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StreetInsider.com - GOLD ABOVE $1400; PMX Gold Releases Preliminary Gold Bullion Vending Machine Sales Data, Confirms Planned Nationwide Expansion Based on Gold's Emergence as Parallel Currency : "Gold Bullion's Acceptance as Collateral by Financial Institutions and Emergence as a Parallel Currency Earlier this week JP Morgan announced that they will accept physical gold bullion as collateral and allow institutional firms and banks to borrow money against deposits. It is interesting to note, however that they will not accept ETF trust gold as collateral, thus clarifying the significance of physical gold holdings. This announcement follows CME Clearing Group's decision to accept gold as collateral for trades on the exchange, and that Gold Bullion can be used for margins for CME trades ranging from crude oil, gold, grains, equity indexes and Treasury bonds.gold..."

February 2011: PSIA - The Only Trend that STILL Matters : from Porter Stansberry Investment Associates "...You could run the same example with almost any global commodity. And you can do the same exercise with domestic goods – like home prices... or even stocks. The fact is, the world's economy is being hamstrung by the volatility of our paper currency. The sooner it is replaced with real money (gold), the better. The world took a big step in this direction last month, when JPMorgan again decided to accept gold as collateral from hedge funds. (Isn't it amazing JPMorgan didn't accept gold as collateral?) Now, you may not intuitively understand these concepts. They are complex. You may not ever really get your mind wrapped around the world's monetary system. You might not really understand why gold returning to the banking system via collateral rights is momentous. But I know you can understand in a deep and meaningful way, what's truly happening here... Do...

Scratch a New Aquaintance and Find–A Caregiver! | Inside Aging Parent Care : "I’ve read the stats.  I know that there are 44,000,000 caregivers of aging parents and other relatives over the age of 50 out there.  And I know this number is growing every day.  But I’m still surprised when some weeks it seems like everyone I meet is a caregiver." Norton's comment: Yes, this is a financial issue. And our culture is NOT setup to care for family since our families are typically dispersed around the Country. And the illusion continues to be marketed that our adult children are independent, self-sufficient, and besides parents are out of date, not in touch with the new world.....really? And who will care for our g-children when both parents are working long hours? We the chips are down, who will cover your back?

The $600 Trillion Derivatives Market - Newsweek : "600,000,000,000,000? It's a number no one questions, but the size of the derivatives market is not as shocking as it looks If some banks are too big to fail, $600 trillion has become the number too big to question. That's $600,000,000,000,000—the rough figure cited in many news reports for the total size of the derivatives market, now blowing up to such alarming effect. At a time of mind-boggling turmoil on Wall Street, perhaps it's not surprising that few stop to ponder how a market for obscure financial products,...more" Size of the US Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person: $ 47700 cost per person to keep a prisoner in jail 100,000 dollars for 7.5 million incarcerated! National debt per person According to the Debt Clock: • Total national debt: $13 trillion • Debt per citizen: $42,026 • Debt per taxpayer: $117,982 • Total interest due: $1.9 trillion • Interest per citizen: $2,2...

fed-components-chart.gif (676×1231) Norton's comment: Notice now most of it is loan advances and debt.

Estranged-The Dilemma of the American Couple : The Curse Of The Capable : "Estranged-The Dilemma of the American Couple American couples are increasingly growing distant in a society driven by image, fears of ageing and the uncertainties of a rapidly changing world. According to the World Health Organization we have one of the highest rates of depression, stress, anxiety, addictions, diabetes and obesity in the civilized world. Our children reportedly have the highest rates of childhood diabetes and obesity, and the depression rates for children are two and a half times what they were a few years ago. Eating disorders and substance abuse are common not atypical in today’s schools. Each week we spend 22 hours less with our children than parents 20 years ago; we are essentially becoming ESTRANGED from our children. Money Can’t Buy Love ......" Loving a Fantasy The pornographic industry has grown exponentially as it offers, along with sex chat rooms, a quick fix to the c...

The Limits of Monetary Policy: ‘Monetary Policy Responsibility Cannot Substitute for Government Irresponsibility’ | The Big Picture : "That reason has nothing to do with monetary policy. It has everything to do with the taxation and fiscal and regulatory policies of the states. The cost of capital does not explain the different economic performances of the states; the cost of doing business has everything to do with those differences. However well-meaning tax and regulatory initiatives in the laggard states may have been when they were conceived and levied, they have had unintended consequences that have led to economic underperformance and job destruction."

Jesse's Café Américain: Gold Daily Silver Weekly Charts - Panic Hits the Money Printers As Benny Signals QE -> infinitum : "But if one is on some standard, it forces you to be more transparent and overtly devalue your currency, should you wish to do things like bail out your friends on Wall Street.   Electronic digits on the other hand are much more amenable to a bureaucracy which prefers to conduct its business using opaque financial transactions in a self-serving manner,  lacking in sufficient independent oversight. Oh I see where Benny came out today and signalled QE to the limit, and gold and silver spiked higher.  Now it all seems more clear to me. A nice fade. Thanks. And let's hope Ron Paul gets that audit soon. As Matt Damon said in one of the best poker movies, Rounders: Mike McDermott to Teddy KGB: "Well you feelin' satisfied now Teddy? Because I can go on bustin' you up all night." Caution: language"

The Constitutional Tender Act The United States Constitution declares, in Article I, Section 10, "No State shall... make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts". This means that no State can make something a "tender in payment" (which means they cannot "make something an offer as payment") for any debts, which would include debts owed by and to the State. However, EVERY State in the United States of America HAS made some other "Thing" an offer as payment - they have by law declared that they will accept, and pay out, Federal Reserve Notes for any debts owed by or to them. Therefore, every State is in violation of Article I, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution. Thus the need for the "Constitutional Tender Act" -- a bill template that can be introduced in every State legislature in the nation, returning each of them to adherence to the United States Constitution's actual legal tender provisions . WATCH THIS...