Monday, October 27, 2008

Why Gold and Silver Prices are So Low (and why there's none available)

I found this article today by Alfred Adask. I don't know anything about the guy, but he is offering the only reasonable explanation I've heard so far for the currently low gold and silver prices.

In short, what he says is this:

  • The market ("spot") prices are not set by actual metals sales, but by futures sales--which is much different.
  • Actual metals are not available at the low spot prices, but they are available. (Just look on eBay!)
  • So... to find the real price of real gold, you can't depend on the spot prices. You have to look at actual metal sales.
I can certainly confirm what he's says about the eBay prices being significantly higher than the spot prices. We'll just have to wait and see if whether the spot price follows. I'm guessing it will have to follow unless it is being artificially manipulated.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Must-See: The Politically Incorrect Guide to Politics

This is an episode of 20/20 which was televised earlier this month. It's better than anything I've seen--perhaps ever--in the mainstream media. It's a decent introduction to real politics... and quite entertaining. Enjoy.

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Part 5


Part 6

This is NOT Where Our Faith and Hope Are

We should be good stewards of all blessings God has given, but even the most enduring things of this world will pass away. My intention here will be to discuss these temporal things like silver and gold, hay and stubble; but with the acknowledgment that as helpful and practical as even the best of these worldly things may be for now, they are not eternal. As Rich Mullins put it, "I don't want to lose the eternal for the things that are passing," but I suspect we will find shadows of the Divine even amidst these Corruptible Things.

- Ben

(From First Peter, chapter 1)

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of
your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things which angels desire to look into. Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because "All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the LORD endures forever."