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Police State in Slo-Mo

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Police State in Slo-Mo

by Jeff Thomas, International Man Communique

 

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For many years, I’ve forecasted that the US will evolve into a police state; that it will begin slowly; then as more and more freedoms are removed, the creation of the police state will accelerate.

We’re now seeing that acceleration, as more and more Americans are detained, questioned, and having their property confiscated than ever before.

As an example, in 2016, some 20,000 travelers in and out of the US were stopped, often at random. Typically, their baggage was searched, their documents photocopied, access codes to their electronic devices demanded and their files copied. In most cases, no explanation was given, but they were advised that if the search was refused, they would be detained indefinitely.

The following year, in 2017, the number of people detained rose by 50%, to 30,000.

It’s important to note that the travelers were not threatened with arrest, which suggests that the authorities were working on the basis that the Patriot Act of 2001 allows all of the above activities—without cause being given, without a warrant being obtained, without access to a phone call or legal representation being allowed, and that the individuals in question may be detained, indefinitely.

This, of course, is in direct violation of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, which states that people have the right "to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures."

However, they are particularly vulnerable when they travel, so the travelers in question are extremely unlikely to refuse. They understand that "indefinitely" means, "until a Supreme Court ruling is passed, overturning the Patriot Act as unconstitutional." If it hasn’t happened yet and isn’t under consideration, it’s safe to say that the level of police state allowed under the Patriot Act is permanent.

Police States have been implemented countless times throughout history. They tend to be most prominent where collectivism has already been instituted.

Wherever collectivism is already firmly established, new crackdowns are generally introduced suddenly. In Germany, in 1938, under existing Nazi rule, Kristallnacht took people by complete surprise. Later, in 1961, under existing Soviet rule, the Berlin Wall went up with no previous announcement. In both cases, the collectivist tyranny was already in place and the people had already successfully been subjugated. These events were merely further losses of freedom.

But what of a country that still enjoys a few of its former freedoms and is in the process of being transformed into a full-blown collectivist state? Well, in such cases, the loss of freedoms is often done in slo-mo.

Another way of describing this is the old adage of boiling a frog. Since a frog will jump out of a pot of hot water, place him in a pot of lukewarm water and slowly turn up the heat. Before he knows it, he’s being boiled to death.
 

 

 

At present, a majority of Americans appear to now understand that they’ve experienced a significant loss of their "guaranteed" freedoms. They’re now worried and, at each new stage of oppression they tend to say, "I’m not happy about this, but I can probably live with it… and, besides, they say that they’re doing it for my own safety."
 

Likewise, when the intention is to convert a country to collectivism, make the early changes in stages. Get the people to accept that the losses of freedom are for the benefit of their safety. Then, the further along you go, the more you can accelerate the process.

However, I think that it’s safe to say that a family returning from a holiday that’s just been isolated from each other, interrogated separately, frisked, had all their belongings pored through and copies of their papers and electronic files taken, without even being told the reason, does not feel as though it’s been done for their safety.

Remember, the 30,000 above were just hoping to reach their destination with no trouble from anyone. A generation ago, they never would have tolerated such a violation of their rights. But now, they submit and accept whatever they’re told to do.

But, upon release, they most likely assumed that the authorities had been looking for something specific. They were not. In recent years, there have been very few actual prosecutions from such Gestapo-like shakedowns, in spite of the copying of documents and confiscation of minor items. The object here is not to prosecute anyone; it is to teach people to submit.

This will be important later on.

What we’re witnessing is a loss of freedom in slo-mo. Just as Germans stood by and accepted Kristallnacht; just as they stood by and watched the Berlin Wall be built that would close off their freedom of migration, the great majority of Americans ultimately will stand by and watch the last of their freedoms be removed, because they’ve already been trained to submit to whatever indignities and restrictions are placed upon them.

After World War II, Lutheran Pastor Martin Niemöller was questioned as to how he and other Germans could possibly have simply stood by and watched as freedoms were removed, resulting eventually in total domination of the German people. He said,

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Pastor Niemöller was able to make the above statement in 1976, as he was one of the few survivors of the concentration camps.

But, in addition to the above insight, there’s another very significant lesson to be learned here. Historically, whenever a government is instituting the transition into a collectivist state, one of the early warnings is a limitation on travel outside the country (getting the people used to the idea that they don’t have a right to leave). The US has now reached that point. The next development will be to teach them that, by traveling outside of the country, they are automatically suspect. The implication will be money laundering, drug trafficking, or terrorist activities.

Whether it’s accomplished through the use of a physical barrier, such as a wall, or through the intimidation of random searches and interrogations, as is presently underway in the US, or whether it’s simply the appearance of armed guards in ports of exit (like the armed guard in the photo above), the objective is not to obtain copies of your emails to your friends or to go through socks in your luggage. It’s to teach you that your rights have been lost and you are expected to submit to any and all indignities and restrictions imposed on you.

Historically, the end-product is always the same. The final acceptance that you’ve waited too long to leave the increasingly oppressive country—and that you’ve been successfully locked in.

 

New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

Freedom and democracy may appear to be struggling to stay alive in America, but there may be a knock-out punch ready to be released. The evolution of the blockchain-enabled metaverse is going to enable the 'Citizens of the World' to gain their own Freedom by democratizing power and creating a new world with new rules, new players, and new opportunities. For 99.99% of us, the metaverse will improve our real-world lives through the democratization of power and opportunity.

Along with the major long-term trend of society towards decentralization and smaller-scale organizations, there are new opportunities developing to help 'Preparers' in the cryptocurrency sector. Businesses are beginning to issue their own Crypto Coins that can be traded on Cryptocoin Exchanges.

Markethive.com for example will be releasing its HiveCoin (HIV) in the coming weeks. It has tremendous upside potential that is outlined in a Video by Founder Tom Prendergast, "Entrepreneur Advantage…".

Not only that, if you go to their website and register as a FREE Member, you will be given 500 HiveCoins for "FREE" along with access to several Earning Opportunities and online tools to increase your HiveCoin balance.

Be sure to check it out today – Markethive.com

Markethive

Tim Moseley

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Gold prices stuck in no-mans land holding support at 1850 on quiet US holiday

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Gold prices stuck in no-mans land holding support at $1,850 on quiet U.S. holiday

Gold prices have dropped from their overnight highs but continue to hold support above $1,850 an ounce; Commodity analysts note that the market generally lacks conviction in any direction as U.S. markets are closed for the Memorial Day long weekend.

Spot gold prices are trading in neutral territory Monday morning, last trading around $1,856 an ounce.

Analysts note that the precious metal is trading in the middle of its broader long-term range. Although gold prices continue to benefit from a weaker U.S. dollar, rising risk sentiment, helping to boost equity markets, is taking some shine off the yellow metal's safe-haven allure.

However, some analysts have said that the jump in the S&P 500 last week was a classic bear market. Analysts have said that rising fears of an impending recession will continue to weigh on equity markets.

"There could still be more pain to come," said Craig Erlam, Senior European Market Analyst at OANDA. "But at these levels, it's only natural that the vultures are circling. There isn't a huge amount to be excited about on inflation, interest rates and the economy but that doesn't mean there isn't value out there."

Friday, commodity analysts at Bank of America warned that oil prices, being driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, could push the global economy into a 1980s-style recession.

"For next year, we believe oil demand could approach pre-Covid levels but only if Russian liquids production holds near 10mn b/d and OPEC+ supplies increase. With our $120/bbl Brent target now insight, we believe that a sharp contraction in Russian oil exports could trigger a full-blown 1980s style oil crisis and push Brent well past $150/bbl," said Francisco Blanch, Global Research head of global commodities and derivatives research at Bank of America Securities.

Market analysts have said that these fears will continue to support gold prices.

"Recent data has shown that the world's largest economy is cooling rapidly, raising fears of a hard landing in the near term. This situation has led traders to price in a less aggressive tightening cycle over the forecast horizon, pulling down Treasury rates of late," said Diego Colman, Market Analyst, in a note published Saturday.

"In terms of technical analysis, gold is stuck between support at $1,840 and resistance at $1,870. A decisive move outside of these levels is required for near-term guidance, but if prices break out on the topside, buyers could become emboldened to launch an attack on $1,895," he added. "If XAU/USD resolves to the downside and breaches the $1,840 area, where the 200-day simple moving average is currently located, selling pressure could accelerate, paving the way for a drop towards $1,785."

However, not all analysts are convinced that gold prices are ready to move higher or that the U.S. dollar has peaked.

In a recent note to clients, Bart Melek, head of commodity strategy at TD Securities, said that he still prefers to sell rallies in the gold market.

"Given that [gold's] positioning is still tilted to the long end of exposure, any signs that inflation will remain stubbornly high, or data pointing to a steadfast economy due to higher wages and the spending of savings, as seen today, Fed Funds estimates could easily move back to the highs seen at the start of Mayor even higher," he said. "…Repositioning could easily force gold to trend down to $1,840/oz and then to just below $1,800/oz. It should be noted that specs have plenty of room to take on new short exposure and reduce long positions."
 

By Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

 

Tim Moseley

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Bitcoin Is Freedom’s First Line Of Defense

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Bitcoin Is Freedom’s First Line Of Defense

by Mickey Koss 

 

On Memorial Day, we remember fallen soldiers and their sacrifice made toward protecting freedom. Like Bitcoin, freedom requires proof of work.

Mickey Koss is a West Point graduate with a degree in Economics. He  4 years in the Infantry before transitioning to the Finance Corps.

In my first article, I compared Bitcoin to the U.S. Constitution and spoke to the characteristics of the asset that made it such a great fit for service members. On this Memorial Day, I would like to take a moment to explain what the day is all about. More than just another federal holiday marking great sales on refrigerators and mattresses, it is a day meant to remember those who have fallen while in service to the country. Certainly a solemn tone, but I think a day best served with a cold beer and some friends. The service members I knew would have appreciated that.

The U.S. military is the last line of defense for freedom, defending the Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic; Bitcoin can serve as a first line of defense for freedom — a nonviolent tool which can disincentivize violence and control. It is not only a hedge against currency devaluation, but a hedge against tyranny as well.

Freedom As Responsibility And A Moral Imperative

Owning bitcoin allows you to be your own bank, and much like maintaining freedom, it’s a hefty responsibility. Ironically, on this hallowed day, the banks we rely on to hold our money for us are typically closed for the day, extending those weird and inconvenient weekend hours, keeping us from what we own. Bitcoin never sleeps. It trades 24/7/365 on a network that is more reliable than the Federal Reserve's own wire system.

While it may be far too easy to leave your coins on an exchange, if you simply buy bitcoin but never take custody, you are leaving yourself open to a multitude of attacks. One of the most insidious, in my eyes, is the potential for a self-custody ban or some sort of regulatory capture of the exchanges, effectively turning bitcoin into another meme stock that must be held by a third-party custodian. In the process, the peer-to-peer decentralized nature of the network gets degraded for millions of potential users across the country, if not the whole world.

The Freedom Convoy trucker protest in Canada was a starting illustration of something along these lines. Protestors' bank accounts were frozen and wallets were flagged, making living everyday life nearly impossible. Furthermore, ancillary individuals who donated as little as $50 saw their accounts frozen as well. Some were doxxed and even lost their jobs.

You see, when you have your money in banks and investment accounts, it’s not really yours. It belongs to the banks — the custodians — and it’s granted access to you at the behest of them and the government. To these custodians, granting you access to your money is an inconvenient privilege that can be rescinded at a moment's notice. It’s a testament to how powerful western nations have become and a cautionary tale for what could happen if you ever see yourself in the outgroup in the event of a heated disagreement.

While the First and Fourth Amendments of the Constitution guarantee freedom of speech and protect against unwarranted searches and seizures, these things are still a possibility and are largely the purpose of the legal and court system. Even if you are well within your rights, it could cost you months if not years of court cases and millions of dollars in lawyer fees to see justice brought to bear.

Anarcho-capitalists to Communists alike, whatever your views, whatever your political proclivities, Bitcoin has your back. It is a completely voluntary system of censorship-resistant, peer-to-peer, electronic money. It is a digital bearer instrument if you use it correctly. It is simply a tool; a tool that does not discriminate and does not care who you are or what you believe. Bitcoin is a tool that just is; a tool that just does. It exists everywhere and nowhere, simultaneously. All you need to do is learn.

While the Second Amendment types will tell you that it exists to protect all the other rights through the implicit threat of violence, Bitcoin is fundamentally different. It actually disincentivizes violence because it cannot be coerced out of the population at scale. Large-scale search-and-seizure becomes prohibitively expensive. It is perhaps the largest peaceful protest in the history of mankind, and it is your best way to preserve freedom. Loss of freedoms typically require violence to reinstate; opt in to peace through buying and holding bitcoin.

Freedom Requires Proof of Work

One does not simply buy bitcoin and HODL through the roller coaster ride. About a month after my wife and I decided to start saving our money in bitcoin, we experienced a pretty nasty crash. The most interesting part of the crash was not the fear and uncertainty that I was experiencing, but rather the excited indifference of my wife, suggesting that we should buy some more.

When I first pitched the idea to her, she had her reservations to say the least. She pushed back, asked great questions and made me dig. I researched more, we dug together and after doing the work, we were able to make the decision together. This was a necessity to build the conviction and trust to hold though the storms and build the base of freedom. I could not have done it without her skepticism. I would not have been able to hold on without her support.

If you can’t orange-pill your wife, you probably don’t understand bitcoin enough to hold on through the storm. You will inevitably sell during the times of peak opportunity whether out of your own fear, or theirs, locking in losses and sealing your fate. You have to do the work first and build conviction if you want it to last, if you want to become your own bank. Better yet, if you are married, it’s probably best for you to do it together.

Reviving The Dream: Bitcoin And The American Spirit

It’s no secret that, to many, the American dream feels harder and harder to attain. Millennials especially are feeling the squeeze as they delay milestones like marriage, having children or buying their first home. I see it every day with friends and coworkers.

Buying bitcoin can and will help you move closer to your goals. It just takes some work and requires work — proof-of-work — to hold on long enough to make a difference. So where to start? Do your homework. I like to recommend Bitcoin-only companies now to help stave off marketing and trickery. River Financial and Swan Bitcoin are two of the best. I also like BlockfFi’s credit card along with Lolli and Fold to get bitcoin back on money I was going to spend anyways. An example would be buying Amazon gift cards through Fold with my BlockFi card, stacking cash back at a 3% total bitcoin-back rate on all our Amazon purchases.

Another challenge I have for you is to build a habit of historical and financial literacy. Once you build your baseline, you can graduate to holding your own keys. BTC Sessions taught me everything I know about that and has helped me help others do the same. Only after holding your own keys and understanding the past will you truly be able to HODL through the storms and become a sovereign and free individual, making it that much harder for your freedoms to be eroded over time.

Every purchase you make is a vote for the future that you want. Through buying and holding bitcoin, holding your keys and taking back your self-sovereignty, you move the country back toward a sound money standard that can do much to fix our divisive problems. Furthermore, you are making it harder for tyranny and government overreach to take hold. You are sowing the seeds for a better tomorrow. You are revitalizing the American dream.

Tim Moseley

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If gold is not the best inflation hedge then what is? Nancy Davis

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If gold is not the best inflation hedge, then what is? Nancy Davis

Gold and oil are not ideal investments for those seeking inflation hedging, according to Nancy Davis, Founder and Managing Partner of Quadratic Capital Management. Davis spoke with David Lin, Anchor and Producer at Kitco News.

 

Stock and Bond Market

Davis commented on the recent stock market selloffs. She attributed the fall in prices to companies facing higher costs.

“This is a little bit of a wakeup call,” she said. “…Investing is risky and, you know, especially when you’re buying corporate securities, whether it’s their stocks or their bonds, if that corporation has higher costs, maybe in the form of labor costs, more supply side disruptions in the form of, you know, all the things that are happening around the world from a geopolitical and COVID perspective, coupled with consumer confidence in this country is at lows from 2008.”

Davis also said that markets have “priced in” the Federal Reserve’s projected interest rate hikes. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell recently raised interest rates.

“Now I think it’s really important for investors to realize that the rate hikes from the Fed have already been priced in,” she remarked. “The Fed has only hiked 75 basis points so far, but the interest rate markets have moved with the Fed’s forward guidance. So… we have about six months left in the year in 2022, and the rates market has priced in 175 basis points. So, if the Fed does not hike 175 basis points, they’re actually going to be easing rates.”
 

Inflation and CPI

Davis said that the Fed has not lost credibility with investors.

“I know the Fed has gotten a lot of critics saying they’re not credible and all those things,” she mentioned. “I am not one of those. I think the Fed is doing the best job they can with the tools they have available… I think using the balance sheet more as a tool to fight inflation is prudent… [It] seems like they’re going to be using that in addition to hiking policy rates.”

Davis also said that the Consumer Price Index is not the only way to calculate inflation.

“The big problem I see with CPI alone is that a third of the index, approximately 33 percent, is what they call ‘shelter,’ and it’s actually owner-occupied rent,” she said. “… Year over year, rent increases are up about 1.5 percent, whereas home ownership prices are up closer to 20 [percent].”

 

Do Gold and Commodities Hedge Against Inflation?

Davis’s company, Quadratic Capital, has a fixed-income IVOL ETF that protects against inflation. According to Davis, “85 percent of the portfolio” is composed of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS).

“But then we try to fix the problems that exists with TIPS alone… [We] actually try to profit when long-dated yields move higher, which would likely happen in a stagflationary or inflationary environment… And the other really attractive thing in my opinion for investors is we own options. And whenever you own options… you’re long volatility on the underlying asset class… So we actually own fixed-income volatility, which is a nice potential diversifier.”

She added that real assets, such as energy and gold, are not the best inflation hedges.

“I personally think, you know, energy and gold and all these real assets may not be the best inflation asset because… they don’t pay any coupons so there’s no monthly distribution at all,” said Davis. “They do have carry costs… Gold is not an inflation hedge, in my opinion, it’s a currency trade. It has no yield, it has no carry.”

For more information on inflation hedging, watch the video above.

By Kitco News

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

 

 

Tim Moseley

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Will gold price benefit from classic bear market rally in equities?

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Will gold price benefit from classic bear market rally in equities?

There is a new battle in the gold market as the precious metal continues to benefit from a weaker U.S. dollar and falling bond yields; however, shifting risk sentiment, as equity markets end their seven-week losing streak with a 6% rally, presents a new headwind for the precious metal.

The gold market managed to hold steady around the critical psychological level of $1,850 this week as the U.S. dollar dropped from its highs earlier in the month. The U.S. dollar index ended the week below 102 points and is down 3% from its 20-year peak.

Meanwhile, bond yields have fallen to 2.74%, down more than 13% from their recent highs above 3%.

Nicky Shiels, head of metals strategy at MKS PAMP Group, said that the weak U.S. dollar and falling bond yields could help gold push solidly above $1,850 in the shortened trading week. However, she added that risk sentiment among equity investors will be a wild card.

"The missing piece is equities are entering a vicious short-covering rally now and there's limited panic about either a recession, stock crash, or Fed hikes," she said.

According to some market analysts, risk sentiment in the marketplace has improved inflation fears have receded. Investors breathed a little easier Friday after the U.S. Department of Commerce said that annual inflation rose 4.9% last month, down from 5.2% in March and from February's peak of 5.3%. Inflation fell in line with market expectations.

The data also reported healthy consumption; however, economists note that U.S. consumers continue to dip into their COVID-19 savings, which could be unsustainable.

Some economists have said that the inflation data gives the Federal Reserve some room to raise interest rates less aggressively in the fall and into year-end. Wednesday, the Federal Reserve signaled that it is looking to raise interest rates by 50-basis points at the next two meetings, in line with market expectations.

However, for many analysts, the current risk sentiment is not sustainable as inflation pressures are far from over, ultimately supporting gold.

Billionaire Bill Ackman says Fed needs to raise rates now to beat inflation, protect the economy

"Energy prices continue to rise and will drive inflation pressures higher," said Sean Lusk, Co-Director of Commercial Hedging with Walsh Trading. "Inflation will add to growing recession fears, making gold an attractive safe-haven asset."

Phillip Streible, Chief Market Strategist at Blue Line Futures, said he sees the jump in equity markets as a classic bear market rally. He added that he also considers gold a critical safe-haven asset.

"Technically, gold holding $1,850 an ounce looks good," he said. "Not only did gold see a solid bounce off last week's low, but its measure of volatility has fallen. Gold does well when it sees low volatility. Investors are attracted to that stability when there is uncertainty everywhere."

Not all analysts are optimistic that gold prices will be able to hold the line at $1,850 an ounce.

While inflation may have peaked, Bark Melek, head of commodity strategy at TD Securities, said it will remain quite sticky through 2022.

"It is probably more wishful thinking that inflation will fall significantly and that the Federal Reserve will stop aggressively raising interest rates," he said. "The Fed will continue to raise interest rates and that will be negative for gold."

Melek added that he still likes selling rallies in the gold market.

Some analysts have noted that a plateau in inflation within the Federal Reserve's aggressive tightening cycle will push real yields higher, making gold less attractive as a non-yielding asset.

 

" Looking at gold, in particular, the US TIPS yield is now comfortably in positive territory, which will dampen investment demand for gold given that it offers no yield," said commodity economists at Capital Economics.
 

U.S. data to provide little direction for markets

Although U.S. markets are closed Monday for Memorial Day, it will be a busy week for economic data.

Friday, economists and analysts will be anxious to see the latest non-farm payrolls report to see how the labor market fairs in the current economic environment.

While major data reports will be released next week, market analysts have said that they will have little impact on interest rate expectations.

Economists have said that the central bank looks set to move by 50-basis points at the following two monetary policy meetings, no matter what the data says.

Next Week's Data

Tuesday: U.S. Consumer Confidence

Wednesday: Bank of Canada monetary policy decision; ISM Manufacturing PMI

Thursday: ADP Non-Farm Employment Change

Friday: U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls; ISM Service Sector PMI
 

By Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

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Gold prices still holding 1850 as PCE core inflation rises 49 in line with expectations

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Gold prices still holding $1,850 as PCE core inflation rises 4.9%, in line with expectations

The gold market continues to hold around the critical psychological level of $1,850 but according to some analysts, could struggle in the near-term as inflation pressures could have peaked.

On a monthly basis, the core Personal Consumption Expenditures Index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure, increased 0.3% last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce said on Friday. The inflation data was in line with expectations.

On an annual basis, core PCE rose to 4.9% down from the 5.2% rise seen in March. This is the second month annual inflation measures have dropped after hitting 5.3% in February. The drop in annual inflation was also in line with expectations.

The gold market is taking the latest inflation data in stride. June gold futures last traded at $1,850.40 an ounce, up 0.19% on the day.

Some analysts have noted that gold could struggle to attract new bullish capital as the Federal Reserve continues to aggressively raise interest rates while inflation pressure fall. This would drive real interest rate higher, which would be negative for gold, a nonyielding asset.

Looking at headline inflation, the report said that the PCE Index rose 0.2% last month, down compared to March’s rise of 0.9%. For the year headline inflation rose 6.3%, down from the previous increase of 6.6%.

Along with easing inflation pressures, the report also showed consumers continuing to hold up well, despite the economic uncertainty.

The report said that personal spending rose 0.9% last month, up from March’s 1.1% increase. The data beat expectations as consensus forecasts called for a 0.7% rise.

However, the data also shows that consumers are tapping into their savings as income increased 0.4%, down from March’s increase of 0.5. Economists were expecting to see a 0.5% increase.

According to economists, the savings rate fell to 4.4%, the lowest level since 2008.

By Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

 

 

Tim Moseley

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THE PRICE OF BITCOIN

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     What happens to bitcoin, what is the price, and why did it fall so badly, the answers are multiple but also questions are many.

Bitcoin is the world’s first decentralized cryptocurrency, a type of digital asset that uses public-public key cryptography to record, sign and send transactions over the Bitcoin blockchain all done without the oversight of a central authority. It’s the original and most valuable cryptocurrency by far, despite its huge — and normal swings in recent months, ranging in value from less than $30,000 to more than $60,000. Bitcoin has also seen a lot of new investors, with more than half of all having bought in the past year.

It is also certain that the price now at this moment when I am writing this is $28,320.50, a change of -4.30% over the past 24 hours. The recent price action in Bitcoin left the token’s market capitalization at $539,510,082,593.91 USD. So far this year, Bitcoin has a change of -37.87%. 

The leading crypto Bitcoin is struggling to fully recover after weeks of losses. Bitcoin price crashed below $26,000 in early May amid a broader market sell-off of risky assets but has risen slightly a little many are saying all is because of the struggles and crash of TerraUSD (UST), one of the largest stablecoins, which play a big role in Bitcoin’s recent crash. Stablecoins are intended to bring stability to the crypto markets and have a similar value to hold as close to the U.S. dollar as possible, but the UST dropped below 12 cents in early May and many investors on the market panicked and sold off their coins. The Terra blockchain has officially halted and UST has remained de-pegged from the U.S. dollar since May.

To return to the question posed where will the price of bitcoin go I think no one knows, we can speculate about this, but still, it is good to believe in what bitcoin means for us crypto investors and what benefits it brings to the whole planet in implementing cryptocurrency, how the money transfer is faster and safer and how they eliminate the bank fees and other problems of the Bank system.

So believe in Bitcoin and don't sell wait .

 I believed the bitcoin will come back stronger than ever,in the end, I  want to end with a quote " People give value to things "

 

 

Tim Moseley

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THE ESSENCE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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THE ESSENCE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

 

 

The entrepreneurial spirit is a gift that inspires others to become the best they can be. Entrepreneurship is the act of starting a business, and it requires creativity, drive, and the ability to solve problems. 

An entrepreneur takes a risk and works hard to make money. There are many types of entrepreneurs. Some start businesses from scratch, and others buy already-established companies. Some entrepreneurs work alone, while others need employees to help them run their businesses. 

The word “entrepreneur” comes from the French word “entreprendre,” which means to start or undertake a business venture. Although it can be a lot of work, entrepreneurship is rewarding and very fulfilling. The essence of entrepreneurship is having a dream and a vision for changing the world, being willing to take risks, and sometimes being misunderstood. 

Also, be willing to put in the work, put in more than those around you, and be ready to be the one who is not afraid of the darkness but rather the one who steps into it first. Entrepreneurship is more than just having a great idea and starting a business; it’s about changing lives and improving our world.

 

 

From passion and positivity to leadership and ambition, here are the entrepreneurs that best define the entrepreneurial spirit.

Armour Of Entrepreneur – Main Features

Passion

No one embodies the word "passion" quite like Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin mega-brand. Part of Branson's passion lies in his insatiable appetite for starting companies. Founded in 1970, the Virgin Group has expanded to more than 200 companies, ranging from music, publishing, mobile phones, and even space travel. "Businesses are like buses," he once said. "There's always another one coming."

Positivity

Jeff Bezos knows the power of positive thinking. Living by the motto that "every challenge is an opportunity," Bezos set out to create the biggest bookstore in the world with a little internet startup called Amazon.

Adaptability

Having the ability to adapt is one of the greatest strengths an entrepreneur can have. Every successful business owner must be willing to improve, refine and customize their services to continually give customers what they want.

Leadership

A good leader is someone with charisma, a sense of ethics, and a desire to build integrity within an organization–someone who's enthusiastic, team-oriented, and a great teacher. All of these attributes were embodied by the late Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, a company that has helped more than half a million women fulfill their dreams of owning a business.

Ambition

At age 20, Debbi Fields didn't have much. She was a young housewife with no business experience, but what she did have was a great chocolate chip cookie recipe and a dream to share it with the world. 

Fields opened her first Mrs. Field's store1977, despite being told she was crazy to believe a business could survive solely on selling cookies. Fields' headstrong determination and ambition helped her grow her little cookie store into a $450 million company with more than 600 locations in the U.S. and 10 foreign nations.

 

Once More – The Main FIVE

– Passion, Positivity, Adaptability, Leadership, Ambition

Most of it you cannot learn from books. It is in your character, in your experience, and in your life journey. 

You hear it all the time from famous entrepreneurs: Long before they were running multimillion-dollar companies, they were flexing their entrepreneurial skills by selling lemonade on the corner, building gadgets in their garage, or hosting weekly college beer pong tournaments. It seems that behind every successful mogul is a kid who grew up knowing they were born for business.

 

If you notice where those who represent some of the most successful entrepreneurs come from, much of the world is missing out. In many countries, private business was interrupted by political developments – it was sometimes very limited, often totally prohibited. In some parts of the world, it was not possible for teenagers to sell products house-to-house or set up their first small business in a garage.

Those who spent their youth in countries with limited opportunities now have to catch up with many. Sometimes it's like jumping on a moving train and not knowing where the train is going. And that's why people from these countries, without business tradition or continuity, need something extra. A good dose of :

 

  • Courage 
  • Enthusiasm
  • Self-confidence
  • Persistence
  • Support of their loved ones

While they often lack the money for investment to have a good start, if they have true entrepreneurial courage in their hearts and can mobilize their energy, then with a little luck, they have a chance of success. 

 

 

 

Tim Moseley

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9 Mistakes You Should Avoid Making With Your iPhone at All Costs

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9 Mistakes You Should Avoid Making With Your iPhone at All Costs

by The Useful Tech, contributor, Medium Daily Digest

 

Increase the longevity of your iPhone by not doing these things

Increase the longevity of your iPhone by not doing these things

Photo by Onur Binay on Unsplash

 

Apple’s iPhone is unarguably one of the best smartphones in the market today. The phone is excellent at many things out of the box, like having an incredible camera, extraordinary battery life, fantastic performance, and more.

However, your iPhone could significantly get less impressive with time if you are not using it the right way and making a lot of mistakes with it.

So, in this post, we will discuss some of the common mistakes people make with their iPhones and why you should avoid making them.

 

1) Charging it overnight or charging till 100%

One of the most common mistakes most iPhone users make, especially during the initial few months of buying the device, is always charging it to 100% or leaving it on charge overnight, even after the phone is fully charged.

Unfortunately, some people also go to the other extreme and only ever charge their phone if it has dropped to 0%.

While neither of these things will have an immediate adverse effect on your iPhone’s battery, you might start to see the impact on your battery life and capacity over time.

To avoid this, either use a wireless charger to charge your iPhone overnight or a smart plug that is automatically scheduled to turn off at a particular time during the night.

 

Photo by Pontus Wellgraf on Unsplash

 

Many experts also recommend that following the 20–80 charge cycle is a great way to ensure your iPhone battery’s lifespan is considerably increased.

This means that you should try to charge your iPhone when it falls below 20% and only tries to charge it to 80% instead of all the way. Of course, this is not possible in all the scenarios, but when you have a charging point within your reach, it would be best to follow this method.

If you find it hard to follow this charging method manually, then you can create an automation from the Shortcuts app on your iPhone to notify you when your phone’s battery drops below or goes above a certain level.

 

2) Closing apps from the app switcher

Many iPhone users think that closing the apps in the app switcher throughout the day helps to improve the performance and the battery life of your iPhone. Well, the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

The primary intention of the app switcher is to help you conveniently and quickly switch between recently used apps instead of having to open them from the home screen every time.

 

Source: Author's Screenshot

 

Closing them frequently and then opening them again will make your iPhone work harder than it has to and negatively impact the battery life.

So, as long as an app is not responding or working correctly, there is no reason to close the app from the app switcher. iOS is already intelligent enough to automatically suspend the apps you haven’t used in a while to ensure that the recently opened apps have enough memory to function without any issues.

 

3) Having an untidy charging port

Unless your primary way of charging your iPhone is by using a wireless charger, it is essential to ensure that your iPhone’s lightning port is clean and free of any dust particles or debris.

An unclean charging port might either affect the charging speeds of your iPhone or, worse, might completely prevent it from charging.

Even if you use your iPhone with a protective case and handle it with extreme care, it is inevitably bound to collect dust particles over the years.

 

Photo by Andreas Haslinger on Unsplash

 

Therefore, it is highly recommended that you occasionally check and clean the charging port to ensure the longevity of your iPhone.

The most recommended method for cleaning the charging port on your iPhone is by using a toothpick.

Use the sharp end of the toothpick to gently scrub out any dust or debris from the charging port and make sure to not apply too much force as it might potentially damage the internals of your iPhone, even though it is pretty unlikely that it would cause any serious issues.

 

4) Not restarting it often

Many tech consultants and experts recommend most smartphone users at least restart their device once every week.

But, unfortunately, some users probably won’t even remember when was the last time their iPhone was not turned on and would only ever restart it if it runs out of battery and dies.

 

Source: Author’s Screenshot

 

Restarting your iPhone regularly has many benefits, like clearing open apps from the RAM, fixing any memory leak issues, and stopping any processes or apps that might have been affecting your iPhone’s battery life.

 

 

5) Ignoring software, security, or app updates for too long

I can’t even believe that I include this in this list. Still, sadly, a significant number of iPhone users tend to ignore important system or security updates or even app updates longer than they should.

I have personally seen some of my colleagues and friends who just pretend that the system update notification ticker doesn’t exist in the Settings app on their iPhone, either because they can’t be bothered to do the update or they simply don’t have the time.

Ignoring critical software and security updates might not seem like a bad thing or something that affects you in any way.

 

Photo by Szabo Viktor on Unsplash

 

But if you don’t install updates even after they have been publicly available for a long time, you are potentially opening up your iPhone to any malicious attacks and threats targeted towards iPhones with older software or app versions that are still vulnerable to these attacks.

So, try to spend a few minutes downloading and installing the update every time you get a notification that new software or a security update is available for your iPhone.

Also, make sure to regularly check the App Store to find if any latest updates are available for the apps on your iPhone and install them as well.

 

6) Installing unverified apps

The App Store on your iPhone has millions of apps and games, adding new ones every day.

Unfortunately, despite Apple’s stringent guidelines and careful analysis, some malicious apps make their way into the App Store every now and then.

So, it falls upon the user to ensure that whatever app they install on their iPhone is genuine and harmless.

One way to ensure this is by checking the reviews and the ratings for the app and making sure the app is really what it claims to be.

 

Photo by CardMapr on Unsplash

 

However, reviews could also be misleading sometimes, so a few other ways to verify the authenticity of an app before installing it on your iPhone are checking the permissions requested by the app, checking when the app was last updated, looking for the number of downloads and so on.

Ideally, you could consider avoiding installing any app you are not entirely sure is genuine or does not meet the above requirements.

 

7) Not properly configuring the Find my feature

Find my is one of the most valuable features on your iPhone and is also the one that you hope you never have to use.

However, most users don’t realize the importance of properly configuring the Find my feature on their iPhones until it is too late.

To make sure all the settings for the Find my feature on your iPhone are set up correctly, open the Settings app, click on your name at the top, open Find My and then make sure all three options in the Find My iPhone section are enabled including the send last location option.

 

Source: Author’s Screenshot

 

Also, enable the Share my location option on the main page as well. With iOS 15, Apple also added the option to find your iPhone even when it is turned off, so not having the Find My feature correctly configured would be one of the biggest mistakes you could make regarding your iPhone.

 

8) Not taking regular backups

Many of us have some of our most valuable data stored on our phones, including anything from important messages, photos, and videos to work or personal notes, documents, etc.

Unfortunately, this makes our phones a single point of failure, and if anything were to happen to them, it would be a critical loss for many of us.

Luckily, cloud backups and local backups are a thing, and you must regularly back up whatever you think is important on your iPhone, at least once every month.

Since you have an iPhone, most of your data like messages, photos, videos, and documents could be easily backed up to iCloud.

 

Source: Author’s Screenshot

 

Just go to the Settings app, click on your name at the top, open iCloud settings and make sure you have enough free space to backup all your essential data.

However, since Apple only provides 5GB of free iCloud storage, which is next to nothing, you might have to purchase additional storage according to your needs.

If you want to keep a local backup of all the data on your iPhone, you can connect your iPhone to your Mac or Windows PC using the lighting cable and then use iTunes or any other smartphone backup software to take a complete backup of your iPhone, at least once every month.

 

9) Not uninstalling unused apps or games

Even I was guilty of making this mistake until recently when I discovered the offload unused apps option in the App Store settings on my iPhone.

Most of us randomly download and install many apps and games on our iPhones which we maybe use once or twice, and then forget that they even exist.

 

Source: Author’s Screenshot

 

While a lot of these apps do not consume a significant amount of your storage, you should still seriously consider uninstalling any apps you are not using because apart from occupying space on your iPhone, some of these apps can also silently track your location or activity in the background and send it to anonymous servers or simply might just affect your iPhone’s battery life.

If you find it hard to keep track and uninstall any apps or games you haven’t used in a while, simply enable the Offload Unused Apps option in the App Store settings page on your iPhone. Your iPhone will automatically do this for you.

 

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Along with the major long-term trend of society towards decentralization and smaller-scale organizations, there are new opportunities developing to help 'Preparers' in the cryptocurrency sector. Businesses are beginning to issue their own Crypto Coins that can be traded on Cryptocoin Exchanges.

Markethive.com for example will be releasing its HiveCoin (HIV) in the coming weeks. It has tremendous upside potential that is outlined in a Video by Founder Tom Prendergast, "Entrepreneur Advantage…".

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Be sure to check it out today – Markethive.com

Markethive

Tim Moseley

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Gold silver near steady amid conflicting daily inputs

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Gold, silver near steady amid conflicting daily inputs

Gold and silver prices are not trading too far from unchanged in midday action Thursday. Bearish for the metals is a stabilization of the U.S. stock indexes this week, after hitting 12-month lows last week. Rising bond yields at midday are also a negative for the metals. However, sharply higher crude oil prices and a weaker U.S. dollar index are working in favor of the metals market bulls on this day. June gold futures were last down $1.50 at $1,844.80.July Comex silver futures were last up $0.065 at $21.93 an ounce.

The metals showed no significant or lasting reaction to a weaker-than-expected revision to U.S. first-quarter GPD today, which came in down 1.5%, year-on-year.

Gold price still on pace to push above $2,000 as stagflation, recession risks rise – In Gold We Trust

The key outside markets today see Nymex crude oil futures prices sharply higher and trading around $114.50 a barrel. Meantime, the U.S. dollar index is weaker in early trading and is well down from the May 20-year high. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note is fetching 2.781%.

Technically, June gold futures see a 2.5-month-old price downtrend in place on the daily bar chart. Bears have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at $1,900.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at the May low of $1,785.00. First resistance is seen at today’s high of $1,852.80 and then at this week’s high of $1,869.10. First support is seen at today’s low of $1,836.30 and then at $1,830.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.0

July silver futures also see a 2.5-month-old price downtrend in place on the daily bar chart. The silver bears have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $23.00 an ounce. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the May low of $20.42. First resistance is seen at this week’s high of $22.215 and then at $22.50. Next support is seen at this week’s low of $21.645 and then at $21.50. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.5.

July N.Y. copper closed up 35 points at 425.80 cents today. Prices closed nearer the session high today. The copper bears have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 445.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the May low of 403.70 cents. First resistance is seen at 430.00 cents and then at this week’s high of 435.50 cents. First support is seen at today’s low of 420.35 cents and then at 415.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.5.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

The Artist that came out of the Winter