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“How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.” Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises, 1926. The financial position of the federal government of the United States has been gradually deteriorating for decades. It is now rushing headlong to the financial tipping point that will cause it to default onRead more

Money is routinely defined by what it does, rather than what it is. That is unfortunate because its modern definition overlooks money’s important – but now forgotten – fourth function. Aristotle observed that money is a medium of exchange, unit of account, and store of value. This definition omits the fourth function needed to explainRead more

In 1922 Benito Mussolini became prime minister of Italy, putting that country on a path that had global ramifications. He was the world’s first fascist leader. Other fascists soon followed with fanciful promises that were varied but tuned in to what people wanted to hear. Their problems would be solved, whether the restoration of order,Read more

Some interesting data on housing prices in the United Kingdom(1) was recently published by Savills, one of the world’s leading property agents. The important messages that can be drawn from this data apply globally, namely, that fiat currency has a clear and direct impact on prices that can lead to a variety of misconceptions aboutRead more

“The Earth speaks to us through the elements of nature. In every natural thing, we can find a hidden, powerful message.” Ralph Waldo Emerson Every natural element to which the earth has been endowed has a usefulness – a purpose. If we listen to gold, one of the earth’s natural elements, its message is loudRead more

Leverage is the use of credit or borrowed capital to increase the earning potential of your investment portfolio. But like everything else in finance, higher returns mean higher risk, so leverage is not for everyone. Nevertheless, leverage can be a useful tool for those accepting the risk. If you choose to use it to maximiseRead more

We are told by Shakespeare: “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” Is it good advice?   Like so many things in life, the answer is – it depends. Individuals are different, and what is right for one person may not be suitable for another. What’s more, everyone’s circumstances are different, which may require differentRead more

Transferring Power to the People Of the many significant statements made by President Donald Trump in his inaugural address, I believe the following stands out: Today, we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it backRead more

How Much Did It Cost to Build the Titanic   I recently received a link to an article in The Vintage News with an eye-catching headline: “The replica Titanic cost $435 million & is set to launch in 2018”. I was intrigued, so I couldn’t resist reading the article. It reported that an Australian billionaire wasRead more

The following exchange occurred on December 18, 1912 when J.P. Morgan – the most influential American financier and banker of his time – was called to testify before Congress. Mr Untermyer: I want to ask you a few questions bearing on the subject that you have touched upon this morning, as to the control ofRead more