Precious Rings

Silver Liberty Dollar = Terrorism?!

The creator of the Liberty Dollar and NORFED (National Organization to Repeal the Federal Reserve Act), Bernard Von Nothaus, was recently convicted of counterfeiting and faces thousands of dollars in fines, $7 million dollars of copper, silver, and gold bullion confiscation, and 15 years in prison! The silver & gold Liberty Dollars along with precious metal certificates were conceived by Von Nothaus as an alternative currency backed by PM's and competing with the US fiat money. Von Nothaus had hoped to play a part in restoring the US to a sound monetary precious metal standard. Unfortunately, the Federal government with its printing presses busily flooding the country with trillions of dollars of green funny money, felt threatened by the tiny organization and its gold and silver medallions.

The Fed's case rested on the similarity of the Liberty rounds to US coins, with obverse figures "emblematic of Liberty" and a "Trust in God" inscription instead of "In God We Trust". Reverses of the Liberty Dollars featured recommended dollar values as well. Differences like a website address on the reverse of the Liberty Dollars obviously weren't sufficient to avoid his prosecution, or is the proper term "persecution"?

After the verdict the Federal prosecutor, Anne Tompkins, said, "Attempts to undermine the legitimate currency of this country are simply a unique form of domestic terrorism. While these forms of anti-government activities do not involve violence, they are every bit as insidious and represent a clear and present danger to the economic stability of this country. We are determined to meet these threats through infiltration, disruption, and dismantling of organizations which seek to challenge the legitimacy of our democratic form of government."

It is sheer nonsense and unabashed hyperbole that Von NotHaus engaged in behavior that is a “clear and present danger to the economic stability of this country.” But that’s a pretty good description of Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve and his actions to date.

Rick

Time is running out fast! Hyperinflation seems unavoidable as fiat paper money is being printed as fast as the US presses can run. To protect your wealth and your family, buy gold and silver now from these top companies, APMEX Gold and Silver and Silver American Eagles.

Rick

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Why Junk Silver Ain't Junk!

Those paying attention to world events, inflation, and the destruction of the US Dollar are buying silver. However, there are many forms of silver available for buyers including bars, rounds, American Silver Eagles, foreign silver coins, and 90% US silver coins or junk silver. I believe junk silver coins (dimes, quarters, halves) minted for circulation up to and including 1964 make the best investment for the following reasons:

• First and foremost, during intense bull markets in silver - like the one we're experiencing right now - junk silver tends to outshine (and outperform) silver bullion.


• Junk silver is a finite commodity.


• Junk coins are no longer being produced (the scarcity factor).


• Junk coins are easily recognizable.


• Junk coins are divisible, meaning you're able to use small amounts to pay for something.


• Junk coins require no assaying.


• Junk silver was produced by the U.S. government, meaning everyone everywhere recognizes what you've got, so you don't need to run any tests to prove its value.


• Junk coins are utilitarian, meaning you could actually put change into a payphone (remember those?) or a vending machine to purchase a product or service.


• Junk coins were produced by the US government itself - and remain "legal tender". Therefore it is unlikely they will be confiscated by said government.

Time is running out fast! Hyperinflation seems unavoidable as fiat paper money is being printed as fast as the US presses can run. To protect your wealth and your family, buy gold and silver now from these top companies, APMEX Gold and Silver and Silver American Eagles. Rick

CLICK ADS BELOW FOR FREE DISCOUNT!

Should I Pay To Store My Gold / Silver?

Many gold & silver sellers today offer buyers the option to store their precious metals for them in their secure vault for a fee. To some concerned about theft or storage, this solution could seem like a good deal. The buyer gets to own gold and silver without the worries associated with keeping these valuable metals at home. So, is it wise to give your precious metals investment to your seller for safekeeping? Heck, NO! Why? See below:

• Conflicts of interest - The seller is running a business. Like every business profit and cash flow are primary concerns. The temptation for a vendor to "sell" you imaginary gold or silver and then charge you fees for its storage at his facility are very real. The situation practically begs for a ponzi scam set up. Even a basically honest seller with sub par business skills could find himself in a financial tight spot if a large amount of deposits are withdrawn precipitously or through plain mismanagement.

Example: Earlier this month, FBI agents seized computers, records and safe-deposit box keys from the Tigard home of Lawrence Henry Heim, president of U.S. Gold & Silver Investments Inc. in Portland. The FBI says the mail and wire fraud investigation stems from unfulfilled investor orders made as long ago as 1998 and as recently as October 2010.

Heim and his company also face three lawsuits -- one in federal and two in state courts -- seeking more than $875,000 and alleging breach of contract. One of the suits was filed on behalf of the estate of the late Portland high-tech pioneer Tom Holce.

According to the lawsuits, first reported in Willamette Week, Heim's company has not delivered on at least $875,000 of U.S. gold and silver coins. In some cases, the suits say, investors asked Heim to store coins on their behalf. In others, Heim entered into contracts with investors for which he would pay interest while holding the coins, according to the lawsuits.

• Bankruptcy & Legal Problems - What happens if a business storing your PM's goes bankrupt, or its assets are seized for civil and criminal legal proceedings? There's just no clear answer to this vexing question.

Example: Bernard Von Nothaus, the founder of the Liberty Dollar was arrested in 2007 and over $7 million dollars worth of copper, silver, and gold bullion owned by investors storing their PM's with the company were seized by the Federal government. Von Nothaus was recently convicted of counterfeiting, and faces 15 years in jail and substantial fines. In addition, the US government is seeking court permission to permanently confiscate all the bullion seized. As it stands now, the investors in the Liberty Dollar stand to lose their entire stored bullion, or at best face long legal battles to regain ownership.

There are plenty of other reasons not to entrust your gold and silver to others, but I hope the above two "horror stories" will be sufficient to dissuade anyone from pursuing this foolish investment choice.

Time is running out fast! Hyperinflation seems unavoidable as fiat paper money is being printed as fast as the US presses can run. To protect your wealth and your family, buy gold and silver now from these top companies, APMEX Gold and Silver and Silver American Eagles. Rick

CLICK ADS BELOW FOR FREE DISCOUNT!

Check This New Ones

Precious Jewelries

Prices Haven't Risen for Over 70 years!

When you're riding in a car the houses and trees outside the vehicle appear to be whizzing past rapidly while you stand still. Of course, every adult knows that the apparent movement of the objects outside the car is only an optical illusion. The motor vehicle in which you're riding is moving. The scenery is actually rooted fast.

The driving analogy above is ideal for describing the inflation of prices in US fiat money (US Dollars). It is not the prices of food, fuel, etc., that are continually moving upwards, it's the value of the US paper Dollar that is plummeting downwards!

To prove my price inflation assertion, let's look at everyday prices on items from 1940 and 2010. All costs will be computed using US 90% silver coins (dimes, quarters, halves) that were minted for circulation up to and including 1964. Coins minted after that date for circulation were made from base metals and fall under the heading of fiat money (money that has no value outside of the government mandated value).

Average Cost Gallon Of Gas

1940 $0.11 cents

2010 $2.75

Present Value $0.11 cents silver money $2.97

Average Cost Loaf of Bread Food

1940 $0.10 cents

2010 $2.79

Present Value $0.10 cents silver money $2.70

Average Cost 1lb Hamburger Meat

1940 $0.20 cents

2010 $3.99

Present Value $0.20 cents silver money $5.40

You can see from the price information above that if you'd saved your 90% US silver coinage since 1940, you could still buy these everday items for the same amount based on their silver content value! In other words, the "real prices" of these items has really stayed relatively the same. The only reason that inflation has appeared to cause prices to rise is that the actual buying power of the US Federal Reserve Notes un-backed by precious metals has dropped precipitously.

There are exceptions, of course, to the above rule. Although housing prices have been battered by the recession, they're still hovering above their 1940 silver coin equivalent. The price of a new car is likewise further ahead than its equivalent in 1940 silver coins. However, I expect these exceptions to be liquidated in the future as silver continues to rise versus the empty shell that is the US Dollar of today.

So, the next time you fill up with gas, don't give the gas station attendant a hard time. Remember, it's the Federal government with its money printing presses flooding our economy with worthless greenbacks that you should direct your anger towards.

Time is running out fast! Hyperinflation seems unavoidable as fiat paper money is being printed as fast as the US presses can run. To protect your wealth and your family, buy gold and silver now from these top companies, APMEX Gold and Silver and Silver American Eagles.

Rick

CLICK ADS BELOW FOR FREE DISCOUNT!

Beware These Gold/Silver Sellers!

In every reputable industry you invariably have a few bad eggs salted in with the honorable sellers. The precious metals industry is certainly no exception to this unfortunate rule. The following companies have raised flags with consumers who found their business practices less than satisfactory.

Monex Deposit Company http://www.monex.com/

Currently rates a D- with the BBB. Monex will offer to hold silver for you, or offer you leveraged accounts. I strongly advise against that. Their BBB report quotes the following:

"Complainants allege that they purchased precious metals based on advice and coaching from account representatives and as a result, they incurred substantial financial losses. A few clients complained that account representatives did not follow their instructions in applying funds for investment or that they failed to keep them informed, and as a result, they suffered losses they would not have incurred had their instructions been followed. The company responds to some complaints by disputing the allegations and stating that the investments are self-directed and they are not responsible for losses, denying requests for refunds or monetary compensation. In one case a partial refund was issued, but was conditional upon signing a release waiver composed by the company. "

Northwest Territorial Mint www.nwtmint.com

NWT Mint comes in with a C rating with the BBB. The primary complaints here lie in the long wait times (up to 6 months) for delivery of gold and silver bullion purchased from this company.

Goldline International www.goldline.com

Goldline rates an A+ rating with the BBB...which I find more than a little SUSPICIOUS. The last time I wrote about this company was in November 2010, when they had just moved up from an F to a D-. Rumors about buying a BBB rating have been kicked around, but who knows. Maybe they suddenly got religion...maybe not.

At any rate Congressional investigations were launched last year in response to a variety of predatory selling practices. One of their reputed favorite selling routines was to talk investors interested in buying gold or silver bullion coins into purchasing foreign numismatic collector gold coins with higher profit margins.

Check out these two links for other articles I've written about Goldline:
http://survivalus.blogspot.com/2010/07/goldline-international-scam.html
http://survivalus.blogspot.com/2010/11/goldline-scam-swiss-gold_30.html

Kitco www.kitco.com

Kitco has NO RATING with the BBB as their rating is "under review", whatever that means. My biggest problems with this company are their pool accounts, unknown delivery times for silver, and unknown and backlogged payment if you sold silver to them.

With Kitco Pool accounts your purchased silver and gold remains in their unallocated pool of precious metals. You get a statement for your gold or silver, and bills for trading fees. On the positive side, I guess, you get to easily sell and buy by punching a few keys on your computer.

I'm sorry, but any trust I had in my fellow man died with Enron and the Bernie Madoff scams. What's to stop a company like Kitco from preserving only a fractional supply of actual bullion, while reaping free profits for themselves with your assets? Bottom line, if it's in an unallocated pool, you don't know WHAT'S ACTUALLY SWIMMING AROUND IN THOSE MURKY WATERS!

One of Kitco's top men is Jon Nadler, a perennial gold and silver bear. He's been wrong so often in his precious metal price predictions since 2008, that he must surely envy a broken clock that's right twice a day! Internet rumors have speculated that Mr. Nadler has actually acted as Kitco's resident disinformation officer to help depress gold and silver pricing to preserve the "integrity" of the Kitco pool accounts by discouraging demands for physical delivery.

If interested, you can read The Best Places To Buy Silver http://survivalus.blogspot.com/2010/08/best-places-to-buy-your-survival-gold.html.

Time is running out fast! Hyperinflation seems unavoidable as fiat paper money is being printed as fast as the US presses can run. To protect your wealth and your family, buy gold and silver now from these top companies, APMEX Gold and Silver and Silver American Eagles.

Rick
CLICK ADS BELOW FOR FREE DISCOUNT!

Silver Eagles vs. Silver Rounds!

A never-ending debate raging within the silver buying community revolves around the merits of owning American Silver Eagles (ASE's) vs. generic silver rounds. Despite the basic logic of one troy ounce of silver is one ounce silver is one ounce of silver, I believe the ASE's are clearly superior to rounds for trading for several market reasons.

Firstly, ASE's are minted by the US government. Silver rounds are minted by numerous private firms. Every American alive today has been raised with the notion that the only valid money is money minted or printed by the US government. Any privately minted items would be subject to inherent prejudice as counterfeits.

Secondly, the American Silver Eagles are uniform in design and weight since 1986. Americans are used to seeing the same basic pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters etc., for decades. Sure, the Mint will change the obverse portrait of Washington slightly and the reverse for the state issue quarters, but anyone can pick out US circulating coins fairly easily. Silver rounds, on the other hand, come in a bewildering number of designs from prospectors to easter bunnies, Santa Claus, and even a wizard (see above)!

Thirdly, the ASE's are one official US dollar. Some silver round proponents think that this assigned denomination will damage the ASE's buying power. However, based on historical hyperinflationary examples in Weimar Germany, Argentina and others, a silver dollar will trade for a lot more than the US paper ones.

Silver rounds will be more problematical because of the wide variety of pieces made. In addition, most companies go out of their way to describe their product as a round or medallion, not a dollar or a coin. The man behind the Liberty Dollar, Bernard Von Nothaus, didn't use the same care as other private manufacturers, and designed coins with recommended dollar denominations that appeared dangerously similar to US coins. As a result, he was recently found guilty of counterfeiting and faces fines, expropriation of millions of dollars of bullion, and 15 years in prison! At any rate, the non-denominational silver round will require a lot more selling and explaining by the prospective trader to convince the product vendor than an ASE holder will likely be required to do.

ASE's are selling for around a 10% premium currently, while rounds are averaging around 5% above the silver melt price. I guarantee that in a case of rampant hyperinflation you will not be sorry you spent the extra 5% over the generic rounds. Besides, I'd feel damn silly as a grown man trying to explain to some merchant why he should accept my coin with a wizard or a freaking Easter Bunny on it! That alone is worth an extra 5% in my book!

Time is running out fast! Hyperinflation seems unavoidable as fiat paper money is being printed as fast as the US presses can run. To protect your wealth and your family, buy gold and silver now from these top companies, APMEX Gold and Silver and Silver American Eagles.

Rick

CLICK ADS BELOW FOR FREE DISCOUNT!

US Treasuries = TRASH!

The wisest and most successful bond investor of all time, Bill Gross, has dumped his bond fund’s $150 billion investment in U.S. bonds. One should not ignore the importance of this event. The largest bond fund in America no longer believes that Treasury bonds are a good investment. Moreover, Gross is not alone. Blackrock, the world’s largest money manager, is now underweighting Treasuries overall and reducing the duration of the bonds it still holds. That means they are dumping their long-term bonds, which are the most sensitive to interest-rate changes, in favor of Treasury instruments that mature in a year or less. Other bond funds, such as the $20 billion Loomis Sayles funds, are also forgoing Treasuries in favor of high-yield corporate bonds. Virtually everywhere you look, from great investors such as Warren Buffett to insurance companies such as Allstate, everyone is dumping their long-term U.S. debt and either buying debt that matures in less than a year or moving their money elsewhere.

So who is still buying U.S. debt ? According to Bill Gross, the “old reliables” — China, Japan, and OPEC — are still in the market for 30 percent of all new debt. The rest, however, is being purchased by the Federal Reserve. There is no one in else in the market. For the first time ever, Americans are refusing to purchase their own country’s debt.

Gross estimates that the “old reliables” are still good for $500 billion a year in purchases, and will be for some time in the future. This is pretty much the amount they’ve had to buy in the past to rebalance capital flows distorted by the U.S. trade deficit. Gross, however, may be wrong this time. Japan, needing to finance its reconstruction, is much likelier to be a net seller of U.S. debt, while China’s economy is slowing and actually ran a trade deficit in the last quarter. That leaves only one buyer of consequence — the Federal Reserve.

Meanwhile, there are already signs that inflation, while still subdued in the United States, is looking to break out. It has begun wrecking havoc through many areas of the globe, for example providing the catalyst for much of the upheaval in the Middle East. And when it strikes here, the Fed will be out of options. It will have to turn off the money pumps, raise interest rates, and batten down the financial hatches. The resulting recession will be long and nasty.

It is time to face facts. Spending is so out of control that Treasuries are no longer a safe haven for investors. The markets are saturated with U.S. debt and increasingly unwilling to absorb more. There is only one way out of this mess — cut spending, fast and deep.

Time is running out fast! Hyperinflation seems unavoidable as fiat paper money is being printed as fast as the US presses can run. To protect your wealth and your family, buy gold and silver now from these top companies, APMEX Gold and Silver and Silver American Eagles.

Rick

CLICK ADS BELOW FOR FREE DISCOUNT!

Junk Silver for the Apocalypse?

In the preparedness world there is a very vocal segment that believes that TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it) or SHTF (**it hits the fan) will happen any day now. Some see pandemics and plagues, others see Earth Axis Shifts, Mega Tsunamis, Super Volcano Eruptions, Giant Asteroid Impacts, Nuclear War, and even an avenging God as the key players in the extinction of human society. They hold these apocalyptic beliefs so fervently that all prepping actions they take are with the absolute worst case scenario in mind. As such, they talk endlessly about food, water, self defense, medicine and seeds, sarcastically dismissing precious metals like silver and gold as valueless shiny things that you "can't eat".

Now, I'm not saying that big disasters can't happen. The recent earthquake in Japan is just one reminder that we humans live at the mercy of our very geologically active planet, and not the reverse. However, in the last 6000 years of recorded human history mankind has suffered some pretty big kicks to the chops, but has always recovered eventually. We're not immortal, but we're pretty darned resilient. History has proven that much. As such, I always feel a little insulted when TEOTWAWKI extremists assume a human extinction event is not only inevitable, but likely to happen tomorrow or the following day at the latest! They further point out the absurdly obvious conclusion that silver and gold money while pretty handy and valued ever since man started building the first cities in the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley millennia ago, will most certainly be useless when billions are dead and starvation is universal. No kidding, really?!

As far as gold and silver being worthless in a complete and total apocalyptic "gotterdamerung" case, what knowledgeable person could disagree? In a true "Road Warrior" lawless state, food, water, seeds, guns and medicine will most certainly be king, not silver or gold pocket change. However, I like to examine all the percentages before I commit my scarce funds.

Historically, we've had numerous cases of rampant inflation and hyperinflation in the last 100 years of civilization. On the other hand, we've had zero mega tsunamis, a few widespread plagues since Ancient Rome fell, one dinosaur level asteroid extinction strike in the last 65 million years, one super volcano eruption 75,000 years ago, and zero axis shifts and nuclear wars. Statistically speaking, therefore, we should be a lot more worried about inflation and hyperinflation than any of the other known human-impacting events. Junk silver coins (pre-1965 USA dimes, quarters, halves) plainly won't help you if a Mount Everest-sized rock traveling 10 times faster than a speeding bullet splashes next to your oceanview villa, but during hyperinflationary times these shiny coins have saved many thousands in Weimar Germany, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Argentina, Iceland, and Zimbabwe, etc., when their paper fiat money crumbled to dust.

Conclusion: Most definitely have emergency food, water, seeds, guns and meds. In my mind, that all goes without saying. However, trust in gold and silver as the American dollar is openly and systematically undergoing devaluation leading to ultimate destruction by our so-called leaders. Inflation is already here, and hyperinflation is a vicious beast whose hot breath can already be felt breathing down our collective necks! First things first, I say!

Time is running out fast! Hyperinflation seems unavoidable as fiat paper money is being printed as fast as the US presses can run. To protect your wealth and your family, buy gold and silver now from these top companies, APMEX Gold and Silver and Silver American Eagles.

Rick

CLICK ADS BELOW FOR FREE DISCOUNT!

10 Amazing Dangerous Toothpaste Ingredients

Toothpaste even though (in some form or another) has been around as long as the Ancient Greeks have, the formula (as we know it) did not become popular until World War I. As soon as companies began manufacturing toothpaste, people began to purchase the magical concoction - guaranteed to produce glistening teeth! White teeth were all the rage after World War I had ended, and toothpaste quickly became a product that most people simply couldn't live without.

Toothpaste is one item that nearly everyone uses today, but what makes this concoction so special? Whether you brush your teeth once per day or three times per day, chances are that you've never taken the time to read that ingredient list. Some believe that the ingredients contained in a standard package of toothpaste are essential - others believe that water may be just as effective. In the end, there's a good reason why most toothpaste packages warn: "Do Not Ingest!"

10. Formaldehyde

That same ingredient that coroners can't live without can be found inside of your toothpaste tube. Formaldehyde kills all of those small bacteria that climb onto your teeth after eating or sleeping. If a large amount of formaldehyde is accidentally ingested, the result could be fatal. Severe formaldehyde ingestion results in jaundice, kidney damage, liver damage, and death.

9. Detergent

Foam, suds, activation! What would toothpaste be without that satisfying soapy feeling? Manufacturers use regular detergent in order to appease the masses that prefer bubbly toothpaste. While bubbles may be fun, be careful if you accidentally ingest a large amount of this stuff - swallowing detergent can cause digestive tract burning.

8. Seaweed

Stretchy and slimy, seaweed holds that paste together. Without this green stuff, toothpaste would simply fall apart! The good news is that seaweed isn't toxic. Infact, seaweed has a number of nutritional benefits, though hitting the sushi bar is a better way of gaining those benefits.

7. Peppermint Oil

Minty, minty, minty! Fresh breath can only be kept fresh with the help of peppermint oil! While refreshing when brushing your teeth using toothpaste, peppermint oil can cause a slow pulse, heartburn, and muscle tremors if it is consumed.

6. Paraffin

As slick as the petroleum that it is derived from, paraffin creates a smooth paste that oozes onto your toothbrush using toothpaste. As you might imagine, paraffin wasn't meant to be eaten. If you happen to swallow this ingredient, you may end up with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and severe constipation.

5. Glycerin Glycol

Never heard of this ingredient before? Sure about that? Glycerin glycol is added to toothpaste in order to prevent the paste from becoming too dry – it's also found in antifreeze. Even though glycerin is not toxic, this additive may cause nausea if swallowed.

4. Chalk

That's right - chalk. Thanks to the fact that chalk is made from exoskeletons, it's hard enough to remove all of that caked on gunk from your pearly whites. Chalk dust may cause lung problems if inhaled via toothpaste, and swallowing a bit of chalk could cause bleeding.

3. Titanium Dioxide

This is another common toothpaste ingredient, though it's usually found in white paint. When added to toothpaste, titanium dioxide has the safe effect on your teeth as it does on walls - it keeps them nice and white (for a few hours, at least!). Ingesting titanium dioxide won't hurt you, but it isn't recommended either.

2. Saccharin

Something has to combat that terrible detergent taste! Saccharin is sweet, but not too sweet - just the way that most people like their toothpaste! Saccharin has been a hot topic of debate every since Theodore Roosevelt was in the White House. The USDA tried to ban the substance in 1972, though it is considered "safe" to ingest today.

1. Menthol

One last ingredient to add a minty note to your breath. Without menthol, toothpaste might taste like, well, chalk, glycerin, paraffin, detergent, titanium dioxide, and seaweed! Go ahead and ingest menthol if you like, but sipping some tea containing menthol is a far better idea than chewing on your tube of toothpaste.