He will? You almost make it sound as if you will oversee this personally[grin]. Thick skin, Kash, just develope thick skin………or simply ignore it. You are untouchable,…he’s untouchable…no point in getting yourselves all worked up over this sort of a thing, be it him getting mad enough to call you names or you getting upset over it. It’s easy to get connected to people here, and then get annoyed over something that’s missinterpreted[yes I know some words are misspelled. I'm just really tired right now. See what you mean to me? Ha![grin]. I may be slightly delirious too. It’s been a heck of a day.] or said in the heat of passion but at the end of the day the only thing that’s important is how we feel about ourselves. These things can only bother you if you first chose to give them the power to, you know.

Mike post 91,
That’s alright, Paul knows what I was asking, and his unwillingness to participate gives me an answer that I can be satisfied with.
“Who decides what is moral and what isn’t?” People who can think for themselves have to make this decision on their own, and it’s not as difficult a thing to do as one might think, provided that the person has a sense of empathy, compassion, and can understand the difference between right and wrong, and everyone who’s right in the head can recognize those things. You don’t even need religion for this, just plain old biology. Any group of social animals from monkeys to dolphins to dogs can display disapproval for self destructive behaviors within the society like murder, thievery, and “child abuse”, you know. Within the more intelligent and social animals this behavior becomes all the more refined/complex, based on what is agreed as the common good of the society, which of course varies by different degrees within different societies. But the variations are not usually that great as to be complete opposites.Sociopaths and brainwashed people will simply do as they are taught or whatever they want to anyway.
“Who are you to decide what is moral and immoral?” I give myself the right to make that decision, but only for my own life, at least as long as I don’t have to interact too much with others that I would conflict with. I won’t be preaching to others about what I perceive as their immorality unless it is effecting me personally in someway[assuming that they would listen to me anyway, which I doubt], in which case I will react to the best of my abilities. That said, it IS perfectly possible to disagree with someone on something but still be able to put up with them and respect one another. EVERYONE is weird to somebody else, after all.
As for your idea of an absolute standard, I create my own, based upon what makes me happy and what makes me sad………just like everyone else who’s individualistic. I follow those laws of the society that I exist in that I personally agree with, and disregard all of the ones that I disagree with[like that stupid law of stopping one's vehicle at STOP signs, even when no one else is around], provided that I think I can get away with it[grin].
“…and since everyone can have their own standard of morality, there is no morality.” No, only if one disregards the point that I brought up when I first addressed you within this post. Different cultures the world over agree that things like rape, robbery, senseless murder, child abuse, and lying are bad things, just as they agree that things like bravery, honor, respect, creativity, generosity, honesty[at least as long as your telling them what they want to hear]and helpfulness are all good things. Because these are the same things that benefit or harm all societies everywhere. So even an Atheist in Russia, a Muslim in Somalia, and a Pagan tribesman in the Amazon can all for the most part agree on the same basic ideas of what constitutes “morals”. I see a problem with one person or little group of elites trying to control the morals and ethics of everyone everywhere. People and the universe as a whole are/is far too complicated and weird for that to ever work. Some people can try and use religion as their standard, but since no one can ever agree on THAT, not even people who claim to be of the same religions[like the Christians within this website for example[smile, wink, wink].]then, aside from giving those sociopaths and brainwashed people in society something to be guided by in life, I really do not see how the end results this in society are any better than the end results of doing what I do.

O Nata Lux!
Welcome back[smile]. In case you didn’t understand what was meant when Mike said within post# 102 “BTW, you sound an awful lot like Gurgus a.k.a Bernie.”, Bernie was an antagonistic Atheist that used to post here. Every once in awhile someone like that will join us ans stick around for a few months until they eventually get banned from the website for being too darned rude and aggressive. Bernie, Barnie, Gurgus,….all of these posters sound so much alike one another that it’s easy to just assume that they are almost always the same person who come back to the site under another name whenever they get banned. I can provide you with examples if you wish, or you can just go back into last year and read through the show sites that deal with the topic of Evolution to get an idea of the kind of a character I’m talking about. I shall give you the benefit of the doubt that you are not doing this act, at least until you start using all of the same words that they used[smile]. I don’t understand what was in your post# 97 that warranted this judgment from Mike. Wishful thinking perhaps? A definite connection between you and them would make it easier for some to discredit and dismiss your opinions. Ignore it. It’s happened to me a few times in the past too[smile].

Mike, don’t you think that saying things about Kash’s intelligence like what you said within post# 110 or at the end of post# 125 is to harsh? These things said can be forgiven by individuals, but like the scar from a burn, never be taken back or forgotten. True, we can do anything as long as we are prepared to face the consequences of our actions[or inactions as the case may be], but do you not worry about becoming someone in public that you don’t want to be remembered as?
You are a smart man…I think you can be bigger than this. Just a thought.

kash fired her popgun again and now her target was Dr. Ferguson. Nouriel Roubini and Naill Ferguson both called this current little recession, which I call the Greater Depression, BEFORE it happened.

Dr. Ferguson’s credentials are: “He is the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University[2] and the William Ziegler Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. He was educated at the private Glasgow Academy in Scotland, and at Magdalen College, Oxford.”

And now for Dr. Roubini:
Nouriel Roubini (born 29 March 1959) is a professor of economics at the Stern School of Business, New York University and chairman of Roubini Global Economics, an economic consultancy firm.

After receiving BA in political economics at Bocconi University and doctorate in international economics at Harvard University, he began academic research and policy making by teaching at Yale while also spending time at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Federal Reserve, World Bank, and Bank of Israel. Much of his early studies focused on emerging markets. During the administration of President Bill Clinton, he was a senior economist for the Council of Economic Advisers, later moving to the United States Treasury Department as a senior adviser to Timothy Geithner, who is now Treasury Secretary.

In 2008, Fortune magazine wrote that: “In 2005 Roubini said home prices were riding a speculative wave that would soon sink the economy. Back then the professor was called a Cassandra. Now he’s a sage.”[1] In September 2006, he warned to a skeptical IMF that: “The United States was likely to face a once-in-a-lifetime housing bust, an oil shock, sharply declining consumer confidence, and, ultimately, a deep recession.”[2] He also foresaw “homeowners defaulting on mortgages, trillions of dollars of mortgage-backed securities unraveling worldwide and the global financial system shuddering to a halt”. The New York Times labeled him “Dr. Doom”, whereas, in hindsight, IMF economist Prakash Loungani has called him “a prophet”.[2]

These are two of my sources along with some of the most brilliant analysts of our time like Peter Schiff, who despite ridicule on Financial TV for his calls on the coming crisis (also predicted in his books and articles going back to 2001), has been 100% on target when it comes to the TREND. Short term, he himself says he cannot determine the short term. For that I rely on charts – technical analysis, and cycles. I’m pretty good at that. Peter runs his own fund, Europac, so people’s money is on the line when he makes a decision. Others I like and read are Dr. Marc Faber, a true Austrian economist, Axel Merk of the currency funds that go by his name…a brilliant man when it comes to currency, Puru Saxena, who provides a global view of economics with his office in Hong Kong. Then there is Jim Sinclair and his sidekick John Loefler, a true Christian. Both of these men have radio programs and free website where one can read and get into the minds of the most brilliant men in the world. I particularly like Jim because he presents all sides. A few months ago he had a sort of round table debate with inflationists and deflationists.

There is a lot more kash but I am 100% sure that you are not interested.

Smartest thing you’ve written since I’ve known you.

Their trade covered almost all of Asia and up to the Baltic states. Their coins were accepted everywhere. It was their sound money that nations cherished and provided the means of economic prosperty that lasted longer than any other nation. I really do not have time to instruct a complete idiot that wishes to remain so.

America is an idea not just a place. People did not come here from all over the world, risking their lives and the lives of their loved ones, because of the land. They came here seeking freedom. Freedom from what? Mostly freedom from tyranny which is only possible when you have a big powerful government. 16,000 new IRS agents will not be there to insure our liberty.

All you ever do is write in generalities. You do not deal is specific data. You seem to dismiss $100 trillion+ debt and unfunded liabilities as inconsequential. You dismiss that even with the Obama budget scenario, which I described the US will reach a debt of 90% of GDP. All that means nothing to you. Dr. Ferguson, probably the most brilliant economic historian of our time has stated that the US is subject to a rapid collapse.

And kash, you are a blind guide. You influence people with your beliefs just as I do. I ask no one to follow me…I am not a politician. I do on the other hand have a group of people that I email almost every day. I get them caught up on the markets and what is taking place on the economic front. One the good folks on TTL message board is on my email list. Some have been with me for years and I know for sure that some have followed my suggestions and are quite pleased with the results.

Two of the people I email are financial advisors. They have told me that they pass on my information to interested clients. One of the advisors told me that he lost a million dollar + account because he told the man that he should take some money out of the market as per my recommendations. This was early in 2008, when I was pounding the table that a crash was in the works. The client got so angry that he pulled his account and gave it to one of the Wall Street Hack types that kept telling him to hold for the long run. Of course, according to the financial advisor, the client returned after having lost 1/2 of his net worth. My recommendations at the time (starting in 2007) was for people to exit stocks and put their money in bonds. Those that did MADE MONEY during the crash of 2009. Then, on March 6th, I gave the all clear buy signal…it was time to get the 401ks back in the market as a huge rally was coming.

There is an elderly gentleman at my church that asked me in 2002 what he should do with his investments. I told him to put 1/3 into a commodity fund. He did and that fund made him more money than the other 2/3 of his investments.
Two of the people that get my emails is a couple that had some investments in real estate. In 2006, I suggested they sell all real estate on which they owed money. I told them, “Do not have any real estate that carries a debt.” They did and have thanked me for that advice ever since. Oh and the other financial advisor, has been telling clients to hedge their bonds with gold. He’s been telling them this since gold was still under $400. I see him every summer at my wife’s family reunion. Her Uncle Kenny keeps asking me if he should still buy gold and silver at each reunion. I keep telling him “Yep, keep accumulating.” Unfortunately he also listened to his son (who is a city inspector) and bought some investment real estate and that has proven to be a mistake.

My most recent call has been to sell bonds…they are dangerous. I have been bullish on the Canadian and Aussie dollar, so those bonds are a good place to be if one needs income. I have also encouraged people to put money into commodity related companies that offer good sound dividends. I think I mentioned a couple here, RGNC and PWE, back when they were in the $10 area. Both offered dividend yields of 11% plus at the time. Both have doubled in price since I first mentioned them a year ago.

Lately I have been pounding the table on the junior precious metals producers. My two favorites are SVM in the silver group and MFN in the gold category. Both are up several hundred percent since I mentioned them and I still think they are solid investments.

I could go on but you can check to see if I am lying. I stated these things to Bernie way back when. I mentioned these companies long ago before they made their big moves.

I do not deal in theoretical baloney like you do. I provide solid reasoned opinions based on actual data and since there are individuals that rely on my information, I keep up with everything that is happening.

You on the other hand have the luxury of just stating your opinion…you don’t have to back it up with any evidence…you can just rely on the opinions of others most of which got it wrong in the first place.

I ask that no one follow me, but if people are willing to listen to a different point of view….radically different, I am happy to inform them. My emails are free…some have suggested I charge for the information. I don’t need the money. I am happy to help anyone. Oh and by the way, I have used my emails from time to time as a ministry. Everyone of those that get my missives has a link to Doug Tjaden’s website.

I care about people and I do not want them to be needlessly hurt. I also suggest that people learn to grow and can some of their own food. I have also been telling them for years…almost a decade now to downsize their automobiles as I saw rising gas prices. One of the men on my list, one of the two financial advisors…the one that lost then got back the client…actually bought some land built a house by mortgaging his old house then sold the old house to be totally debt free. He own a relatively large track of land where he grows his own food and his house is energy independent. He has been accumulating gold for years himself and he sleeps quite well at night. He recently told me that he has added to his client list just by word of mouth. Periodically he emails me with questions, which I always answer. He agrees with me that the media….the financial press and TV….are basically Wall Street cheerleaders.

I could tell you more but alas it would not matter. I’m telling you, despite some people that think the stock market will collapse, that we have probably seen the market lows for this cycle. I expect the S&P 500 to continue higher. At some point we will get another Cyclical Bear Market, but as of now I just don’t see it. Commodities are going to lead the way and fortunes will be made there. Those that attach themselves to the safety of US / Municipal bonds are going to get creamed. BTW, I am also warning people of these annuities that offer a guaranteed 7% – 8% return. I would first ask, how they expect to get those types of guaranteed returns. Junk bonds, which are risky, only offer 6% or so. US government paper is still half of those returns. So how can they offer 8% guaranteed no risk investment? Seems kind of fishy to me.

You see kash, you are just full of hypothetical bull. You have your vet business and land, which should do well for you. Unfortunately not everyone has that luxury. Some have already been ruined by this economy. Those that have put money into the sectors I have recommended and have side stepped the hard pull backs have done well. At least that is what they tell me.