We now live in a world where governments print worthless pieces of paper to buy other worthless pieces of paper that combined with worthless derivatives, finance assets whose values are totally dependent on all these worthless debt instruments. Thus most of these assets are also worth-less and the world financial system is a house of cards where each instrument’s false value is artificially supported by another instrument’s false value. The fuse of the world financial market time bomb has been lit. There is no longer a question of IF it will happen but only WHEN and HOW. Words: 1650

These days it is almost impossible to find anyone who is long-term bearish on [the U.S. dollar], the stock market or the economy but I think they are all going to be wrong - horribly wrong. I believe that in 2011 inflation will spike horribly, the dollar will collapse, the stock market will begin its third leg down in the secular bear market and the global economy will tip over into the next recession that will be much worse than the last one. Words: 555

Bernanke has massively increased the monetary response in an attempt to halt the secular bear, and we know how the last attempt to control the market turned out - we got the second worst recession since the Great Depression and the second worst bear market in history. I fully expect the next leg down in the secular bear to be even worse that the last one - not only in the stock market, but also in the economy. Words: 525

At present, the governors of the Fed are creating massive distortions in the financial markets with little hope of improving real economic growth or employment... Quantitative easing promises to have little effect except to provoke commodity [gold and silver] hoarding, a decline in bond yields to levels that reflect nothing but risk premiums for maturity risk, and an expansion in stock valuations to levels that have rarely been sustained for long (the current Shiller P/E of 22 for the S&P 500 has typically been followed by 5- to 10-year total returns below 5% annually). [Let me explain.] Words: 3066

Fox News' Glenn Beck has repeatedly stoked fears that the U.S. would see "massive inflation," stating, as far back as 2008, that inflation would go "through the roof" in the "next year." In fact, inflation remained low in 2009 and 2010 and looks to remain the same in 2011. Let's review Beck's prognostications one by one and come to our own conclusion. Words: 1764

Since the dawn of this financial crisis, my portfolio has included an allocation to gold. I viewed this as an important element of stability and protection and I believed in a longer-term story taking hold. Last week I kissed the precious metal goodbye for now and this is my explanation as to my reasoning. Words: 1382

We are an environment in which a U.S. dollar (USD) collapse has fueled inflation trade mania. By launching additional quantitative easing (QE) measures at a time other central banks (e.g. the ECB and the Bank of England, among others) have renounced additional easing measures or are actively raising interest rates (e.g. China and Australia), Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has made it clear he is willing to trash the USD. Words: 797

"QE 2" is radically different – and radically more dangerous – than the risky games that were played with earlier "quantitative easings". This brief article is intended to warn readers about some of the key differences this time around. Words:

I would prefer a scenario in which rates rise slowly, and the dollar -- as well as the economy -- stabilize gently; while the alternative makes me wealthy, unfortunately, its actualization necessarily means I will be forced to watch everyone around me suffer - and that’s a troubling thought. Words: 1480

The gold bubble is preparing to burst. Investors have endured panic for three years, and gold has rightfully gone up. Unfortunately for current gold investors, [however,] fear/panic is diminishing by the day and without that essential element, the big money will exit the trade...Those left carrying gold in their portfolios will be trying to come up with reasons to justify their holdings... [and there is considerable] confusion of rationale to [support] the precious metal's continued rise. Words: 606