Monday, April 02, 2012

When to quit gold

The Critical Number for Gold
"Implications for Investors

"Armed with these data, there are definite steps you can take with your investments at this point, as well as reasonable expectations you can have going forward:

"You can buy gold today. As long as real interest rates are negative, gold will remain in a bull market. If you already own some gold, you can and should ask yourself if it's enough at a time when money in the bank is a losing proposition.
"Don't get flummoxed when you hear talk about rising rates. Watch the real rate instead.
"In our opinion, real rates will be negative for some time for the simple reason that we think inflation will be rising for some time. Ask yourself: Will the Fed and other central banks raise rates aggressively enough to catch up to inflation? Someday, sure… but not anytime soon.
"When real rates turn positive, especially above 2%, it may be time to sell. "We'll have to see what's going on in the world at that time; if there's financial chaos, the fear factor could cause gold to depart from this historic pattern. But even if not, keep in mind that while the price of gold fluctuates every day, the shift out of gold-based investments won't occur overnight. There should be time to gain clarity.

"There are a lot of reasons to own gold today, and there will likely be more before it's time to say goodbye. In the meantime, we take comfort in the fact that the strongest historical indicator of all tells us the gold bull market is alive and well and has years to play out.

Carpe aurum."


http://www.caseyresearch.com/cdd/critical-number-gold
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Sunday, April 01, 2012

Sugar: the bitter truth

Sugar: The Bitter Truth
Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, explores the damage caused by sugary foods. He argues that fructose (too much) and fiber (not enough) appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Beating the Street - Peter Lynch



From chapter 5 – MAGELLAN – The Middle Years
Early in my tenure, we formalized the swapping of information. Our random powwows in the hallway near the refrigerator were superseded by a scheduled event in a conference room, where all the analysts and fund managers presented our picks of the week.

Later, I presided over these meetings with a small kitchen timer, which I pretended to set at three minutes – the official time limit for any defense or explanation of a pick. In fact, I was setting the timer at progressively shorter intervals, until I got it down to a minute and a half. I'm confessing this now that it's too late for anyone to demand a chance to make up the lost time.

People were too excited about their favorite subject to notice that I was fooling with the timer. Anyway, 90 seconds is plenty of time to tell the story of a stock. If you're prepared to invest in a company, then you ought to be able to explain why in simple language that a fifth grader could understand, and quickly enough so the fifth grader won't get bored.

These sessions of ours were not put-down contests. Wall Street tends to be a combative environment where only the glibbest survive, but combat is not the best way to arrive at the truth about stocks. When you are openly criticized for your ideas, you may tend to hold back the next time. And when there's a chorus of criticism, you're likely to lose faith in your own research.

A hostile reception might not affect your confidence immediately, but the brain never forgets a painful experience. It will remember that every person in the room ridiculed the notion that Chrysler was an exceptional bargain at $5 a share. Then one night a year or more later, when the stock's at $10 and the brain has nothing better to do, it will remind you that “maybe all those smart people were right,” and the next day you'll wake up and sell your Chrysler about $30 a share too soon.

Sarah Palin

Last Frontier Women Don’t Tolerate Misogynists
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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Alberta politics



Alberta Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith unveiled her party's campaign bus in Edmonton, Monday, March 19, 2012 shown in a photo taken from the social media website Twitter. The unveiling of her campaign bus has gone viral on Twitter but not for any reasons related to the upcoming election.The bus includes a large picture of Danielle Smith on the side, with the two rear wheels over her chest. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Twitter

Seasonality - BAM.A

Saturday, March 17, 2012

First Truly Global Billionaire Investor

In 1939, just as the Second World War landed on Europe's doorsteps, a 26-year-old American investor borrowed a then princely sum of $10,000 ($170,000 in today's dollars), in order to invest approximately $100 each in 104 Old-World companies. After holding those stocks for an average of just four years, he effectively quadrupled his money, netting himself a small fortune.

This was the start of nearly seven decades of successful investing that would see the young man from a poor family in Winchester, Tennessee, knighted by Queen Elizabeth, become a billionaire, and earn wide recognition as one of the world's foremost authorities on global investing.

His name? John Templeton.

caseyresearch.com

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Investment tips for 2012

Watch for these consolidations in 2012:


1. Hale Business Systems, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Fuller Brush, and W. R. Grace Co...

will merge and become: Hale, Mary, Fuller, Grace.



2. Polygram Records, Warner Bros. and Zesta Crackers join forces and become:

Poly-Warner Cracker.



3. 3M will merge with Goodyear and become: MMMGood.



4. Zippo Manufacturing, Audi Motors, Dofasco, and Dakota Mining will merge and become:

ZipAudiDoDa.



5. FedEx is expected to join its competitor, UPS, and become:

FedUP.



6. Fairchild Electronics and Honeywell Computers will call their newcompany :

Fairwell Honeychild.



7. Grey Poupon and Docker Pants are expected to become:

PouponPants.



8. Knotts Berry Farm and the National Organization of Women will become:

Knott NOW!




9. Victoria's Secret and Smith & Wesson will merge under the new name:

TittyTittyBangBang

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Eight Good Years

Eight Good Years by Mary Duggan

Five Rules to Remember in Life

This has been attributed to John Wayne, but that might just be Internet fiction. Even so, the sentiments are pretty good.

1. Money cannot buy happiness but it’s more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes than on a bicycle.
2. Forgive your enemy, but remember the ba….d’s name.
3. Help someone when they are in trouble, and they will remember you when they’re in trouble again.
4. Many people are alive only because it’s illegal to shoot them.
5. Alcohol does not solve any problems, but then again, neither does milk.

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Keltner Channels

Post #252 March 7, 2012

With a DOWNTRENDING stock or index, the stock/ index will move from the BOTTOM of the keltner to the MID POINT of the keltner which is the dotted line and is the SECOND number showing in the bracketed numbers on the left of the chart right next to “kelt” – the FIRST number showing there is the bottom of the keltner and the THIRD number showing is the TOP of the keltner. These numbers are also showing on the RIGHT side of the chart right next to the green lines of the keltner channel itself.

So, a DOWNTRENDING stock or index will move from the BOTTOM of the keltner to the MID keltner and then sell back down again to the bottom of the keltner and then go back up again to the mid of the keltner and then sell back down to the bottom of the keltner etc etc – a stock or index will continue this kind of price action UNTIL the stock or index starts going in to an UPTREND – so, in an uptrend, the stock will move to the TOP of the keltner and then on sell offs will only move down to the mid of the keltner and then go back up again to the top and then back down again to the mid keltner and then back up to the top – etc etc. – and it will do this until that uptrend turns in to a downtrend – and it usually tells us it’s now in a downtrend by it falling BELOW the mid point of the keltner and going ALL THE WAY DOWN to the BOTTOM of the keltner.

A stock may not get to the TOP OR to the BOTTOM of the keltner though for uptrends and downtrends as the stock could get stopped along the way by resistance at the top going up or at support on the stock/ index coming down in price. TRP.TO is a god example as the top of the keltner is at $43.03 BUT there was resistance at around $42.00 and that is where TRP.TO got stopped at yesterday before it started coming down. Look at TRP.TO on the chart to see what I’m referring to with the keltner and those price points:

http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=TRP.TO&p=D&b=5&g=0&id=p48945226750

Now, I don’t just use the keltner all by itself to tell me if a stock is overbought and looking to come down OR is oversold and is now looking like it will go higher in price! The keltner is but ONE indicator I use (albeit, it’s the BEST ONE in my opinion and experience of it) – I also use Full stochastics (found at the BOTTOM of the chart above) and RSI (found at the TOP of the chart of TRP). Overbought on stochastics is the black line crossing above the 80 horizontal line on the chart – you can see this very clearly on the chart and can see the value of the stochastics line on the RIGHT side of the chart – and oversold on stochastics is BELOW the horizontal 20 line on the chart – so, the black line going below 20.

Here’s the SPX that shows we went to the BOTTOM of the keltner last week when we got to 1100 and the MID POINT of the keltner (the DOTTED GREEN LINE) was at 1216 – and we ALMOST made it there BUT the SPX had resistance at 1200 and so we got just above that level this week at 1205 and then we now are coming down from there as the resistance there was just too strong to take us any higher right now. So, the SPX looks like it may be heading back down to the bottom of the keltner which is currently at 1113 – BUT, stocks and indexes like to test prior lows before they head higher OR go much lower – so, even though the bottom on the keltner is showing at 1113, the SPX will most likely be going towards its recent low of 1100 to test there and see if it holds. If it breaks, its next support is at 1096, then 1075, and then there’s BIG SUPPORT at 1050. Here’s the chart of the SPX so you can see too:

http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=$SPX&p=D&b=5&g=0&id=p64728745078

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Life Without Bread

From chapter 7 - page 128
Techniques that show promise, or methods such as low carbohydrate nutrition that have been proven, are generally ignored – not disproved, just ignored. A well-known and respected researcher simply has to say that a method does not work, and bingo! Without any proof, an unsubstantiated statement then becomes the dogma of the day. But this situation is changing. To ignore scientific information, is, in our opinion, irresponsible. There is, however, a viable alternative; Eat what you can tolerate.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

RRSP - early withdrawls

Quotes from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/personal-finance/rrsp/how-early-withdrawals-can-reduce-the-rrsp-tax-hit/article2351732/

Jean Lesperance, the blogger at Canadian Financial DIY and HowToInvestOnline, is gradually “melting down” his RRSP in support of a semi-retired lifestyle. Still a few years younger than 65, he is also funnelling RRSP withdrawals into his tax-free savings account (TFSA) to have the flexibility to receive tax-free income that can augment or replace RRIF withdrawals later.

“That’s to keep me in the lowest possible tax bracket all along, and to minimize as much as possible the clawback of income from government programs such as OAS [Old Age Security],” Mr. Lesperance says. “If I can pay 20 per cent tax on $50,000 RRSP money instead of 30 per cent tax, that’s like a 10-per-cent return on my money. Taxes matter a lot.”

Low-income seniors with RRSPs may want to melt them down before 65 no matter what their tax rate is. It is unlikely to be as high as the clawback of the guaranteed income supplement (GIS): a dollar of RRSP income after age 65 snatches back 50 cents from the GIS, equivalent to a 50-per-cent tax rate.

Middle-income seniors can receive close to $20,000 in annual income tax-free thanks to the basic-personal, age, and pension-income tax credits on their tax returns (Lines 300, 301 and 314). If nondiscretionary retirement income (e.g. OAS, corporate pension) is less than this amount, the difference can effectively be withdrawn from RRSPs free of tax.

Retirees shouldn’t wait until 71 to open RRIFs and transfer in RRSP funds, advises Ron Watson, 68, of Thunder Bay, / who gives workshops on entrepreneurship and financial management. RRSP withdrawals are subject to transaction fees and tax withholding whereas RRIF withdrawals are not. Moreover, after 65, RRIF withdrawals are eligible for income splitting, and the pension income tax credit can be applied to the first $2,000 taken out every year.

An aggressive form of the meltdown relies on leverage to extract RRSP funds without incurring any or very much tax. It works this way: RRSP withdrawals are used to pay, in full or part, the interest on an investment loan in a non-registered account. Since the interest is tax deductible, it cancels out the taxes on RRSP withdrawals, in full or part.

A leading proponent is Garth Turner, the former member of parliament who blogs at Greaterfool.ca: “I plan to borrow a mess of money to invest in a nice, balanced portfolio, then use RRSP withdrawals to pay the interest on that investment loan. ... By the time 71 rolls around, the net effect is that I’ll have transferred wealth from one pre-tax pile to another after-tax one.”

Thursday, February 23, 2012

quoting Jim Sinclair

My Dear Friends,

Today was long and enlightening for me. I made multiple meetings in New York City with significant money managers.

During these meeting the price of gold rose above the $1764 level which I have repeatedly told you is as important as $524.90 was when gold broke out of its arithmetic up trend and entered its first power up trend. I wish to remind you $1764 is the point where gold moves out of its power up trend and enters into its geometric uptrend. I have also assured you the central banks and especially the US Fed via the BIS and Exchange Stabilization Fund seek not to depress gold, but only to prevent it from running so hard on the upside as to expose the true condition of Western world finance.

There has been significant interventions in the gold price at Angel $1764 with unexpected other central bank accumulation resulting in inexplicable strength in the $1710-$1720 area.

As the strong dollar policy is clearly a policy of softening a long term decline, the interventions in gold have been to modify a desire in the market itself to go ballistic on the upside.

If there was any startling realization today it was that among true geniuses and maturity in major money managers there is a grave lack of understanding concerning the forces at work in the financial can kick of the century now about to take place.

Only one person today knows that the war with Iran starts when Iran is frozen out of the Swift system. In terms of finance, that is a nuclear attack. It was just that threat alone that made Swiss banks destroy their tradition of privacy and send their loyal clients to a mass execution, assuming that they were cheating on taxes.

Not one person I spoke to today ever asked themselves who determines if credit event is a default and what that means to the mountain of credit default swaps that US banks have vended via their non US subsidiaries. By this method the count of these OTC derivatives by the US Controller of the Currency is way short of the true amount of debt insurance banks have sold.

Only one man understood what a commodity currency was and had studied where currency induced cost push inflation had produced severe price inflation during periods of awful economic conditions brought on by all types of debt failure.

I am speaking with leaders in finance who control immense sums of money. If these people do not understand the forces at work what makes you think politicians or their college professor appointees to central banks have a better understanding? The answer is simple – they do not!

Let me share with you the conclusion I took away from today’s luncheon.

1. What is going to happen is going to take place in March somewhere between the 14th and 20th in all probability.
2. What will determine the fate of markets is what action China does or does not take in providing funds to IMF bailout funds.
3. I believe China can and will extract significant trade and other benefits for their presence.
4. I believe China will want the same immunity that the IMF just took for themselves on sovereign debt in liquidation.
5. Greek gold will be held hostage to their debt.
6. That will accelerate the modest trend of repatriation of gold for the cellar of the New York Fed to nations like Germany that are certainly able to store their own wealth.
7. There will be an acceleration in the trend of utilization of other currencies than the dollar for contracting internationally regarding goods, service, oil and minerals.
8. I do not agree that we are at the doorstep now of major changes in the international monetary system. That comes in June of 2015.
9. I am certain that we are on the immediate threshold of the monster kick of the financial can down the road that is a dead end.
10. I believe China and the US Fed will assist in that great last can kick that backfires.
11. I am certain that I am in the right business and that business is the identification and accumulation of gold as gold is the ultimate survivor of what is about to happen.
12. I am certain the gold industry is mad as a Danbury hatter in selling their product the moment they produce it.
13. I am certain the gold and silver industry is in a transition back to the dividend producers they once were.
14. I am certain that the volatility in gold, silver and equities we have already seen is nothing compared to what is about to happen.
15. The last man standing among asset categories as the nehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifw monetary system is introduced sometime post June of 2015 will be gold and gold alone.

Therefore the soundest investment now is what I, and others (McEwen) are doing in building companies whose inventories of goods to be sold are mineable ounces of gold and other precious metals in the ground moving towards production.

The immense shorts in this industry group are whacked out noobies without a clue.

New mines need never pollute. Old mines can never be cleaned up. Open pit and surface enrichment is the type of gold that will be least effected by rising costs.

Respectfully,
Jim

http://www.jsmineset.com/
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Excerpt from "Life Without Bread"



Observations recorded throughout modern history reflect the benefit of low-carbohydrate nutrition. Herodotus tells of the meeting between a Persian delegation and the king of Ethiopia in the fifth century B.C., and of the curiosity of the Ethiopian king concerning Cambyses, the Persian king:

Finally (the Ethiopian king) came to the wine and, having learnt the process of its manufacture, drank some and found it delicious; then, for a last question, he asked what the Persian king ate and what was the greatest age that Persians could attain. Getting in reply an account of the nature and cultivation of wheat, and hearing that the Persian king ate bread, and that people in Persia did not commonly live beyond eighty, he said he was not surprised that anyone who ate dung should die so soon, adding that the Persians would doubtlessly die younger still, if they did not keep themselves going with that drink - and here he pointed to the wine - the only thing in which he admitted the superiority of the Persians.


The Persians, in their turn, asked the Ethiopian king how long the Ethiopians lived and what they ate, and were told that most of them lived to be 120, and some even more, and that they ate boiled meat and drank milk.
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Saturday, February 18, 2012

George Younce

Side by Side

We got married last Friday
my girl was right there beside me
our friends were all gone
we were alone ... side by side.

We were so happily wed, when
she got ready for bed; then
her teeth and her hair
she place on a chair ... side by side.

One glass eye so tiny
one hearing aid so small;
then she took off one leg
and placed it on the chair by the wall;

I stood there broken hearted
most of my gal had departed
I slept on the chair
there was more of her there ... side by side.


.

Patty Geppert

No Tears in Heaven

Jesus And Me

Just Build My Mansion


Where The Roses Never Fade


Leaning On The Everlasting Arms

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People of Walmart

Have you ever wondered what happened to the sixties hippies?
This guy was observed "chillin" at Walmart.


Jim Sinclair’s Commentary
We deal with all the problems of economics and politics.
Now here is a fellow who really does not give a damn.
The question is if he is happier?

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

CMF forecasts

Wanted to ask TA gurus....don't you think that we have inverse head and shoulders for oil and oil gonna rully to 130-135?
...
Not possible
http://www.canadianmoneyforum.com/showpost.php?p=114139&postcount=2299

Belguy: "The buyers will become criers!!!"
http://www.canadianmoneyforum.com/showpost.php?p=118148&postcount=781
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Drumheller population

Census reveals modest growth
Consistency is key as Drumheller grows again following the 2011 Census.
The Town of Drumheller saw modest growth over the period since the last census in 2006.
The population went from 7,932 to 8,029, a modest growth of about 1.2 per cent. While it is not a great increase, Mayor Terry Yemen said it is positive simply because, while there has been a period of economic instability, the trend is in the right direction.
In comparing surrounding communities and like-sized towns, the trend is mixed. Hanna saw a decrease in population of about 6 per cent. Beiseker also dropped about 2.4 per cent, Stettler saw an increase of 5.6 per cent and Camrose increased by 10 per cent.
Yemen says he believes the numbers are accurate. Following the 2006 census, the Town of Drumheller paid to conduct a second census with the assertion that growth had been higher. They found the numbers were lower.
Bill Wulff, acting Director of Corporate services for the Town of Drumheller, said the numbers are important because many grant programs are based on per capita.
“Just about all of them are based on per capita,” said Wulff, adding the population at the Drumheller Institution is included in the count.
He says there are a number of reasons people may perceive growth being higher. While there are a number of new faces in town, he said there is attrition; for example when young people leave the valley to study they do not return.
While there has been an increase of new homes being built that could signify growth, Wulff adds those buying houses could be current residents who are moving from the family home, or starting a new family.
Alberta led the way in Canada with the highest percentage of growth (10.8), bested only by the Yukon Territory with 11.6 per cent growth. Overall Canada grew by 5.9 per cent with no province or territory declining.
More information from the 2011 census will be released throughout the year.

http://om.ly/BmQpV

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pure bs but funny

Why You Should Eat Dessert for Breakfast

Scientists also said that it's not good to cut out sweets entirely when you want to firm up because it can create a psychological addiction to them in the long run and cause you to crave them 24/7.

Obviously, you wouldn't want to make it a habit to have a massive piece of cake every morning, but ending breakfast with a few Hershey's kisses or a cup of hot chocolate could have the same effect.

http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/why-you-should-eat-dessert-for-breakfast.html

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Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Letter from freed slave to former master draws attention

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/letter-freed-slave-former-master-draw-attention-151653952.html

A newly discovered letter from a freed former slave to his onetime master is creating a buzz. Letters of Note explains that in August of 1865, a Colonel P.H. Anderson of Big Spring, Tennessee wrote to his former slave Jourdan Anderson, requesting that Jourdan return to work on his farm.

In the time since escaping from slavery, Anderson had become emancipated, moved to Ohio where he found paid work and was now supporting his family. The letter turned up in the August 22 edition of the New York Daily Tribune.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Washington Post's Style Invitational

The Washington Post's Style Invitational asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:

Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

Foreploy (v): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

Giraffiti (n): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

Sarchasm (n): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

Hipatitis (n): Terminal coolness.

Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

Karmageddon (n): it's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

Glibido (v): All talk and no action.

Dopeler effect (n): The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

Arachnoleptic fit (n..): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

And the pick of the literature:

Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Atlas Shrugged

Atlas Shrugged Movie Explained Part 2 - Rearden Metal Is Not For Sale

Stossel On Atlas Shrugged Part 1

Stossel On Atlas Shrugged Part 2

Stossel On Atlas Shrugged Part 3

Stossel On Atlas Shrugged Part 4

Stossel On Atlas Shrugged Part 5

Stossel On Atlas Shrugged Part 6

gold/silver ratio

Long term (1979) g/s ratio at Trader Dan's blog.

http://www.traderdannorcini.blogspot.com/2012/01/long-term-view-of-goldsilver-ratio.html
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Australian Tourism

From Casey Daily Dispatch - January 20, 2012

A set of questions and answers that actually appeared on an Australian tourism website. It's nice to see a government agency that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Note that the nationality of the person asking the question is indicated in parentheses.

Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? (UK) 
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die. 

Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? (USA) 
A: Depends how much you've been drinking.

Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)
A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles. Take lots of water. 

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay? (UK) 
A: What did your last slave die of?

Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia? (USA) 
A: A-fri-ca is the big, triangle-shaped continent south of Europe.
Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific, which does not...
Oh, forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in King's Cross. Come naked.

Q: Which direction is north in Australia? (USA) 
A: Face south, and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here, and we'll send the rest of the directions.

Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia? (UK) 
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (USA)
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is...  
Oh, forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys' Choir plays every Tuesday night in King's Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.
 
Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia? (UK) 
A: You are a British politician, right?

Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney, and is milk available all year round? (Germany) 
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal.

Q: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. (USA) 
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca, which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled, and make good pets.

Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. (USA) 
A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.

Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia? (USA) 
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.
  
Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? (France) 
A: Only at Christmas.
 
Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? (USA) 
A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first. 


.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Ian Gordon ...

... in conversation with Jay Taylor January 17,2012 (hour 2)
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/58974/ians-1012-forecast-is-this-the-year-for-dow-1000-and-4000-gold/54913

2012 - markets will be higher going into March
March 2009 low will be taken out
DOW 2,500 by November 2012 - then short recovery
DOW 1,000 thereafter

Gold: starting from Dec 2011 low 1524
- wave 1 up 2885 in 2012
- down 13% to 2250
- wave 3 up 3995 in 2012
- down 13% to 3440
- final wave up 4500
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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Forum Trolls


A classic CureZone troll is trying to make us believe that he is a genuine skeptic with no hidden agenda. He is divisive and argumentative with need-to-be-right attitude, "searching for the truth", flaming discussion, and sometimes insulting people or provoking people to insult him. Troll is usually an expert in reusing the same words of its opponents and in turning it against them.

While sometimes, he may sound like a stupid, uninformed, ignorant poster, do not be deceived! Most trolls are highly intelligent people trying to hide behind a mask of stupidity and/or ignorance! They usually have an agenda. Very few trolls come to CureZone out of pure skepticism.


http://curezone.com/forums/troll.asp
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Mon, 8 Mar 1999

The Economist predicts low oil prices for foreseeable future

DROWNING IN OIL

"WHAT", sneered Abdurrahman Salim Atiqi, Kuwait's one-time oil minister,
"is the point of producing more oil and selling it for an unguaranteed
paper currency?"

The price of oil has fallen by half in the past two years, to just over
$10 a barrel. It may fall further-and the effects will not be as good as
you might hope.

Yet here is a thought: $10 might actually be too optimistic. We may be
heading for $5.


http://www.casi.org.uk/discuss/1999/msg00181.html
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Sunday, January 15, 2012

Natural Gas $2.55

Random snips from various sources - Jan 14, 15

Alberta gas for February delivery fell 0.25 cent to C$2.465 a gigajoule ($2.28 per million British thermal units) at 12:01 p.m. New York time on NGX, a Canadian Internet market.

~~~~~//~~~~~

The EIA expects LNG imports in 2012 to drop about 26% to 0.69 billion cubic feet per day, unchanged from its December outlook, as higher prices in Europe and Asia steer cargoes away from US shores. The agency expects Henry Hub natural gas prices in 2012 to average USD 3.53 per million British thermal units, down nearly 12% from 2011's estimated average of USD 4.00.

~~~~~//~~~~~

In 2011, 17 billion cubic meters of gas was to be supplied to China, which is more than the declared amounts of Russia (10.5 billion cubic meters) and of Iran.

At the end of the November 2001 official visit the Turkmen president paid to China an agreement was signed to increase the annual mount of gas from the earlier contracted 40 billion cubic meters to 65 billion cubic meters.

~~~~~//~~~~~

LA PAZ – President Evo Morales expressed concern Saturday over the possibility that Argentina and Brazil, the only export markets for Bolivian natural gas, will stop importing the fuel.

“I’m worried what would happen to Bolivia if it didn’t have a market for its gas ... We now depend on Argentina and Brazil because we sell our gas there,” the leftist president said in a speech in the southern Bolivian province of Chuquisaca.

“If they no longer want our gas, who do we sell our gas to?”

Monday, January 09, 2012

projecting the next breakout for gold



http://www.caseyresearch.com/cdd/gold-will-make-new-high-date

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opposition to Keystone XL

> opposition to the pipeline through Nebraska is led by a group called BOLD Nebraska
> BOLD is funded by Dick Holland
> Dick Holland is a close friend and business partner of Warren Buffett
> Warren Buffett owns Burlington Northern (BNSF)
> if Holland and BOLD are successful in blocking Keystone XL, Berkshire Hathaway will be the beneficiary
> the oil will still be moved from the oil sands to the USA, but it will go by rail, not via pipeline

Read the article here.

http://www.readmorejoe.com/id92.html

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Seasonality - TSX



10 years ending Jan 5, 2012

www.equityclock.com
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Sunday, January 08, 2012

Gold - up for eleven years

2000 — $273.60
2001 — $279.00
2002 — $348.20
2003 — $416.10
2004 — $438.40
2005 — $518.90
2006 — $638.00
2007 — $838.00
2008 — $889.00
2009 — $1096.50
2010 — $1421.40
2011 — $1566.80

“I note the frustration and anger of the anti-gold crowd,” Russell continues. “To miss twelve years of rising prices is enough to make any investor furious with himself. I would guess that 99 percent of Americans have never participated in the gold bull market. Thus, sour grapes is the sentiment of the gold-haters...”

Britannia Radio Blogspot

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quoting Bill Bonner

Today, a new Buick will set you back about $26,000. Divide by $1,550. What do you get? About 16. This tells us that an ounce of gold is worth more today than it was then.

How about oil? In 1940 you could get a gallon of gasoline for about 10 cents. Last week, it was $3.50 cents. An ounce of gold would have bought you 350 gallons in 1940 and 414 gallons today.

Conclusion: gold is not too cheap at $1,500. At $1,900 it was too expensive.

Read more: Is Gold Washed Up? http://dailyreckoning.com/is-gold-washed-up/#ixzz1ivAFsYqK

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Creation


Creation Calls by Brian Doerksen

http://www.andiesisle.com/creation/magnificent.html

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Saturday, January 07, 2012

quoting Bill Bonner

If you buy a share in a company because you think the price will go up, you are betting that you can see into the future. A bad bet, in our opinion. The unknown unknowns are likely to work against you. Better to buy a share that you want to own — whether the price goes up or not.

Likewise, the time to buy an oil stock is not when you expect war with Iran. Better to buy an oil stock when no one expects war. Then, the unexpected can only help you.

And how about gold? Buy it when people predict it will go lower, not when they expect it to rise. Of course, you don’t know where it will go. But when people think it is going down, odds are…it is cheap.

Yeah, we have the things that really matter. Too bad about the money.



Read more: Hopes, Fears and Preparations for 2012 http://dailyreckoning.com/hopes-fears-and-preparations-for-2012/#ixzz1imx2yT8P
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Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Seasonality - FTS



FORTIS INC COM NPV (FTS.TO) Seasonality

Analysis has revealed that with a buy date of March 15 and a sell date of December 31, investors have benefited from a total return of 520.3% over the last 10 years. This scenario has shown positive results in 9 of those periods.

Conversely, the best return over the maximum number of positive periods reveals a buy date of March 15 and a sell date of December 1, producing a total return over the same 10-year range of 357.21% with positive results in 10 of those periods.

The buy and hold return for the past 10 years was 348.66%.

equityclock.com

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Jim Sinclair says ...

Please make note:

Gold will bounce off $2100 and react. Try to keep an even course as Alf is right. Gold has a better chance of seeing $4500 than $1400.

Throw away your razor blade kits provided by famous but mercurial gold commentators who have no mindset whatsoever other than to sell subscriptions or seminars.

Sincerely,
Jim

jsmineset.com

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Gold in the Next Calendar Year

We’re not getting any older. Or, are we?

Yes, dear reader, it is all coming together...and falling apart.

First, this is a quiet time in the markets. The Dow barely moved yesterday. Gold, however, fell $10 to close under $1,600.

You know the drill. Sell stocks on rallies. Buy gold on dips. This formula has worked beautifully for the last 12 years. We don’t see any reason to give it up. Has anything important changed? Is there a new man at the Fed who is determined to save the dollar and the bond market? Has Congress suddenly decided to stop spending more than it takes in?

If so, we haven’t heard about it.

And so what if gold falls to 1,400? Or 1,200? You know what we call that. A buying opportunity!

But a lot of people don’t agree with us — thank God. They think gold has made its big move. They think we’re back in 1980...looking ahead to another big bull market in stocks and another big bear market in gold.

Not that there aren’t similarities. Let’s see...similarities...hmmm...hmmm...

Oh yes. The Fed chief then and the Fed chief now both walk on two legs!

But seriously, as Warren Buffett says, if you’re in a poker game and you can’t identify the patsy, you’re it. These people who see parallels between 1980 and 2011...who expect a recovery...and a boom...they must be the patsies.

If they’re not, we are. They are buying stocks and selling gold. We’re doing the opposite.

But you know something, dear reader... You know what we really think...? We consulted the Mayan calendar. It began on August 11, 3014 BC. And it ends...you guessed it...in 2012. And you know what that means? We can stop putting on seat belts. And stop worrying about M-2. Or M-1. Or any other M.

We mean, what’s the point...with the end of time coming and all?

And we can stop taking those nutritional supplements. Instead, we’re going to have an extra drink. What harm can it do? After all, if the Mayans are right, we’re not getting any older.

By the way...we’ve all heard of how Mayer Amschel Rothschild built his banking empire. What we don’t hear much about is how his wife, Gutle, did the hard work — preparing her children for the challenge ahead. We know now that any fool can run a bank...it’s almost a job requirement. But not any woman can build a team of children who are capable of running a banking empire.

Gutle outlived her husband. Despite the family’s great wealth, she lived all her life in the same tiny house in the Frankfurt Judengasse (Jewish alley) where she and Mayer had started out.

When she was in her 90s she consulted a doctor.

“What do you expect,” he said to her. “I can’t make you any younger.”

“You misunderstand, Herr Doctor,” she replied. “I want to be older.”

And more thoughts...

We think gold has further to fall. We also think bonds have further to rise. And we think this Japan-like slump has further to run.

Here’s something interesting. We have been predicting that the US would “turn Japanese” for nearly 10 years. Maybe more. Many were — and are — the parallels between the US and Japan. But one thing that never seemed to line up was the population trend. The Japanese are getting older...and fewer. Americans are still relatively young...and the population is still growing.

But wait. What’s this? The latest census data tells us that immigration in the US has fallen to a 20-year low...and population growth has slowed to 0.7% per year — the lowest level since before the Baby Boom generation was born.

Maybe we are turning Japanese after all.

Regards,

Bill Bonner
for The Daily Reckoning

quoting George Karahalios

Over the next 12-18 months I expect the global debt crisis to perpetually re-erupt unless massive bailouts ensue. Either way, I expect the gold price to exceed $3000 US. At that point gold will have achieved close to fair value relative to the future prospects of other assets if the world were to have righted itself.

financialsense.com

Saturday, December 24, 2011

A Christmas Story

~ by Rian B. Anderson

Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.

It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted so bad that year for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible. So after supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity.

Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what.

Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up the big sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy.

When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me." The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high sideboards on.

When we had exchanged the sideboards Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood---the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?"

"You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I'd been by, but so what?
"Yeah," I said, "why?"
"I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt." That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him.

We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. "What's in the little sack?" I asked.
"Shoes. They're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us. It shouldn't have been our concern.

We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?" Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp. "We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children---sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out. "We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said, then he turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring enough in to last for awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up."

I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and, much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks and so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within me and a joy filled my soul that I'd never known before. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.

I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord himself has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us."

In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.

Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes. Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.

At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell." I was the youngest. My two older brothers and two older sisters were all married and had moved away. Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, "'May the Lord bless you,' I know for certain that He will."

Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that. But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. So, Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand."

I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Just then the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children. For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.


The above story was posted with this note:
I usually try to stay on topic, please indulge me in this story today. I am very happy just to be on the planet this Christmas breathing. For those of you that don't know me, I have lung cancer and am beating it. I plan on being here next Christmas too. Warning this story will make you feel really good!
minque Wed Dec 24 2003

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Celtic Thunder

Steal Away

"Hallelujah"

You Raise Me Up

A Place in the Choir


when is gold fully priced?

Hello Mr. Sinclair,

I have been listening to your interviews on King World News. My father and I have thoroughly enjoyed them and have learned volumes. I wish to extend my complements to you on your unprecedented ability to understand and explain the complex financial situation that our world faces.

There is a question I would like to ask you about the current bull market in gold that you say we are in. As all bull markets eventually end, my question to you is not, "if" there will come a day to take profits, but when to take profits and what to do with those profits. For example, I would think of myself as a bad investor to ride the gold market from its lows clear up to its highs and back down to its lows again. If gold goes to $2,000 or $5,000 or $10,000 dollars per ounce at what point should one sell the physical metal? Hypothetically if gold were to go to $5,000 dollars per ounce or achieve a 1:1 price ratio with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, does one actually sell the physical coin for U.S. dollars (knowing the U.S. dollar is just another fiat currency)? Should one wait for an alternative currency to arise and sell the physical metal for that currency?

I hope I have been clear in what I am asking. Basically if one is holding wealth in gold/silver at what point does one take profits, and what does one roll those profits into at the end of the bull market in gold/silver? You might think my question premature as there are possibly years left in this bull market in gold, but I don’t want to be the last man standing who just watched the bull market profits disappear. (I call to your attention the gold price action of the 1980s when gold soared to $800 per ounce only to settle for the next decade between $200-$300.)

I would appreciate any advice and insight you might have.

CIGA Luke

Dear Luke,

You have presented the most difficult of questions. Last evening, I answered that via a graph of emotions that finds tops, but not necessarily with the definition of the long term top appended.

I do not think a ratio to the Dow is the answer.

The model answer is when gold sells (per ounce) at the value that equals the total dollar value of US foreign debt divided by the assumed number of ounces of gold the US government has, gold is full priced.

The reason for that is because at that price the international balance sheet of the USA and therefore the dollar is in balance. However, that number, which was $900 in 1980, is now slightly above $12,400.

If grouping of cycles is of any use time wise, that suggests 2015.

Regards,
Jim

jsmineset.com

Monday, December 19, 2011

gold - most manipulated market

Much of the recent bearishness is based on primary school TA, a broken trend line of a triangle that moved almost to its apex and the 200 day MA.

The best long term market predictor that I know may well not be the best short or medium term trader. People need to stay within the bounds of what they are historically best at.

Gold is the most manipulated market on the planet. Painting charts to accumulate has been a fact since 2003. China is a master painter of the world cash gold chart. That is why in this entire gold bull market every major up move in gold has been proceeded by a horrid technical formation or break that reversed out of nowhere.

If a simple trend line breaks or 200 day moving averages were consistently good, everyone would be a billionaire.

Next week could surprise the bears in gold.

I would not, now, be stampeded by a great long term predictor’s short term outlook or a fellow who screams, dances, blows whistles, and horns when reporting on markets who recently declared the gold bull market dead for the second time in a year.

The first declaration was hardly a death.

Regards,

Jim

jsmineset.com


Also, this gold comment from Peter Grandich (Dec 19, 2011)

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

great sacred music from SE Samonte

God Will Take Care of You 3:32 / 23,148 views
- sung by the Antrim Mennonite Choir
- an SE Samonte video

Softly and Tenderly 4:31 / 95,125 views
- sung by Altar of Praise Chorale
- an SE Samonte video

Yes, I Know 3:18 / 70,833 views
- sung by The Mountain Anthems
- an SE Samonte video

Playlist of Anabaptist-Mennonite music from SE Samonte
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Monday, December 12, 2011

Seasonality DJIA



timingthemarket.ca


A short term peak in early January

· Favourable anticipation of fourth quarter results

A brief correction into February

· Triggered partially by negative earnings guidance related to currency translation by international companies

· More political turbulence in Europe and the U.S.

· Increasing political rhetoric by Iran

A recovery into April

· Mildly improving economic news in North America and first signs of a bottoming in Far East economies (particularly China).

· Talk of Quantitative Easing (QE 3)

A significant correction into May

· Political rhetoric in the U.S. ramps up when the Republican presidential candidate becomes apparent. Economic uncertainty increase due to questions about future direction of the next Administration.

· Recognition of a slow-down in corporate earnings growth in the first and second quarters

A significant recovery from June to August

· The recovery in the Far East (particularly China) becomes more apparent. Commodity prices and related stocks move higher.

· If equity markets perceive that President Obama is to behttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif replaced by the Republican candidate, corporate spending in North America starts to ramp up. Investors begin to anticipate strong economic growth in 2013. If markets perceive a re-election of Obama, a mid-year recovery is weak at best.

A brief correction into October if replacement of Obama is over-anticipated

· Also “End of world” jitters similar to the correction in October 2000 before Y2K

Higher equity market following the Presidential election on the first Tuesday in November regardless of who wins the Presidency

· Investors move into sectors that will benefit from the President’s new mandate

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Seasonalities - ENB



ENBRIDGE INC COM NPV (ENB.TO) Seasonality

Analysis has revealed that with a buy date of January 20 and a sell date of December 31, investors have benefited from a total return of 612.5% over the last 10 years. This scenario has shown positive results in 10 of those periods.

The buy and hold return for the past 10 years was 320.14%.

EquityClock.com

Seasonalities - TRP



TRANSCANADA CORP COM NPV (TRP.TO) Seasonality

Analysis has revealed that with a buy date of January 20 and a sell date of December 31, investors have benefited from a total return of 465.52% over the last 10 years. This scenario has shown positive results in 9 of those periods.

Conversely, the best return over the maximum number of positive periods reveals a buy date of April 17 and a sell date of November 4, producing a total return over the same 10-year range of 259.54% with positive results in 10 of those periods.

The buy and hold return for the past 10 years was 273.86%.

EquityClock.com

Monday, November 07, 2011

Seasonalities - BTE



BAYTEX ENERGY TR (BTE-UN.TO) Seasonality

Analysis has revealed that with a buy date of December 6 and a sell date of August 24, investors have benefited from a total return of 4141.63% over the last 10 years. This scenario has shown positive results in 8 of those periods.

Conversely, the best return over the maximum number of positive periods reveals a buy date of December 6 and a sell date of June 19, producing a total return over the same 10-year range of 3096.63% with positive results in 10 of those periods.

The buy and hold return for the past 10 years was 595.97%.

EquityClock.com


NOTE: Baytex has converted to a corporation from an income trust. The symbol is BTE.

Seasonalities - CU



Canadian Utilities Limited (CU.TO) Seasonality

Analysis has revealed that with a buy date of April 14 and a sell date of December 1, investors have benefited from a total return of 218.45% over the last 9 years. This scenario has shown positive results in 6 of those periods.

Conversely, the best return over the maximum number of positive periods reveals a buy date of February 25 and a sell date of November 16, producing a total return over the same 9-year range of 150.14% with positive results in 9 of those periods.

The buy and hold return for the past 9 years was 113.46%.

EquityClock.com

Sunday, November 06, 2011

Falling Leaves

Grandpa Jones

Falling leaves that lie scattered on the ground,
The birds and flowers that were here cannot be found.
All the friends that he once knew are not around.
They're all scattered like the leaves upon the ground.

Some folks drift along through life and never thrill,
To the feeling that a good deed brings until,
It's too late and they are ready to lie down,
There beneath the leaves that's scattered on the ground.

Lord, let my eyes see every need of every man,
Make me stop and always lend a helping hand,
Then when I'm laid beneath that little grassy mound,
There'll be more friends around than leaves upon the ground.

To your grave there's no use taking any gold,
You cannot use it when it's time for hands to fold,
When you leave this earth for a better home someday,
The only thing you'll take is what you gave away.


Grandpa Jones - Falling Leaves




When I Get To The End Of The Way - Grandpa Jones
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Thursday, November 03, 2011

Steve Jobs

A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs

Bonnie Stewart - Silver Threads Among The Gold

Peter Lynch



Peter Lynch, one of history’s all-time top mutual-fund managers, summed it up best when he said that, “If you spend 12 minutes a year worrying about economics, you’ve wasted 10 minutes.”

"Don't gamble; take all your savings and buy some good stock and hold it till it goes up, then sell it. If it don't go up, don't buy it." ~Will Rogers (from chapter one of One Up On Wall Street)

Ross Hansen

Excellent interview with Ross Hansen (20 minutes)

James J Puplava with Ross Hansen

Ross Hansen has over 30 years experience as a minting expert and bullion dealer. Ross began his career in precious metals in 1981 with the founding of Auburn Precious Metals. Soon after, he began striking silver bullion under the Northwest Territorial Mint brand.

Friday, October 14, 2011

quoting Adrienne Toghraie

In the last few months I have been getting calls from traders who are frustrated, angry, sad and sometimes lost. They talk about bosses, wives, children, and the government that is the source of their upset. While people in your life can create an atmosphere of turmoil, you are ultimately in charge of your own power. When you lose your power, trading losses will follow.

Not good for me

Ken called to tell me that a month ago he had broken up with his girlfriend of 2 years. He told me many reasons why this was not a good relationship and that he knew it had to end. That conversation followed with him telling me that she was getting married. He was obviously upset, but insisted that he did not love her and that if he married her, it would have been the worst decision of his life. I told him that he had let this woman take away all of his power and she did not even know it. I asked him how long he was going to let this go on.

Ken had the sense to stop trading while he was going through his upset. While his focal point was on his ex-girlfriend, she was the catalyst of other issues that were bothering him in his life. His trading was not giving him the results that he wanted. He was unhappy about what was happening in the world. And most of all he was lonely.

Power is energy

What we focus on feeds us with positive or negative energy and that generates power within. When this energy is positive, it allows us to:

· Think rationally

· Give our best performance in trading and in other areas of our life

· See opportunity

· Give good advice to others and ourselves

· Have more energy time

· Create better relationships

· Feel more optimistic

· Have a sense of purpose

· Look forward to the day’s activities

The broken toilet

Kelly was extremely angry with the fact that her landlord did not send anyone to fix her broken toilet after she had left several messages. She then decided to take matters into her own hands and hire a plumber taking the cost out of her rent. Her landlord called and yelled at her for over 10 minutes. As a result, she could not trade for the next few days. This is when she called me.

Kelly told me the story repeatedly until I repeated it back to her and asked if I had missed any of the points. She said that I had not but wanted me to agree with her that she did the right thing. I asked her how long she was going to give up her power by thinking about what had happened over and over in her mind? I asked her who else had yelled at her in her life and told her that she was bad when she had made a decision that most people would think was right. After much discussion, she said her father and her ex-husband.

Who is taking away your power?

If you are presently dealing with an upset, ask yourself these questions:

· What or who is bothering you?

· Is there anything else going on in your life now that is also bothering you?

· Are these feelings you are having similar to other feelings that you have had in your life?

· Does your issue deserve the attention that you are giving it?

What to do?

Here are a few steps that you can take to overcome giving up your power:

· Write down your problem until there is nothing more to say about it.

· Write down what actions you can take immediately and in the future to overcome this and/or to not let this happen again

· Make a plan that is filled with positive activity

· If you cannot handle this on your own, get help

Conclusion

Only we can take away our own power. It is important to recognize when we are allowing our power to be sapped away and take care of it before it escalates and takes over our lives. Remember, not to trade when you do not have power over yourself.

tradingontarget.com

Monday, October 10, 2011

Clive Maund

Those interested in going long gold investments in the near future should "keep their powder dry" but stand ready to wade in big time if gold drops into the bright green "aggressive accumulation zone" shown on our chart. ~Clive Maund

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

quoting Chris Mayer

Opportunity Now

It’s hard to believe autumn’s days are here already. As the poet Charles Bukowski wrote, “The days run away like wild horses over the hills.” The leaves are already turning. The air is getting cooler. The sunsets come earlier. The fall seasonal brews have been tapped.

I love the changing of the seasons, and it always puts me in a thoughtful mood. I guess because it makes me more conscious of the passage of time, something you can lose in the day-to-day tending to a life.

Such thinking also tends to force some perspective. I think the world is full of opportunity. I think it is a great time to be an investor. Of course, with the constant onslaught of depressing news out there, it’s not always easy to remain alert to these opportunities.

Recently I received an email from a reader of my Capital & Crisis newsletter. I thought the email echoed pretty well some of the concerns investors have right now, so I’d like to take the opportunity to address a few of those points today.


“If the bank stocks run into trouble and there is less liquidity in the market, will that not impact on business in general? Will it not affect businesses that are otherwise well run and in good shape? Will it not bring about a contraction overall?”
The short answers are yes, yes and yes. But those things are hard to predict. In fact, I would say they are impossible to predict reliably and make money. If what I’m saying weren’t true, then a lot more economists would be richer investors. Yet the greatest investors — Graham, Buffett, Klarman, Greenblatt, Whitman, Lynch and many others — are not economists. Not only that, but they pretty much ignored economic forecasting altogether.

In my experience, there is little point in going through life thinking every year is going to be 1929. As an investor, you have to invest through good times and bad. I gave you my personal example, in which I’ve managed my own money through two periods when the market was cut in half from peak to trough (2000-2002 and 2007-2009) yet each time my account rose in value far more than it fell going in. The same was true in Capital & Crisis in the latter crash. (It wasn’t around for the first one.) I think this 2011 episode will bring the same result.


“Now, I know that you believe in finding businesses for which all the fundamentals are good, but surely these too will be negatively impacted if the above scenario is correct. You quoted Buffett as to the fear factor — ‘Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful’ — but is it not still early days? Do you not think that the fear factor will rise still more if the above scenario comes to pass?”
We don’t know if these are the early days. Things could get worse or they could get better. I come at these things with wide historical perspective. I can show you how every decade there are people who think it is end of days. Yet each time, humanity figures out a way to move forward and markets recover. Then the market cycle repeats, endlessly, through the years.

What’s interesting in our times is that we’ve had several crises packed closely together. And things seem to unfold at hyper speed. But otherwise, I am of the opinion that what we are suffering from is just another turn of the market wheel in a long history of such turns.

Humanity has done an awful lot of self-defeating things. Yet somehow, here we are. Despite all that the 20th century threw at it, the stock market still produced many sparkling gems, a long list of iconic franchises — Wal-Mart, Microsoft, McDonald’s, Home Depot, Apple and many more. I think the 21st century will be no different. We’ll have many calamities, but we’ll also create many opportunities.

I believe in people and incentives and the idea that the true economics of a business will prove out over time. I believe in the classic principles of investing for the long haul that have served so many so well. I believe in patience and discipline.


“So, I guess that really I would like to know if you think that we are on the cusp of a crisis or just a temporary slowdown.”
I’ll give you the only possible honest answer: I don’t know. But here is what few others will tell you: You don’t have to know the answer to that question to succeed as an investor. George Soros, the billionaire speculator, once said, “My financial success stands in stark contrast with my ability to forecast events.” And Warren Buffett said, “Forecasts may tell you a great deal about the forecaster, but nothing about the future.”

It’s something of a myth that great investors are great forecasters. They aren’t — and they realize they aren’t. They play the odds, buying cheap stocks in good businesses, backing talented people and sticking with their winning investment philosophies even when (and especially when) times got tough.

I wouldn’t invest unless you are in it for the long haul, unless you can hold onto a name for a few years. Don’t bother buying stocks if you are not committed as an owner. Think of stocks like real estate. You don’t go around willy-nilly buying real estate. Why? Because you know it is not easy to sell. It’s a hassle. So you are careful about what you buy.

This is why, getting back to the reader’s initial concern, the much- ballyhooed benefit of “liquidity” — the ability to buy and sell with ease without impacting the price of the asset — is the most overblown idea on the planet as far as finance goes. In 1960, the stock market turned over about 14% of its names. Meaning, people held stocks for, on average, seven years. Nobody complained about liquidity. Today, the whole market turns over in less than eight months. There are few owners anymore.

In the end, there will always be people telling you what can’t be done. I’ve heard this chorus since I started writing Capital & Crisis for the public in 2004. But I feel oddly optimistic. I feel like now is one of those times — like the pit of 2008 and early 2009 — at which we’ll look back and be glad we stayed in the game.

Of course, only time will tell. Until then, don’t forget to enjoy the present — the tasty fall brews, the company of friends and family and “the teeming autumn, big with rich increase” — as the old Bard had it.

Regards,

Chris Mayer,
for The Daily Reckoning

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

gold

Here are some words from Master Kenny:

“If December does NOT correct with lower closes over the next one or two days, but instead closes above $1695 over the next several days, then our figures would consider this corrective action as finished – albeit the normal back and forth widening action to come, notwithstanding. The other option (still in play), is a continuation of a V bottom and a spike rally moving very quickly up to the second resistance level at $1800/$1850, with very little widening along the way.”

jsmineset.com