As I see it there are only two outcomes. Either the gold cartel will fail or the U.S. government will have destroyed what remains of the free market in America. I hope it is the former, but the flow of events from Washington and the actions of policymakers suggest it could be the latter. Words: 1654

The effects of the credit crunch on the real estate market have been serious, but negative trends will not continue forever. Words: 512

Tax lien buyers can earn up to 16 percent annually if they acquire good liens. Lenders typically pay up all the unpaid taxes on properties they foreclose upon, so lien holders can expect immediate returns on their lien investments. Words: 298

Those in the U.S. power structure know what the plan is if the U.S. dollar should fail. They are not admitting publically that there is even the remotest chance that it could happen but, rest assured, there is a plan. There is always a plan. To paraphrase Franklin Roosevelt, nothing happens by chance in government, so don’t be caught up in such a ‘surprise’ event - whatever it may be and whenever it occurs. Words: 1345

SPY, QQQQ, DIA, IWM, EFA and EEM. These are the six ETFs every investor ought to know. Get familiar with them. Add them to your watch list, and be aware of how they could fit into your portfolio. Words: 1015

In a search for safety and income, investors are stampeding into the apparent safety of government bonds and bond mutual funds. Over the last year, bonds have been purchased in record amounts despite historic low interest rate levels. It is likely that many of these investors do not understand the risks in bonds. These investors, with a false sense of security, are unknowingly setting themselves up for another rough rollercoaster ride ahead. Words: 599

We are currently about one year into a two year grace period before people will begin to realize that their money isn’t 'real' but simply 'magic' money. In the meantime the 'smart' money is buying up hard assets like gold, knowing that it is the only form of money that isn’t simultaneously someone else’s liability and, unlike 'magic' money, can’t be created out of thin air. Words: 785

With the global economy growing, with federal deficits exploding, and with central banks printing money like there’s no tomorrow, there can be little doubt that rising markets will also bring rising interest rates. Who gets hurt when interest rates rise? The answer is all borrowers with debts coming due because they must pay more to roll them over and all lenders who have extended medium- or long-term credit at fixed rates because they suffer an immediate loss in the market value of their loans. Words: 928

We are about to encounter major inflation and the absolute best hedge against such inflation is by investing in the companies that mine gold and silver. You often get leverage of 2 to 4 times the price appreciation of gold or silver. If gold goes up by 50%, your miners may very well double or triple in value. Words: 1426

The USD remains on a steady downward path and is likely to continue to face a combination of both cyclical and structural negative forces. Words: 408