cesium destroys children's hearts or strontium is a bone seeker..or how little plutonium is needed to cause cancer. They also do not know how long they last in the environment, nor what the actual readings were at Hanford.

They do not even know the questions to ask..
(end of quote)

Hummm, seems real life experience working at the place in question on the exact problem in question doesn't count in your world? I've been there, done that. You haven't.

The above is pure baiting B.S.

[sunrnr]

Feb. 23,2013 - Hanford Watch president Paige Knight / The latest news of 6 leaking tanks at Hanford
www.hanfordwatch.org/

The link provides a good overall picture of the enormously complex problems being faced in trying to clean up the Hanford site. Not the least of which is management of the huge engineering project needed. The news links, not so much. Each news story gets the "facts" screwed up and are misleading.

The Department of Energy is solely responsible for the clean up, which in itself is problematic. The original double walled tanks were just being completed and waste transfer started in the early 70's. However, the complex interactions and reactions going on in the tanks have made understanding of how to deal with the remaining wastes, exponentially more complex.

The intent of mitigation efforts is to turn the liquid wastes into some form that is not susceptible to outside forces or that can migrate into the environment. Vitrification has long been thought to be the best solution. The resulting radioactive wastes were then to be stored in huge basalt caverns at Yucca Mountain which are geologically stable and totally isolated from any ground water, etc.

Anyone else got a viable solution or do we only focus on what's bad in the world and all it's problems?

[frankq]

Just curious....

Isn't everyone in California supposed to be dead by now from Fuki fallout?......

[frankq]

Adding 1 million more people to the unemployment rolls will be a further drag on the economy. Political or not, There are real people behind those numbers

Untrue. This was illustrated today when Obama made the comment that security personnel would get a pay cut. After inquiring with said personnel they acknowledged that since there was limited action on Capital Hill, there would be limited areas of access to the Capital and OVERTIME pay would be cut. A cut in overtime is not a pay cut. Overtime is extraordinary pay. That's why they call it overtime. Since the government is cutting it's spending only in the top 5% of the budget, there is no real cut anywhere since their budgets increased 5%. They are simply limiting the increases in spending. A million people won't lose their jobs. Some government people will lose their overtime. Yes, some programs down the road will lose 5% of their funding, but I think the Head Start program will still operate with roughly the same budget they had last year as will most other entities. Sorry that they won't get their raise. Everybody needs to not get sucked into the political bullshit. Funny, one minute people don't believe what government says when they talk economic numbers, but the next minute they believe it when the government (Obama) talks about these job loss numbers.....

[frankq]

So mmhmm,

Are you riding herd on us now instead if Virgil? Cool.....

[damnotagain]

Frankq , we will find out the real effects @ July lets see how it plays out. Monday furlough notices will go out to some. 

The Agriculture Department’s programs for the poor also will see cuts in March, including the Women, Infants and Children program, which must cut its rolls by about 300,000 participants. Case workers will begin placing some who apply on a wait list, particularly those who are homeless or are non-breastfeeding mothers.

Read more: www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/01/sequestration-when-will-feel-pain/#ixzz2ML92wxDe

[damnotagain]

Feb 28, 2013 13:55:47 GMT -5 frankq said:

There are no real cuts. There are only reductions in the annual increases that have been factored into the budgets for the next 10 years. Only the government can call that kind of nonsense a cut. I don't see anyone rushing to buy gold lately. I do see defense stocks up 7% for the year already though......

Job losses will be driven more by politics than the actual economics of the sequester.

 As far as "no real cuts" and the 7% increase in defense stocks , check out the warn act notices being released by state. I have noticed in the past when bank stocks go up , check out ny warn act notices. They just layed off 500 peeps. Citi , JP Morgan, BOfA , guess what Stock goes up.
So if defense stocks continue to go up its because there cutting that" human " factor out. 

Example : Florida's march release includes layoffs for General dynamics and Lockheed Martin.
Nothing to this sequestration?

[frankq]

Program cuts are not jobs. 13 day furloughs are not job losses. I'msure they can find places to cut a few percent. Nobody wants to admit that they can. That would support the case for some cuts, which already exists. Sequester on.........

[damnotagain]

Those are manufacturing jobs. 

[frankq]

Nothing to this sequestration?

Nope, not really. Cuts need to be made. If you guys want to buy into the manufactured panic that Obamites want you to believe, have at it. The only cuts are affecting increases from last year because the cuts are less than or equal to the budget increase. If there are people losing overtime, too bad. If varioud departments have to look a little closer at their programs, too bad. If government employees have to be subject to the economy like the rest of us, too bad. What would you have us do? Just throw up our hands and let King Obama tax at will?