June 2009

  • AAA Metals: Portland Oregon

    By dubayns on 6/30/09 11:56pm
    Add Comment

    SilverSilverRecently I came upon the opportunity to buy a large amount of scrap sterling silver at a very good price. Thinking that I’d easily be able to find a refinery in the Seattle area that would be willing to melt and refine the 92.5% pure silver into an ingot or bar, I bought the entire lot of scrap metal. Little did I know that no place in Washington state would be willing to help me melt, assay, and keep any metal that I submitted. In fact, most places wanted to pay me less than spot for the amount of pure silver that the scrap metal contained. Needless to say I was amore than a little disappointed with what Washington’s refineries had to offer.

    Read more >

  • A Look at the Future of Commodities

    By dubayns on 6/30/09 11:23pm
    Add Comment

    It appears as though commodities are back in the spotlight midweek. There is little doubt that oil will continue to rise as the summer draws to a close. But commodities may become the central players of the global economic recovery as more and more people sink more and more of their investments into precious metals, oil, and other commodities backed sectors.

    While a few select banks have recently been allowed to repay their TARP debts and while the rest of the economy has seen a bullish up trend over the past 3 months, commodities haven’t gotten their fair share of the attention. Only now, with China announcing that it is stockpiling more bullion than previously thought, and Germany requesting all of its US-held bullion be shipped back to Europe are we seeing the Comex being squeezed a bit.

    Read more >

  • Without Jobs, Where Are We?

    By dubayns on 6/30/09 10:37pm
    Add Comment

    Consumer confidence has slipped in the past month to levels not seen since early March, before the major stock market rally. Housing and sales data have pushed the confidence index down, but the big key right now to American consumer confidence is the job market. Job losses have kept coming as the Obama Administration and other key players in the economic and government sectors have all said that the economy is recovering. Perhaps it is slowly recovering on Wall Street, but Main Street is left wondering when they will begin to see signs of real improvement in the form of decreased unemployment and real multiple-sector job growth.

    Read more >

  • The Great Summer Pullback

    By dubayns on 6/30/09 10:36pm
    Add Comment

    While stocks have recently enjoyed a brisk climb well above beginning of the year numbers, it now seems that due to many factors, a summer pullback is beginning to rear its ugly head.  Stocks have begun to plummet on job loss and housing data and commodities that usually do well when stocks slump, like gold and oil, are also slouching a bit.  The notion of a summer pullback is leaving investors in a sticky situation, and often asking tough questions without any real clear answers.


    Pulling the trigger on new investments gets tougher and tougher with each passing week.  Those that see inflation on the horizon are chomping at the bit for precious metals prices to sink lower and lower this summer.  In a situation where PM’s are cheap, people might be keen on loading up while the prices are still low and hanging on to their metals as a hedge against inflation.  Basically, people in these circles are betting on inflation.

    Read more >

  • How the Credit Lockdown Will Affect Education and the Workforce

    By dubayns on 6/30/09 10:35pm
    Add Comment

    Credit CrunchCredit CrunchAfter the economic meltdown that ensued last year, many banks and lending institutions have severely limited access to credit. This shortage of available credit has both helped and hurt American consumers. It has helped to reduce the debt bubble that was building and taught people that saving is just as sexy as spending. But the lack of credit really hurts people looking to obtain financial aid for school or wanting to finance a home purchase. In the long run, the tightening of the credit markets will likely have a positive effect, but keeping up with the Jones’ will likely be a thing of the past, at least in the sense that it once was.

    Read more >

  • But They Took Our Job!

    By dubayns on 6/30/09 10:34pm
    Add Comment

    I'm tired of people all wanting to lay the blame at the feet of illegals, supposed government manipulation, or the Obama Administration. This market is as tough to understand as ever, but these three scapegoats are dead horses. As far as I'm concerned, the situation is far too complex to blame any one or two or even three entities for that matter. Heck, in England, another economy where production has been outsourced and paper-changing has become a major economic sector, they are blaming the Polish for coming in and creating more of a welfare state and "stealing their jobs". If your job is so easily done by someone with often little to no experience and the inability to speak the country's dominant language, then don't you think it' s time to go and do better for yourself and find a job where you can use your talents to succeed?

    Read more >

  • A Great Savings Strategy for First Time Home Buyers

    By dubayns on 6/30/09 10:33pm
    Add Comment

    For SaleFor SaleMany people are looking toward the housing market as a great investment opportunity. After the economic turmoil that has plagued the global economy over the past year there are very few sure bets anymore. The combination of low interest rates and low home prices is beginning to attract the attention of people who would not normally be in the market for a home, but who are now otherwise drawn into the real estate market. One of the biggest hurdles for anyone to overcome when buying a new home, besides securing good financing for their purchase, is coming up with a sufficient down payment. There are a couple of ways to make this hurdle a little easier to pass over if you are clever with the way you save and take advantage of new government-sponsored tax incentives for first time home buyers.

    Read more >

  • Japanese Men Caught Smuggling $134 Billion of US Bonds

    By becksta on 6/17/09 1:31pm
    2 Comments

    The name is Bond. US Securities Bond. And the amount is $134 Billion. The location: the Swiss-Italian border. The crime: attempting to smuggle the bonds from Italy into Switzerland. The alleged perpetrators: two Japanese men caught on the train with their bonds in a suitcase.

    Read more >

  • The Profits of Conservation?

    By ecoscott on 6/8/09 9:26pm
    Add Comment

    So you have listened to the claims of people selling carbon offsets and you decided they are selling snake oil, they have come up with something better than a ponzi scheme, that they are no better than the drunk monks peddling indulgences on carts in the medieval forest- well think again.

    Read more >