"Traditionally, the American people have been some of the most patriotic people on the face of the planet. So why are we now seeing such an increase in the number of people choosing to leave the United States permanently? Well, the truth is that there are a whole host of reasons why people are losing faith in this country and are deciding to leave..." Continue reading →
"There was never any written notification that the payment was short. The Brancos weren’t told of the cancellation in writing until they received a letter dated July 2. Some time later, Paychex returned the $518 payment. Sergio Branco’s doctor also pleaded for help on their behalf. He advised the companies that Branco 'will most certainly die in the very near future if he does not proceed to transplant; therefore I am writing to request that every effort be made to reinstate his health care insurance coverage.' That didn’t help. Russell Reid and Paychex did nothing." Continue reading →
"Small business owners across the country are receiving letters from the IRS questioning if they are reporting all of their cash income, in a new push by the agency some are saying could unnecessarily create fear in the small business community. The Wall Street Journal reports the initiative is an attempt to respond to what the agency feels is a widespread failure by small businesses to report all their cash sales. The agency says the letters are not the same as an audit, and it is simply seeking more tax information from the businesses. However, some lawmakers and business owners who received the letters say the initiative is alarming." Continue reading →
"It was three years ago that Peter first made the case for Dubai. The economy then was 'in tatters and investors’ dreams in shreds. Remember the cartoons of heavily indebted Arabs begging for money? It was not so far from the truth. Dubai real estate had fallen 60% from the peak, and the stock market was a disaster area.' Those are, of course, the times to pay attention. It was during such time that Peter advised building positions in Dubai stocks for the inevitable recovery. This year, patience paid off. Dubai’s stock market is up 63% for the year. But it is still 75% off its high and a compelling bargain on the numbers." Continue reading →
"Sigma consists of three different phases of growth. It starts with a modest and shallow growth. After a certain point, growth accelerates rapidly. Then growth starts to decline and the cycle reaches a mature stage, where there is little to no growth. In short, the pattern is this sequence of three different speeds of growth: slow-fast-slow. Growth in earnings and sales also follow that same predictable pattern. The sales of products, for example, will eventually slow down and reach a plateau after potential buyers have bought what they wanted. The key to making money in the financial markets with Sigma is to find companies that are just beginning to experience rapid growth." Continue reading →
"Mining companies continue to struggle to raise capital as a new report shows mining finance dropped 56% in the second quarter. Falling metal prices, nervous banks and risk-averse investors are the main reasons behind the lack of capital, said IntierreRMG. The company said that second quarter finance figures totalled $2.28 billion compared to $5.16 billion in the first quarter of 2013 and $6.12 billion in last year’s comparative quarter. The report stated that producers were the hardest hit with the fall of almost 65% from the largest companies; they saw financing drop from $3.71 billion to $1.24 billion." Continue reading →
"Today, we present the world's Top 10 producing Gold Mines. Compiling them was not easy because there are a few ways they can be ranked. A top 10 list can by compiled by annual production, or by the size of proven and probable reserves, or more generally by their measured, indicated & inferred resources (which include reserves). We ultimately decided to rank them based on the overall size of gold resources to give the viewer a truer sense of the deposits size and potential. Please enjoy our Top 10 List as we begin with the smallest and work our way to Number #1." Continue reading →
"There are thousands of mineral exploration companies, most of which have nothing and will never discover anything. Most of the money these companies raise in the market will be poured into the ground, and even if management is honest and competent, the odds are long against it ever doing any good. This makes identifying companies likely to make a significant, economic discovery before they do so extremely difficult—and hence enormously profitable. But when an exploration company announces rich enough drill results, share prices go through the roof. Pennies turn into dollars. Dollars turn into fortunes." Continue reading →
"The 'shale gale' energy boom is pumping billions of new dollars into otherwise old, worn-out economies. The results are stunning. For example, near Youngstown, the French company Vallourec has built a new plant to process oilfield tubular goods. The gigantic facility cost over $650 million to build. Now it cranks out 350,000 tons of steel oil pipe and related products per year. Even more impressive, this is no dirty, grimy old industrial shed, like those that formerly dotted the region for much of the past century. No, this Vallourec site is almost a 'clean room' environment, filled with high-tech jobs that pay impressive wages." Continue reading →
"Officials in Japan hid the fact that the Fukushima nuclear plant has been pouring hundreds of tons of nuclear waste water into the ocean every day and that a containment barrier has been breached. There is no credibility from TEPCO or the Japanese government on the extent of the real disaster, its effects, the ultimate cleanup costs, or how many years fish in the area will be contaminated. In addition, contaminated fish may turn up anywhere within their normal swimming range with obvious implications." Continue reading →