Wait for Bernanke to raise interest rates to something more realistic to deal with this crisis, like 20%. Then we will see how much SV is really worth.
geeeezzz... I hate all these biased political correct people... guys why not to talk about having equal amount of male and female childcare professionals? Or coal miners? Sexes are NOT equal. Start dealing with reality. please.
I know I will be down-voted for this, but I just have to say it: US is a nation of slaves. People are slaves to their banks. They have to work just to have roof over their heads and medical care.
I used to live in Poland, Germany and the US. I'm citizen of all those 3 countries.
In places like Poland people are just free. You can even sense it from the way they act in Poland. They don't really give a damn about their jobs, this or that. They know they are covered. Most people in Poland own their apartments/houses. I mean they own it. Not the banks. It's not like you have to work. It is an option. Americans and the other hand are just so intensely focused on their jobs even when it is picking up garbage. But hey, they have little choice, don't they? They need to bring their paycheck to the bank every month, just not to be thrown outside the boat without the life jacket.
The most perverted thing about this phenomenon though is that, Americans think they are free. They don't even see how enslaved by the system they are.
Don't understand me wrong. I love the USA. It is my country. But it is just simply staggering when you think about the cognitive distortions Americans have when they look at themselves. Born in debt, die in debt. That's feudal peasants AND NOT free people.
Anti-psychiatry (wiki explains their position in good detail) says that basically the very moment we stopped believing in magic, witches and wizards, psychology/psychatry surfaced as 'sciences' with exactly the same role - to root out people who are too non-compliant with the system from the society.
USSR and communistic states (I used to live in one of them) are great example. All dissidents were automatically labeled 'insane' because anybody doubting communism had to be crazy in communist view of the world.
I know this. The reality is once you behave crazy as I did (because of the meds), they just assume things and put their assumptions before the process.
Then I did complain to the Doctor that I think the meds are causing this, but she refused telling me that she administers them frequently to the patients and never has seen reaction like this. According to fda.gov about 1% population has paradoxical reaction to Benadryl (i.e. people get anxious like I did instead of calming down). The paradoxical reaction is cause by liver enzymes working differently in my body. She just didn't know. When I said this she looked at me even more suspiciously.
Once they set their mind on you being crazy, that's it. The more you tell, even being right and correct, will seem more crazy talk making them more convinced of your mental issues.
I thought with psychiatrist will be better, but he was even worse. Treated me like child & crazy person right from the door step.
I'm so glad the anxiety stopped on its own day later and that my suspicion of medications causing it turned out true.
I mean they were able to convince me that I'm crazy. I'd believe them... that's how bad the system is.
I'm not sure if too many people nowadays take Psychiatry and Psychology seriously. Most problems they label as illnesses are legitimate issues people have that need resolution not pills.
I had severe allergic reaction to shrimp. Ended up at the ER where I was treated with Epinephrine, Prednisone and Diphenhydramine (Benadryl administered directly to bloodstream though).
Guess what, I had serious panick attacks for another2 days. When the following day I showed up at the ER, I was told by a Doctor who originally treated me day before that I clearly have mental issues because this reaction shouldn't last so long. Psychiatrist didn't even ask questions and prescribed me anti-depressants. Obciously, anxiety diminished on its own next day. FDA.GOV confirms that all 3 medications I was given may cause anxiety (severe) and panick attacks. Including benadryl that does cause anxiety in me. This was widely studied and is believed to be caused by liver enzymes. So, all in all I had never had mentall issues before, never had issues after. But had 3 days of panick attacks and severe anxeity causeb clearly by medication. Hey, but I'm considered depressive, anxious now. It is in my medical records. Just amazing how fast they are to label you and how difficult it is to clear the record. All result of ignorance, but what can I do? Recently I went through cholestycomy procedure outside my insurance, just because I didn't want to be treated by medical stuff with suspicion.
I don't believe psychiatrists now at all. I mean this is some type of witchcraft, not science for sure.
"genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat". Reading: they can stop anyone for any reason anytime at any place. EU is not much better than US. I hold Polish, German and US citizenships. Europe is actually worse because they think that they treat people better when in reality they are much worse it just doesn't get as much attention because it is not US.
The Germans I know when asked to compared Germany now to Germany from 70s or 80s always say that it used to be MUCH better. The same goes with my friends in the USA.
That's exactly what I meant by terrorized. The miners did occupy Government building and they did destroy some of them and yes they did terrorize some of the high level Government officials by locking them up in their own offices and not allowing to get out.
Yes, Poland IS a wild country. That is its biggest strength. Poor Americans just have to deal with whatever laws thrown at them by their Government. Here, in Poland - not really.
Just saying... I remember the time in 90s when Polish coal miners didn't get guarantees from the Government regarding their pension plans. Well, they basically went to Warsaw and started riots. Real riots. As far as I remember they literally kidnapped member of the Administration or two. They destroyed a few government building in Warsaw. They terrorized and paralyzed the Government.
Next thing you know, the Government agreed to each and every one of the protesters requests. As I said: I love Poland Man.
Polish people tend to always think that protesters are right just because they protest and the Government is wrong just because it is the Government. Hence, I wouldn't worry too much about this what the Government will tell to the public about the protesters. The public will know better as it always does in Poland.
Actually, this is just one of the reasons why I live in Poland even though I'm an US citizen. People just distrust the Government and the media here so much. It is fantastic!
US citizen living in Poland here. Here it is how providing the 'real name' will work in local circumstances here: Let's say I want to register piratebay.shark. I go to a nearby bum and for a small fee get his passport, IDs, etc, provide it to GoDaddy for registration. Good Luck ever finding out who I'm.
This may work very well in the US, but not in other places in the world where people had to deal with laws limiting their rights for decades.
I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you. Calling gold an investment is akin to calling USD or Swiss Franc an investment. It might be but its first and most important function is this of money. Think store of value and not profit.
Currently, an ounce of gold buys you a nice suit in New York. Two hundred years ago 1 ounce of gold was enough to buy a nice suit in London. And 2,000 years ago 1 ounce of gold was enough to buy a nice toga in Rome.
Price of oil in gold fluctuates around 15 barrels per ounce since World War 2.
The list continues... the point is that gold is an excellent store of value reflecting real prices increases much more accurately than government figures (a.k.a. CPI).
Gold is money. Historically, gold has been the best indicator and instrument to gauge inflation. The CPI numbers from Government don't even come close.
At the end it all really boils down to: is the Government provided CPI number or gold better instrument to gauge inflation?
My take is that if something has worked great to gauge inflation for the last 5,000 years then it probably still measures it pretty well.
The CPI number from Government that has vested interest in underreporting inflation? (because of debt). Thank you, buy I firmly believe that is has been grossly understated for for the last 60 years, ergo my numbers probably illustrate the real increase in value of the set better.
Great article. Would like to point out an interesting fact though. $50 in 1951 was worth 1.5 ounces of gold. The article claims that currently collectors pay 100 times more for it in USD terms, aka 5,000usd. Which is 2.5 ounces of gold. In other words in the real value the set appreciated about 75% even though 100 times in nominal terms.
In the same timeframe price of oil in gold stayed the same for that example. Even though it is also 100 times more in USD terms.