This thread  has travelled through so many tangents that I don't know what the "main idea" here is anymore. Doing my daily read through the financial websites I came across this guy making a decent argument for the gold standard vs. the "phd standard" He looks like Bill Nye the S...

Gumby, I don't know why you feel it necessary to personally attack me. Your last five posts have been directed at my character in an insulting fashion. I'm afraid that by responding to you directly, we are going to get banned because you seem intent on escalating this. What did Mark Twain say: Never...

KevinW, I have answered LizL's question and I will answer Gumby's although I'm not sure if it was rhetorical or not. But what is your motive of having these conversations? It doesn't seem to be about investment strategy. You've dismissed practically everything we've said to you. What's the point? My...

You raise a good point MT. Taking my oil scenario out of the picture...what do you do with all of the workers? Human intellect and ability generally conform to a bell curve. Before the economy had plenty of jobs for people on the left side of the bell curve. Currently, these jobs are being replaced ...

Maybe peak oil would be the best thing for the unemployment problem. With oil...one man can do the work of ten. Without oil...we have to hire the ten back. According to Wikipedia: In 1870, 70-80 percent of the US population was employed in agriculture. As of 2008, approximately 2-3 percent of the po...

Moda, I believe that we do need a contraction in demand. This debt fueled consumption in the United States cannot be propped up forever. Anyone who has traveled around the world...even in Europe...it is very clear how our living standards and expectations in this country have gotten out of whack wit...

Well this is how I am divided up at the moment.

17.5 US Stocks
7.5 Intl/Emg Mkts stocks

30% Commodities (GLD/SLV/AGRICULTURE)

5% (working on split with Chinese Yuan and Chilean Peso)

40% 5 year t-bond ladder.

If you were looking to pick up some nice land for a decent price in the US what areas of the country would you start looking in? BTW..I prefer temperate climates.

My primary issue is that I believe that the US dollar (a central component of the PP) is facing an almost inevitable decline as the worlds reserve currency. This along with other issues facing our country that we have talked about here cause me to question whether or not the portfolio will function ...

Gumby, I prefer dialectic to debate. Both sides have their own viewpoints but it is not necessarily about proving the other side that they are wrong, or have "cerebral problems". Predicting the future is impossible, I admit. I don't know what will happen but at the end of the day, I must b...

Oh....and Fiji.

MT, To achieve that mental state of well being I feel I must make some adjustments to PP. As far as land I have been looking at a number of places, in no particular order of importance. Rural Appalachia WV, TN, mostly as well as parts of Texas....how is the Hill Country? Internationally, Southern Ch...

Medium Tex,

Action steps:

1. Looking for land in a small stable close-knit community...possibly outside of US
2. Tilting away from long bonds and US currency. I only hold about 35% in US currency now.
3. Hoping and praying that we get some leadership.

Melvyr, surplus talk gets us back into the Money=debt MMT debate. All of this serves to complicate the simple issue that the American lifestyle is being propped up by sacrificing future growth for present consumption. Yeah, you might have a nice car and a nice house...but your water system is rotten...

In case most people haven't noticed the "worlds reserve currency" is already on very shaky foundations. China and Russia are transacting in their own currencies. I wouldn't be surprised if Middle East soon asks for some collateral for oil like gold or something else. We have terribly abuse...

China continues to diversify: http://www.cnbc.com/id/43901695

I'm confused what people think when they look back throughout history and see the downfall of hundreds of great empires and civilizations and think that maybe this time is somehow different. Do people really think that the United States will maintain its position as global hegemon from now until ete...

Gumby, Yes, under this scenario a lot of people would lose a lot of money. It would be very disruptive to the worlds financial system. It could result in global changes to the way that the world does business. But is it something that is inconceivable? Of course not. When the western Roman empire co...

I don't know why everyone equates "system forked" with living in a bunker and eating beans. This situation has happened many, many times in many, many countries. Here is how Brazil dealt with inflation problem. Interesting: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/10/04/130329523/how-fake-money...

My brother just told me that the Fijians used to strangle the elderly when they became a drag on the tribe.

I need to remember that when I write my congressman again about long term solutions to medicare.

Puts on good ideas and clear thinking. I'm buying calls on more stupidity.

I sincerely hope that is profitable for you. Actually I think that is a pretty smart short term debt ceiling trade. Longer term I still think you would be better off with some puts.

I hope I haven't become a contrarian indicator

MediumTex, As for what I am going to do....I think something along the lines of what AgAu has done. A smaller PP with a larger variable portfolio. For the first time in my life I understand where the demand for gold in countries like India comes from. When you have a government that acts irresponsib...

I guess I don't feel comfortable with "money" as a safe store of value if it is simply the policy tool of government to achieve some goal. If that is the case then we need to rework the money system or else it becomes impossible for a person to confidently save and invest for the future. I...

Gumby, why would citizens have a desire to save their money with negative interests in a currency that is being purposely devalued? Can you think of another international currency against which the US dollar has appreciated over the last 5 years? Looking at CPI data which indicates ~3% inflation, an...