Oh the Spin

Wow has it really been that long?
Sometimes all it takes is a look “out the window” to get one all wound up yet again. So it was that I clicked on a link from friend and ended up reading about the woes of the economy, with all its spin on conspiracy and such. I don’t need conspiracies to frighten me, reality does that plenty!

If you watch something long enough, you just might make out a pattern.
Way back in 2004, 2005, and even up to 2006. I wanted to play with the gold market. Well ok, the silver market, as I can’t afford the gold market. Doing so introduced me to GATA ( http://www.gata.org/ ). GATA is a group of gold “investors” that felt they were being rooked by a rigged market. They joined forces to find out just what was happening. One of the things they were convinced was that a few banks were being allowed to “lease” US gold at ultra low rates, and then sell that onto the market. This provided the US government with a means to continuously lower the price of gold relative to the dollar thus making it appear that “inflation” was a non-issue. It also let the US reap a meager profit on what otherwise is a costly item to store. The bank, on the other hand, was guaranteed and endless supply of gold, in just the right measure to maintain or even lower the price the gold. After all, they had a lease only. What-ever they took eventually had to go back. I do not recall what the eventual outcome was over an mis-deeds. Neither the US nor the banks are willing to let any information see the light of day. Fast forward to yesterday when I read a story about JPMorgan settling a lawsuit. It seems that JPMorgan decided to pay nearly 5 million dollars to patrons of their gold EFT. Their patrons found out that the gold vault at JPMorgan was all but empty, which is fine, except that JPMorgan was charging patrons storage fees on the patrons gold. Yeah the patrons got very unhappy for fees on gold that did not exist. The lawsuit surprisingly harkens back to 2005 through 2007. Odd that it is just now being news-worthy. By the way, JPMorgan insists they did nothing wrong (of course) and that no-one ever went un-paid. I am sure they are correct. Pretty easy to pay, when your collecting on a service that your are not actually providing.

I have never read anything that puts these two issues together. But they do seem to fit, do they not? Add in that gold is sitting at over $1100 per ounce, and its easy to see why JPMorgan couldn’t hold gold in both places, even as far back as 2007.

Well enough on that … Why I dwell on gold is beyond me. However, it was reading through that, that I hit on another essay, one that has little to do with gold and everything to do with our pocketbooks.

So money… or more exactly, the US dollar as money. Ever since Gdubya, gave away trillions to Wall Street, I have been on pins and needles about inflation. I was vocal about it as soon it occurred certain they we were headed for 1981 all over again. But Ihave to give credit, throw enough money at it, and problems will go away. For a while. But like a hungry lion that has been feed a small chicken, sooner or later they come back looking for more. So in the essay I read, the writers consternation was that as the value of the dollar fell the US government would be happy to point out that import/export imbalance would swing the other way. After all our dollars would not buy as much stuff from overseas, and conversely our stuff would be cheaper to those over seas. However, the writer’s contention was that this would be only marginal. The reason? The US has already exported the means to produce anything.
Truth: I can guarantee that zero Chinese will be buying US made TV’s, stereos, carpets, or underwear. I win the bet because the US doesn’t make any of those things. Too low tech you say? Not enough profit? Ok – the US doesn’t make computer motherboards either… and not even 50% of the memory chips. What do we make? We make some cars (great big gas guzzling SUVs mostly)and lots of movies (unless they are filmed abroad). So to be perfectly clear, The US government is going to print money … lots of money.. excess money. That money will have no production to back it up. When that happens, then the value of money already in existence must go down. Your money in your wallet, in your purse, in the bank, pension fund… all of it.. will be worth less and less. The good news is that exports will be cheaper for others over seas. The bad news is everything will cost more right here at home.

I know I know, where’s the spin? Well, it came on last night. I am looking at the news right now:

http://www.wapt.com/money/24166394/detail.html

See that? Obama is proud to announce that his New Export Initiative is off to a good start. In fact its up 17%, and he expects to double that in 5 years. How? Well you read the story… nary a word about increasing inflation .. but that is how its done. Always. So want a crystal ball on the future? No magic, Obama will double exports in 5 years, he can do this by reducing the cost American goods .. and that is done by reducing the value of your money. Welcome to spin.

Playing games

One of my hobbies, or at least for the last 7 years, has been online gaming. I heard of a new game and found a group of like minded individuals that I hoped, I could join and play for the time I thought I would try out this hobby. The game was PlanetSide a rather unique game in that it was a fast paced shooting game but it had a persistant "world" and so earned the lable MMO (MMOFPS). Even to date it stands with a very small group of games that offered what it did. PlanetSide ( which is a Sony Online game) is soon to be shutting down to one last world server, and is offering old crusties some free time to woo us back or at least have one last hurrah. Its been very enjoyable so far. PlanetSide; was one of the first truely "mega-games" that our online group threw the entire weight of the group into. We were extremely successful, and the times there have been stated by many to be the best times they ever had in gaming .. even though it was nearly 7 years ago. One of the reasons that we were so succesful and what really made the game worth while was the very REAL commraderie. Our group (by the way its Sturmgrenadier: www.sghq.com) was compose of people from all walks of life, but those that really made us shine seem to be the military and former military among us. They shaped our game play, they shpaed our realationships both to each other and to other players within the game.

Recently, at our monthly mens breakfast (yes at church) we had an amazing speaker. His name was Bill Buckley (not sure of the spelling) a former coach at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (2007 national champs). In his presentation he laid out a covenant that the team had with each other. But as he went over the presentation, I realized there here was the nuts and bolts of what we had as group of folks playing a game on the internet. While he drew parallesl to sports, he said that the same points could be used in any realtionship... parent-child, teacher-student, wife- and husband, and follower to God.

First he differentiated between a contract and a covenant: a contract is derived to protect each party- it is self centered and is bound by law. A covenant is a promise of committment, a realtionship centered devise based on concern for each other and the group as a whole. It is enforced by honor and loyalty.

1) I accept the absolute authority of my leaders. Ah yes, PS created a strange dynamic, SG leaders my might not be running the game operations - they therefore were subject to those that otherwise were their underlings. This rule created a dynamic that made following easy, and operations smooth.

2) I will work to build a culture of honor. SG has always stated that negative attitudes and forum trashing were not tolerated. Its actually one of the harder rules to follow.

3) I will be a roll player. Its hard when playing a game, to not jump out and be special. PS as a game made that a deadly mistake. Other players marvled at our ability to stay focused and function as a team.

4) I will grow strong as a leader through character and competence. It was amazing to see new players move up through the ranks and even take over the highest positions in SG's team. Yet that allowed the game to stay fresh and allow new players with vigor to continue the traditions of those that left or simply grew tired of directing opertaions.

5) I will grow in my abilty to overcome offense. I commit to bring all critism, insult, correction, and unfair treatment to the light by refusing to allow these things to cause resentment or bitterness. Through the SG charter, there was always a way to feel that you could at least take a problem to someone that would listen to your concern, and hopefully correct the situation. It still required the person to "buck -up" and understand the overall scope of the situation: its just a game.

6) I will be tough. I will not tolerate whinning or weakness in myself or my team-mates. Flying off the handel in PS was not tolerated. Since it took an overt action to vocalize ones frustration, such actions were not tolerated. Be mad in your house, but don't make us suffer your tantrum in comms( communications).

7) I will be passionate. I will play with enthusiasm. Sure PS was "just a game" but the emotions, the passion to win, and to do so decisively was contagious. How could you not all but snap-to when orders came down to "drop drop drop".

8) I will look forward to our rewards. Our greatest satisfaction was a complete domination of the game. We did so early on. And later we remained one of the few groups of players that still played to "move the map".

9) I will finish. PlanetSide, had a rather short heyday. But as a popular second game for many SG, it has lasted way beyond the lifes of all other FPS games. I played PS for 4 years straight as my primary game. I don't reget any time I spent there.

PlaneSide as a game had, and still has, many problems; but it created one thing, that I have yet to see replicated in any game: The game allowed players to form in to groups by the sheer might of their own covenant. I miss that bond more than the game itself.

HUA SGPS

Pine

Its not racism

So.. been home with a summer time cold/sinus deal, which has forced me to watch way more TV than I a) really want.. b) is good for anyone. So giving the current media circus over the "beer summit" at the White House, I watched only a small snippet of some panel discussion on race relations in the US. Without knowing the facts( of the incident).. and really without caring about the facts, there are a few things I would like to expound upon. Before I go too far though.. let me say that I feel I am treading a very fine line.. it is in fact a "be careful what you wish for" post.

There is a 3000 lb gorilla in the room on this, and to ignore its existence is to dismiss any credence on the part of the speaker. And yet, it is exactly that gorilla that all the pundits are ignoring. Going there is very very dangerous. So lets do it then.

I have no doubt that blacks in general are treated by police authorities as more likely to be guilty of some crime than white counter parts. But I will only concede that and return that native Americans ( where they can be found) are treated even worse, and that Mexicans are treated even worse than that AND that Arab "looking" individuals are treated EVEN worse than that. So as far as I am concerned any pundit that would look to change how those with authority look ONLY at one racial group (blacks) are in effect just as bad or even worse than those that would say that treatment is currently equal. But I submit that these problems are, on the whole minute and petty. There is a much bigger problem, one that feeds the above problem. In fact as far as I am concerned anyone wishing to deal with the above problem only should utterly be dismissed, for they can only feed the larger problem regardless of what path they look to.

The 3000 lb gorilla is the willingness of the general public and the courts to instill a since of empowerment to authorities to usurp rights of the general public for the security and "good" of the public. In my opinion this empowerment has been growing for decades and has lead to a momentum function that allows the current court/police/political system to charge forward, with no restraint available to the public. We have created our own monster, and it will devour us.

There are many aspects to this monster, and to be fair, it every ones fault.. that is to say the police operate as they feel they expected too, the courts want to assist with the mission and they respond as they feel they are expected to, and the politicians... they are elected to make problems go away, with the general expectation that they will do so without bothering the general populace. Therefore I submit that police function as they because we allow it. But to truly get change we to removed the function of self empowerment and then regain a system with sufficent checks and balances that make such actions simply not expected .. not tolerated.

Emergency Post- Comcast

So... I am home sick today when I get a sales call from Comcast.. seems their every-other-ad-for comcast-phone isn't enough coverage for them.. now they need to call their own subscribers to give them a "DEAL".. of course it's not any better than the "deal" they would give any one else off the street.

They guy starts by asking me how much I pay now for phone service.

"$17.99" I reply.

With out a skip, he begins reading his prepared text... for only $19.99 per month ( for the first year) ...... after that only $39.99 per month.

Wait lets get this straight ... gee I can pay $2.00 more per month now and double that after only 12 payments .. wow do I feel stupid... I should jump right on that!!! But hey, he's just a mouth... he's reading a script.. so I cut him some slack. Unfortunately he uses the slack to make his most powerful plee.

"But OUR service does not require you to use a computer or even have a computer" he states feeling vindicated that he just put a fantastic deal out on the table.

"Nor does mine" I state flatly.

"Really?" he protests "I didn't know that was possible, are you sure?"

OK ... hey look I am 46 years old... don't call my house on sales call and then proceed to 1) offer me a deal that costs more ( and not give up) 2) call me a liar, or challenge what I know to be true.

" I have been working with computers for over 23 years, I have extensive network and server experience, yeah I know what I am talking about... thanks for the call."

"Sir.. we don't charge for installation..."

"thanks for the CALL." Click.

OK folks heres the deal:

There are a very few "systems" that do require a computer of these only SKYPE has any real following. Skype is from free to maybe $20.00 a month.. Certainly not $39.00 a month. The other is magic jack. Both do require a computer to be on and running to use.

http://www.skype.com/

ALL OTHER SERVICES RUN WITH OUT A PC ON OR EVEN PRESENT.

So when you get a call from Comcast. Thank them, and then check on your own. Here's is what I found to be true:

The MOST expensive cable phone serive available is COMCAST @ $39.99 .. every other service beats them.

Second most expensive is Vonage, They have two main tiers; a limited service for $17.99 and an umlimited for $24.99. and yes, I use Vonage.

All other servies are cheaper, but usually not by much, the cheapest I found was $9.99. I started to sign up with them, then forgot, then tried the next month... they were gone. Others took thier place at $9.99, but I was uncertain of thier stability. I do think a good service could be found with unlimited called for $15.00 or so. But for $3.00 more (and a limit on calls) I went with a big dog vendor. I probably will change if I see a significant change in the market as my main house phone is nothing more than a method for sales people to call me ( ala' Comcast).

How does it work:

Either you buy your own little box or they sell/rent you one much like your cable modem. The box will need to go between the cable modem and house phone. I my case, I have 2 "wired" computers, a server, and an access point PLUS the phone adapter; therefore I have cable router and even a network switch in order to plug all that up. No, it's not complicated .. less so that most VCR recorders were back in the day. One luxury I do have is UPS- Uninterrupted Power Supply. A UPS is basically a combo - battery, battery charger, and DC to AC converter. When the power goes out the UPS uses power stored in the battery to keep things running for a short time. I figure mine is good for about 2 minutes.

So the cable modem plugs into the router.. the router plugs into phone adapter, and the phone adapter ( in my case) plugs into an unused phone jack. All the phones that are also plugged into the phone jacks in the house get a dial tone from that little box. Presto.. same old phone number (no charge), same dial tone, comparable phone quality, plus caller ID! All on my same old standard phones.

Point being: Do not be fooled by misleading scripts by Comcast. They charge MORE for nothing more than any other cable phone service. That is not to say they may not have a good deal .. the triple pack (cable-internet-phone) for $99 a month for a year is a good deal, until the ride runs out and prices return to about $150 a month.

Vonage- http://www.vonage.com/

VOIP- http://www.voip.com/l32/

lingo- http://www.lingo.com/

Got questions? Google is your friend or hit me up at: pinetor@yahoo.com

Can we change banking?

So, last time found Pine bemoaning the fact that knowledge of the problems with banking does not fix them, nor does the weak protests from the site that I last spoke of. Between then and now I did have the oppurtunity to attend a Lending Club "webinar", put on by big-wigs from the internet company. It was all very well done and I have nothing bad to say about it in total. However, putting the two "threads" together did give me an idea. Hold on this is a whopper of a Pine-ism.

So in the Lending Club presentation (in the beginning) they showed how banks did thier lending:
depositors put in money for which they are paid under 2% and borrowers borrow at over 12% with the banks keeping the difference. Gee and I thought I was the only dummy who thought that was how it works! You can go read one of my earlier posts for a full explaination, or heres the short of it:

There is a third party banks use called the FED. The banks put all deposits in the Fed and earn 6% on that PLUS they are allowed to loan 9 times that amount back out. If anything lets say they can do this at PRIME.. but really its more like FREE! So a bank gets money from the Fed currently at 0% percent and loans this at 13%, all while making 6% on the orginal deposit that they pay under 2% for. OK OK; so banks are making a mint .. so what???? Hey I don't really care how much they make .. the problem is each loan creates NEW money, money with no real good or service to back it up (only the PROMISE). Since this fishy money goes into the economy .. all money that was derrived via real goods and services MUST be devalued by the amount of the loan. AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS INFLATION. So the trillions in loans is devaluing the money you WORKED for, your real money buys less. This ONLY occurrs because banks use the FED to loan out money that otherwise does not exist.

BUT Lending Club does not do this. Because Lending Club uses lenders that must fund the loans directly with real cash money, there is no inflationary function called into play. That is to say the Lending Club makes money available without causing inflation which devalues the value of everyones elses money. So that idea of not working for big banks or pulling your meanger sums out, instead use a system such as Lending Club... which does not cause inflation to reduce the loans that do. By golly every true real AMERICAN should endeavor to swich loans and investments to Lending Club.. its the only thing that is GOOD FOR AMERICA!

Yeah, I know.. thats rather over the top. But when even Lending Club is afraid to say the obvious truth its kinda funny ... ole Pine don't care ........ I will.

Back to money

I apologize for being away so long... but then considering that maybe only 5 people have even read my blogs... I feel comfortable knowing that no-one is holding my feet to the fire for another dose of pine-isms.

before we start.. umm I had a drink of wine... this my need to be edited later ;0

So during lunch today, as usual I looked to see what the internet thought of how the real world was doing with its money. In doing so I found this website:

http://www.endfinancialfraud.org/

I spent time I really didn't have reading writing that while similar to mine... left me very flat.

Were I a "big Bank" this guy would be my best friend. Someone with poor communication skills trying to convince the world he knowns something

no-one else does. While he might be right about the "evil" of it all, he is dead wrong about any cure. Not working for big banks

and not banking at big banks... is like spiting in the wind... too little. Knowing the problem, does not make it go

away. But then I am not sure what would make it "go away". Damn Rodenberry, took the easy way out... in his Star Trek fantasy the earth

had figured it all out... but it wasn't show worthy, so we here are wondering how to get there from here. Spock save us!!

I have really really enjoyed my adventure on:

www.lendingclub.com

If you do go there PLEASE use my code of pinetor to either become a borrower ( I get money) ort a lender ( YOU get money).

To date I have made $2.47 on a total investment of less than $450.00 US. This week will see no less than 8 loans come due for there first payment

netting me around $6.50 .. of which 2/3'rds will be my own money back. Still... I am making ( they say) about 12.16% on $450.0 US

and thats saying something! My committment of $250 a month will have me with $950 at the site about the 6th of August.

Time to move off the economy for a rant

Well I went to bed tonight at 10:30... after tossing for 2 hours.. I find myself right back here. So I might as well make use of this late night for ramblings.

For going on sixteen years now my mother has shook her head at my continued mis-spent efforts to be a part of the "democratic process". To quote her "why do you waste your vote?" In a way I guess she is correct I haven't voted for a winning candidate for president in 16 years, in fact my candidate didnt even come in second! Wow, must be a record. But did I really waste my vote, or did she in reality, waste hers; even though she has voted for a winning candidate... Lets delve into it.

My mothers contention is that I waste my vote because I consistently vote for candidates that are neither republican nor democrat, they are, or at least have been, completely "un-electable" owing solely to their non-affiliation with either of the major parties. Well, its true. My candidates never win. Therefore, my vote is pretty much null in the grand scheme of things. Does that mean that her vote then did count? Either she got her parties candidate elected or she at worst negated a vote for the "other" party. Maybe, but lets look at what really has happened.

I have always heard talk of the "two-party system". Now the truth be told, as far as I can tell there is no law nor does the constitution support such. No, the two-party system is a term created by the two dominate parties, who wish to keep all voters in line and voting for either one of the two parties. Its only the two dominate parties that want a two party system. So what does it take to be the winning party in a two party system?  Simple, you have to get more people to vote for your party then vote for the one other party. THAT'S IT.  Whats the best way to do that?  Simple again, appeal to the most people. How do you do that? Simple again, by making sure your party excludes no-one, and is the best at making the most people "happy" with your agenda. Well, how do you do that? Simple again, by maintaining the status quo, and by guaranteeing them mediocrity. So Pine, what does that mean or prove, isn't your momma still right? Nope! And here's why:

In a two party system there is always one winner and one loser... always. So about half the voters didn't get what they wanted.  But! per above, since the only thing that matters to a party is winning, and to do that the winning party MUST move away from any extreme points of view on any and every topic, at least half (or more) of those that voted for the winning party only got about half (or less), of what they really wanted in terms of THEIR agenda. That is to say at least another 25% of all voters while their candidate "won" really didn't get views represented. And that means that for any election, in which either a democrat or a republican won, at least 75% of the voters "lost". Now... who wasted their vote?  

When I cast my vote,  all the candidates (all the world?) can be sure of this: I voted for someone that MOST closely represented MY views. For the past sixteen years, that candidate was neither democrat nor republican. The two parties have both moved so toward the middle, they have both done as much as they could to not offend, to not represent any extreme sentiment, they both promised things they had no ability nor desire to deliver, that neither party in any way shape or form came close to representing me. All the world loves a winner... but I prefer to stand by one who is right, even if it means that for sixteen years.. I have voted for the loser. I therefore must take solace in that, I did not waste my vote on someone that does not and cannot represent my veiws ( and in reality cannot represent ANYONE's views)

To paraphrase one of my favorite authors: "I am not for either side, for no-one is altogether on MY side".

PS: If I have offended any voter that has voted democrat or republican in the last sixteen years, really, I am ok with that! And yes I blame both parties and their system for the last 16 years and the next 8 years at least (yeah I just can't leave the economy out completely).