Pax Romana
"They have plundered the world, stripping naked the land in their hunger… they are driven by greed, if their enemy be rich; by ambition, if poor… They ravage, they slaughter, they seize by false pretenses, and all of this they hail as the construction of empire. And when in their wake nothing remains but a desert, they call that peace." - Tacitus
Below is my inventory of stocks, puts and physical metals. This site will be updated on the last business day of each month. (Last Update: April 30, 2012). This spreadsheet is a record of all my transactions since I developed my theory in July of 2009 and bought my first silver.
NEW
On May 14th I bought 100 shares of Zoltec (ZOLT) at for $9.12 a share.
NEW
On May 10th I bought 100 shares of Zoltec (ZOLT) at $9.15 a share.
NEW
On May 8th I bought 100 shares of CVD Equipment (CVV) for $14.45 a share.
NEW
On April 27th I just sold all my Kandi shares (700) for $2,250. I paid $1,575 for a profit of $945.
I bought at $2.25 and sold at $3.60.
I think Kandi is still a good stock, I'm just trying to follow my new plan: Take profits and buy whatever looks best at the moment.
I also just bought 1,100 shares of China Carbon Graphite Group at $0.90 per share.
I bought at $2.25 and sold at $3.60.
I think Kandi is still a good stock, I'm just trying to follow my new plan: Take profits and buy whatever looks best at the moment.
I also just bought 1,100 shares of China Carbon Graphite Group at $0.90 per share.
Dr. Strange Investor's Master Plan
Please note that my stock gambling (not investing) scheme has a five year limit. If it doesn't pay off big time at the end of year five (2016) I'm moving to a cave in West Virginia.
Civil War Two
Dr. Strange Investor's World-Wide News Roundup
Jilin actively targets to develop "China Carbon Valley" (from Chinacarbon News)
Jilin Tangu Carbon Fiber Co.Ltd ... is in possession of 5,000t/a carbon fiber precusor production lines, is the largest base in the country for carbon fiber precusor production at present. Since the completion of construction and commencement of operation last November, it has overcome the long-term "technologial bottleneck" restraining the domestication of carbon fiber in China, providing raw material sources for wide application of carbon fiber. It is reported that Jilin City of Jinlin province plans to meet production capacity target of 30,000 tons of carbon fiber precusor, 12,000 tons of carbon fiber and 50,000 tons of carbon fiber products by 2015, in a bid to promote the development of carbon fiber industry in clustered fashion and make all efforts to build "China Carbon Valley".
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: We're Toast.
Jilin Tangu Carbon Fiber Co.Ltd ... is in possession of 5,000t/a carbon fiber precusor production lines, is the largest base in the country for carbon fiber precusor production at present. Since the completion of construction and commencement of operation last November, it has overcome the long-term "technologial bottleneck" restraining the domestication of carbon fiber in China, providing raw material sources for wide application of carbon fiber. It is reported that Jilin City of Jinlin province plans to meet production capacity target of 30,000 tons of carbon fiber precusor, 12,000 tons of carbon fiber and 50,000 tons of carbon fiber products by 2015, in a bid to promote the development of carbon fiber industry in clustered fashion and make all efforts to build "China Carbon Valley".
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: We're Toast.
Tantalus & Rhodia Set Stage to Leapfrog Rare Earth Projects.
We understand the Chinese ionic clay deposits to be about 90 square kilometers. To put Tantalus Rare Earths’ deposit into perspective, estimates indicate that their deposit ranges between 150-170 square kilometers. Here are some more highlights of Tantalus Rare Earths’ heavy rare earth deposit in Madagascar: Tantalus is amongst the handful of rare earth companies in possession of an ionic clay-like deposit. Testing that has been completed to date indicates rare earth bearing lateritic clays at the Tantalus project bear close similarities with Chinese ionic clays. Typical hard rock deposits that require crushing, grinding, and complex processing techniques whereas ionic clays can be easily processed into rare earth concentrate using simple leaching methods and therefore have the benefit of greatly reduced production costs. Having a simple metallurgy will allow Tantalus Rare Earths to ultimately leapfrog other rare earth mining ventures still in the process of developing complex processing techniques for hard rock deposits. The deposit does not contain dangerous radioactive by-products and therefore the issue of disposing of radioactive waste is minimized significantly. The project is rich in heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), with roughly 20% of total rare earth oxides (TREO) consisting of heavy rare earth oxides. The TREO grade of the ore is roughly 0.8% though when coupled with the low production costs this low grade becomes an insignificant issue. Though not yet verified, current estimates put the TREO content of the project at as much as 1.5 million tonnes and with an annual production capacity of roughly 15,000 tonnes per year, a mine life of nearly 100 years can be anticipated.
We understand the Chinese ionic clay deposits to be about 90 square kilometers. To put Tantalus Rare Earths’ deposit into perspective, estimates indicate that their deposit ranges between 150-170 square kilometers. Here are some more highlights of Tantalus Rare Earths’ heavy rare earth deposit in Madagascar: Tantalus is amongst the handful of rare earth companies in possession of an ionic clay-like deposit. Testing that has been completed to date indicates rare earth bearing lateritic clays at the Tantalus project bear close similarities with Chinese ionic clays. Typical hard rock deposits that require crushing, grinding, and complex processing techniques whereas ionic clays can be easily processed into rare earth concentrate using simple leaching methods and therefore have the benefit of greatly reduced production costs. Having a simple metallurgy will allow Tantalus Rare Earths to ultimately leapfrog other rare earth mining ventures still in the process of developing complex processing techniques for hard rock deposits. The deposit does not contain dangerous radioactive by-products and therefore the issue of disposing of radioactive waste is minimized significantly. The project is rich in heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), with roughly 20% of total rare earth oxides (TREO) consisting of heavy rare earth oxides. The TREO grade of the ore is roughly 0.8% though when coupled with the low production costs this low grade becomes an insignificant issue. Though not yet verified, current estimates put the TREO content of the project at as much as 1.5 million tonnes and with an annual production capacity of roughly 15,000 tonnes per year, a mine life of nearly 100 years can be anticipated.
Composite drainage channel for railway tracks
"Composite advantages Composites offered several advantages in this application, allowing many salient features. The composite channel is up to 12-15 times lighter than traditional reinforced concrete channels. Installation costs are significantly lower (3 times) because the channel is easier to install and no heavy machines is needed. The possibility to correct channel length and cut holes for drainage tubes on site provides for simple and easy assembly. The channels can also be installed in hardto- reach places (mountain areas, marshland, permafrost, etc.). Another advantage is that it is not necessary to interrupt the train traffic during installation. The channel has a very long expected service life: 50 to 70 years compared to 20 years for a concrete structure. Composites have a lower hydroresistance than concrete due to their improved surface, which makes it possible to use smaller channel heights and thus save material. The gutter surface is smoother compared with concrete roughness, allowing water to flow quickly. Among other characteristics are refractoriness, corrosion tolerance, atmospheric and chemical resistance, and dielectric properties. Maintenance costs are expected to be 10 times lower than those for a concrete solution. The channels are produced in widths ranging from 0.5 to 0.8 m, depths of 0.5 to 1 m and lengths between 2 and 6 m. Market potential About 70 km (or 720 tonnes) of composite drainage channels produced by Apatech are currently installed on the Russian railways. They are installed in a territory ranging from the far north, in regions with permafrost, to subtropical areas in the south. The potential market in Russia alone is about 8,000 kilometres. Because of its great advantages in terms of financial impact, this solution is destined for large-scale expansion."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Carbon fiber, fiberglass and other non-metal composites are replacing metals (chiefly Iron and aluminum) as structual elements. Composites are also replacing concrete and wood as structual elements in other applications. This trend is global and massive and is "the Next Big Thing." The replacement of metals by plastics etc. has been going on all my life. What makes things different now is that it's reaching tsunami-like magnitude.
"Composite advantages Composites offered several advantages in this application, allowing many salient features. The composite channel is up to 12-15 times lighter than traditional reinforced concrete channels. Installation costs are significantly lower (3 times) because the channel is easier to install and no heavy machines is needed. The possibility to correct channel length and cut holes for drainage tubes on site provides for simple and easy assembly. The channels can also be installed in hardto- reach places (mountain areas, marshland, permafrost, etc.). Another advantage is that it is not necessary to interrupt the train traffic during installation. The channel has a very long expected service life: 50 to 70 years compared to 20 years for a concrete structure. Composites have a lower hydroresistance than concrete due to their improved surface, which makes it possible to use smaller channel heights and thus save material. The gutter surface is smoother compared with concrete roughness, allowing water to flow quickly. Among other characteristics are refractoriness, corrosion tolerance, atmospheric and chemical resistance, and dielectric properties. Maintenance costs are expected to be 10 times lower than those for a concrete solution. The channels are produced in widths ranging from 0.5 to 0.8 m, depths of 0.5 to 1 m and lengths between 2 and 6 m. Market potential About 70 km (or 720 tonnes) of composite drainage channels produced by Apatech are currently installed on the Russian railways. They are installed in a territory ranging from the far north, in regions with permafrost, to subtropical areas in the south. The potential market in Russia alone is about 8,000 kilometres. Because of its great advantages in terms of financial impact, this solution is destined for large-scale expansion."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Carbon fiber, fiberglass and other non-metal composites are replacing metals (chiefly Iron and aluminum) as structual elements. Composites are also replacing concrete and wood as structual elements in other applications. This trend is global and massive and is "the Next Big Thing." The replacement of metals by plastics etc. has been going on all my life. What makes things different now is that it's reaching tsunami-like magnitude.
Rare Earth Juniors Have a Five-Year Window: John Kaiser
"The rest are grassroots projects or ones where graphite was intersected by past drilling campaigns seeking base metal discoveries. They were never delineated
because they were failures. Early-stage graphite projects have better potential for attracting market attention than early-stage rare earth projects because they are simpler to develop and the big market demand is still down the road. Unlike the REE sector, where each project requires a custom chemical plant, we will probably see a boom in mergers and acquisitions in the graphite space. Graphite projects do not command billion-dollar valuations; their small size and the comparatively low unit cost of graphite limit individual projects to net present value-based valuations below $200 million (M). The long-term supply will have to come from multiple operations, not a handful of world-class mines. Once companies drill their targets and demonstrate deposits of 20–30 million tons of 5–10% of the right sort of graphite, bigger companies will buy them up. "
"The rest are grassroots projects or ones where graphite was intersected by past drilling campaigns seeking base metal discoveries. They were never delineated
because they were failures. Early-stage graphite projects have better potential for attracting market attention than early-stage rare earth projects because they are simpler to develop and the big market demand is still down the road. Unlike the REE sector, where each project requires a custom chemical plant, we will probably see a boom in mergers and acquisitions in the graphite space. Graphite projects do not command billion-dollar valuations; their small size and the comparatively low unit cost of graphite limit individual projects to net present value-based valuations below $200 million (M). The long-term supply will have to come from multiple operations, not a handful of world-class mines. Once companies drill their targets and demonstrate deposits of 20–30 million tons of 5–10% of the right sort of graphite, bigger companies will buy them up. "
Tap Profits in the Growing Graphite Market: Simon Moores
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: A must read.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: A must read.
The Fundamentals Of Expected Deficit In Palladium Market
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Right now graphite is the only thing that looks better than platinum group metals. I think North American Palladium is fairly safe and likely to go up big time.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Right now graphite is the only thing that looks better than platinum group metals. I think North American Palladium is fairly safe and likely to go up big time.
Supplying Tellurium Is No Easy Feat
"As copper mining has increasingly involved the production of lower grades of the base metal, an accompanying fall in electrowinning copper refinement (a process
where copper is electrically charged and then plated onto a cathode to enrich the metal), has resulted in a fall in the production of tellurium. Instead, the use of solvent exchange-leaching hydrometallurgy has been on the rise, and has led to a worrying decline in the recovery of tellurium (and the other by-product metals).
Tellurium, despite its abundance in our atmosphere and in the ground, is not available in high enough quantities to be mined for its own sake. Further, most
companies do not even report their production of tellurium because it is ancillary to most other production processes, particularly copper and gold extraction (the highest tellurium concentrations occur in gold deposits)."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The fall in the production of "by-product" metals is a story to watch
"As copper mining has increasingly involved the production of lower grades of the base metal, an accompanying fall in electrowinning copper refinement (a process
where copper is electrically charged and then plated onto a cathode to enrich the metal), has resulted in a fall in the production of tellurium. Instead, the use of solvent exchange-leaching hydrometallurgy has been on the rise, and has led to a worrying decline in the recovery of tellurium (and the other by-product metals).
Tellurium, despite its abundance in our atmosphere and in the ground, is not available in high enough quantities to be mined for its own sake. Further, most
companies do not even report their production of tellurium because it is ancillary to most other production processes, particularly copper and gold extraction (the highest tellurium concentrations occur in gold deposits)."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The fall in the production of "by-product" metals is a story to watch
Next Fuel, Inc. Technology Endorsed by Science Panel in Beijing, China
The Company's patent-pending biogenic coal-to-gas ("CTG" or "BCTG") technology converts the dirtiest fossil fuel, low-grade coal (also known as lignite), into clean-burning natural gas through the introduction of nutrients, via a low-pressure pumping system, to the wide range of microorganisms that naturally exist in coal deposits. The proprietary nutrients stimulate the microorganisms, which in turn consume carbon-containing compounds in the coal and "exhale" biogenic natural gas as a byproduct.
The Company's patent-pending biogenic coal-to-gas ("CTG" or "BCTG") technology converts the dirtiest fossil fuel, low-grade coal (also known as lignite), into clean-burning natural gas through the introduction of nutrients, via a low-pressure pumping system, to the wide range of microorganisms that naturally exist in coal deposits. The proprietary nutrients stimulate the microorganisms, which in turn consume carbon-containing compounds in the coal and "exhale" biogenic natural gas as a byproduct.
Quest for Commercially Viable Graphene will Stimulate Graphite Mining Industry outside of China
"Graphene has the potential to be used in applications representing all industrial sectors. However, unlike silicon, which is expected to be replaced by graphene, the new miracle material is not mass produced yet. Graphene, as a material, is still at the experimental stage and it is very expensive – it can cost as much as USD$ 40,000 a kilo at a specialized online graphene vendor called Graphene Supermarket"
"Graphene has the potential to be used in applications representing all industrial sectors. However, unlike silicon, which is expected to be replaced by graphene, the new miracle material is not mass produced yet. Graphene, as a material, is still at the experimental stage and it is very expensive – it can cost as much as USD$ 40,000 a kilo at a specialized online graphene vendor called Graphene Supermarket"
Ford, Dow to explore carbon fiber use in (low cost, mass produced) vehicles
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: If engineers discover how to mass produce and form carbon fiber cheaply and quickly it will transform our global civilization. Iron and aluminum mining will come to a complete halt. Load up in large flake graphite stock.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: If engineers discover how to mass produce and form carbon fiber cheaply and quickly it will transform our global civilization. Iron and aluminum mining will come to a complete halt. Load up in large flake graphite stock.
New process opens way for full-spectrum platinum beneficiation
"Kell consumes a mere 14% of the electricity that smelting consumes, 140 kWh of electricity for every ton of concentrate processed compared with 1,000 kWh of
electricity for every ton of concentrate smelted"
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: If this makes it out of the lab and into actual mines it will be a big boost for a lot of junior miners in Canada that have small and/or low grade PGM ores.
"Kell consumes a mere 14% of the electricity that smelting consumes, 140 kWh of electricity for every ton of concentrate processed compared with 1,000 kWh of
electricity for every ton of concentrate smelted"
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: If this makes it out of the lab and into actual mines it will be a big boost for a lot of junior miners in Canada that have small and/or low grade PGM ores.
IPO investors: Beware the dual-class stock - Commentary: When things go wrong, investors’ hands are tied
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Groupon is a dead skunk
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Groupon is a dead skunk
More than batteries: the Aerospace Industry will Play an ever Larger Role in the Development of Graphite and Graphene
"The main shaft in a turbofan engine rotates at near supersonic speed, generating a lot of heat, which can cause lubricant to leak if the seals fail. Graphite seals are more resistant than traditional ones; they generate less friction and ideal in such high temperature environments. Graphite and graphite coated composites can also be used in aircraft gearboxes and typically in any application where a high speed rotating shaft is involved. Graphene will probably replace all of the carbon fiber presently being used in the aerospace industry and the aerospace sector will lead the efforts to develop this new and stronger material."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This sounds real good.
"The main shaft in a turbofan engine rotates at near supersonic speed, generating a lot of heat, which can cause lubricant to leak if the seals fail. Graphite seals are more resistant than traditional ones; they generate less friction and ideal in such high temperature environments. Graphite and graphite coated composites can also be used in aircraft gearboxes and typically in any application where a high speed rotating shaft is involved. Graphene will probably replace all of the carbon fiber presently being used in the aerospace industry and the aerospace sector will lead the efforts to develop this new and stronger material."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This sounds real good.
Reserve Currency: China Sun Rises, U.S. Sun Sets
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Yup!
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Yup!
Graphite Industry outlook and Strike Graphite's positioning within
"Strike Graphite's properties are characterized by criteria that emphasize high-grade large-flake graphite backed up by exploration (historic drill holes on both properties, EM surveys, even some metallurgy at one) in a stable mining-friendly jurisdiction. Strike Graphite acquired its Saskatchewan graphite properties in mid-2011 after it had identified (a year earlier) that there existed a fundamental gap in the large flake graphite space looming on the horizon; for the amount of large flake graphite produced globally there is simply far too much demand and there is going to be conservatively about a 1 million tonne/annum gap over the next decade"
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is one to keep an eye on
"Strike Graphite's properties are characterized by criteria that emphasize high-grade large-flake graphite backed up by exploration (historic drill holes on both properties, EM surveys, even some metallurgy at one) in a stable mining-friendly jurisdiction. Strike Graphite acquired its Saskatchewan graphite properties in mid-2011 after it had identified (a year earlier) that there existed a fundamental gap in the large flake graphite space looming on the horizon; for the amount of large flake graphite produced globally there is simply far too much demand and there is going to be conservatively about a 1 million tonne/annum gap over the next decade"
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is one to keep an eye on
World's highest and longest tunnel-to-tunnel bridge set to open (in China)
"First, the construction of its 1,146m long main span suspension bridge that crosses its canyon; Second, the first use of a pylon and girder separation structure; Third, the first use of a rock anchor in suspension and the use of carbon fiber as its pre-stressed reinforcement material; and lastly, the first adoption of rail cable sliding
techniques used to erect the steel truss girder."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: And we keep hearing the chorus of bone heads chanting "Don't worry. The Chinese can't innovate so they'll always need our know how and our ALMIGHTY DOLLAR."
"First, the construction of its 1,146m long main span suspension bridge that crosses its canyon; Second, the first use of a pylon and girder separation structure; Third, the first use of a rock anchor in suspension and the use of carbon fiber as its pre-stressed reinforcement material; and lastly, the first adoption of rail cable sliding
techniques used to erect the steel truss girder."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: And we keep hearing the chorus of bone heads chanting "Don't worry. The Chinese can't innovate so they'll always need our know how and our ALMIGHTY DOLLAR."
Eight Out Of China’s Top Nine Government Officials Are Scientists
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: And 100% of US top government officials are on the Squid's payroll.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: And 100% of US top government officials are on the Squid's payroll.
Jack Lifton's Update on the HREE Derby: Congratulations Great Western Minerals.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: If I buy any more rare earth stock it will be Great Western Minerals.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: If I buy any more rare earth stock it will be Great Western Minerals.
Ahead Of the Herd With Strike Graphite
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: A must read before you buy ANY graphite stock. Plenty of useful facts here.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: A must read before you buy ANY graphite stock. Plenty of useful facts here.
Cobalt: Oversupply, New Projects to Keep Cobalt Prices Weak for Years
"... an oversupply of cobalt – which is primarily a by-product of nickel and copper mining – has come about due to “quite a few copper projects coming on board. Demand for cobalt has also increased, but there is also a lot of extra cobalt.”"
"... an oversupply of cobalt – which is primarily a by-product of nickel and copper mining – has come about due to “quite a few copper projects coming on board. Demand for cobalt has also increased, but there is also a lot of extra cobalt.”"
Will carbon fiber replace steel rebar in bridges and buildings?
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: That's the way it looks to me. The only question is the speed of the replacement process. It think carbon fiber replacing steel as a structual material is a huge and permanent global game changer. I'll have a ton more to say about this in the future.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: That's the way it looks to me. The only question is the speed of the replacement process. It think carbon fiber replacing steel as a structual material is a huge and permanent global game changer. I'll have a ton more to say about this in the future.
Dollar Death Watch: 10 Reasons Why The Dollar's Reign As The World Reserve Currency Is About To End
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The dollar dumping will be like a dam bursting or a huge sudden tsunami when the scorned dollars make their way back to the only place they are legal currency, the USA. There will be huge and permanent increases in the price of imported goods, such as oil, and huge and permanent increases in the prices of whatever can be exported, such as food. There will be huge and permanent drops in the prices of that which can neither be imported nor exported, such as housing and labor. Every major city will "Burn Baby Burn." The psycotics who run this country may stir up a major war to distract the peasants, or another conjured terrorist may do who-knows-what.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The dollar dumping will be like a dam bursting or a huge sudden tsunami when the scorned dollars make their way back to the only place they are legal currency, the USA. There will be huge and permanent increases in the price of imported goods, such as oil, and huge and permanent increases in the prices of whatever can be exported, such as food. There will be huge and permanent drops in the prices of that which can neither be imported nor exported, such as housing and labor. Every major city will "Burn Baby Burn." The psycotics who run this country may stir up a major war to distract the peasants, or another conjured terrorist may do who-knows-what.
Installation of the Neal (carbon fiber and concrete) bridge
Dr. Strange Investor opines: This stuff is the future
Dr. Strange Investor opines: This stuff is the future
Tungsten Filled 1 kilo Gold Bar Discovered in UK
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Big Fing Deal. Ft. Knox is full of tungsten ... if it has anything at all. And the same goes for every ETF in jolly old England. Furthermore, I have no idea if this tungsten bar thingy is a hoax or not. As far as I'm concerned the whole Western financial system is a 100% pure and huge mother of all hoaxes and swindles.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Big Fing Deal. Ft. Knox is full of tungsten ... if it has anything at all. And the same goes for every ETF in jolly old England. Furthermore, I have no idea if this tungsten bar thingy is a hoax or not. As far as I'm concerned the whole Western financial system is a 100% pure and huge mother of all hoaxes and swindles.
A Nation’s Metallurgical Achilles Heel by Rick Mills
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: A must read full of facts and it gives a excellent summary of the world's mining situation
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: A must read full of facts and it gives a excellent summary of the world's mining situation
10 Signs That America Is On The Verge Of A Horrible Municipal Debt Crisis
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Yup, it's coming. What's more a tsunami of money flowing back to the USA when we lose our reserve currency status will mean that every major city wil burn.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Yup, it's coming. What's more a tsunami of money flowing back to the USA when we lose our reserve currency status will mean that every major city wil burn.
Palladium: The not-so-precious metal by Richard Bloch
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I think there are three major things that would ruin platinum/palladium as gambles.
1: The replacement of ICE powered cars (ICE=internal combustion engine) by battery powered cars.
2: The discovery of some cheaper substance for use as the catalyst in internal combustion engines.
3: The discovery of major new sources of platinum and palladium.
I'm betting battery powered cars are a joke (except for the Kandi technology way)
I'm betting we're stuck with platinum/palladium as catalysts because all other elements (and countless compounds) have been tried and they can't do the job.
I'm betting that platinum/palladium will remain hyper scarce because South Africa, Russia and Canada have been pretty well explored and the platinum group metals are the hardest to find in exploitable concentrations. I may buy some Canadian platinum/palladium mining stocks because I'm betting we're headed for a fierce shortage of platinum/palladium due to the massive and ongoing industrialization of the world (especially in Asia).
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I think there are three major things that would ruin platinum/palladium as gambles.
1: The replacement of ICE powered cars (ICE=internal combustion engine) by battery powered cars.
2: The discovery of some cheaper substance for use as the catalyst in internal combustion engines.
3: The discovery of major new sources of platinum and palladium.
I'm betting battery powered cars are a joke (except for the Kandi technology way)
I'm betting we're stuck with platinum/palladium as catalysts because all other elements (and countless compounds) have been tried and they can't do the job.
I'm betting that platinum/palladium will remain hyper scarce because South Africa, Russia and Canada have been pretty well explored and the platinum group metals are the hardest to find in exploitable concentrations. I may buy some Canadian platinum/palladium mining stocks because I'm betting we're headed for a fierce shortage of platinum/palladium due to the massive and ongoing industrialization of the world (especially in Asia).
Dollar Death Watch: China Considers Opening Up The Renminbi
Apparently making progress on the IMF issue gave the two top level delegations sufficient momentum to tackle the local settlement issue in a coherent fashion. A considerable amount of work remains to be done before agreement on local settlement will be reached. But the scale of trade between the two countries has reached the point where translating everything into dollars makes little sense – not least because dollar settlement comes at the price of exposure to fluctuations in the value of the dollar and involves an additional currency risk for both partners. According to the Japanese Trade Organisation, trade between China and Japan increased by 14% through 2011 to set a new record of almost $345 billion. Moreover, Japan is not the only country to be seeking to push China in the direction of yuan settlement. It’s Asian trading partners would also prefer this, as would the EU and Britain
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This does it. I'm not buying a single American stock.
Apparently making progress on the IMF issue gave the two top level delegations sufficient momentum to tackle the local settlement issue in a coherent fashion. A considerable amount of work remains to be done before agreement on local settlement will be reached. But the scale of trade between the two countries has reached the point where translating everything into dollars makes little sense – not least because dollar settlement comes at the price of exposure to fluctuations in the value of the dollar and involves an additional currency risk for both partners. According to the Japanese Trade Organisation, trade between China and Japan increased by 14% through 2011 to set a new record of almost $345 billion. Moreover, Japan is not the only country to be seeking to push China in the direction of yuan settlement. It’s Asian trading partners would also prefer this, as would the EU and Britain
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This does it. I'm not buying a single American stock.
Is the UK set to miss out on the graphene revolution
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Of course the UK will miss out on the graphene revolution because just like the USA it's run by a pack of useless, blood sucking banksters. The Asians will make grahene and put it into actual products. " ... graphene sheets are now being produced that are up to a metre in length."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Of course the UK will miss out on the graphene revolution because just like the USA it's run by a pack of useless, blood sucking banksters. The Asians will make grahene and put it into actual products. " ... graphene sheets are now being produced that are up to a metre in length."
Incoming ... and it aint no fortune cookie.
China's Air Force Modernizes On Dual Tracks
"As China starts to put together a modern, integrated air force, which could reach 1,000 fighters by 2020, it is developing the components of a future force of stealthier combat aircraft, new bombers and unmanned, hypersonic and possibly space-based combat platforms. These could emerge as soon as the early 2020s."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I just heard on the Discovery Channel that the Chinese have build so many skyscrapers in Shanghai that it is sinking at the rate of 1/2 inch per year.
"As China starts to put together a modern, integrated air force, which could reach 1,000 fighters by 2020, it is developing the components of a future force of stealthier combat aircraft, new bombers and unmanned, hypersonic and possibly space-based combat platforms. These could emerge as soon as the early 2020s."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I just heard on the Discovery Channel that the Chinese have build so many skyscrapers in Shanghai that it is sinking at the rate of 1/2 inch per year.
The dirty secret of carbon fiber (it's basically impossible to recycle)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I'm not too worried about this. Either clever chemists will find a way to recycle it or the problem will be ignored and the stuff dumped into landfills like all the other trash we can't recycle.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I'm not too worried about this. Either clever chemists will find a way to recycle it or the problem will be ignored and the stuff dumped into landfills like all the other trash we can't recycle.
Plan Nord
Official Qubec Government Site Concerning "Plan Nord"
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I think they are serious. I will try to get (and post below) the names of companies that should benefit from this impressive project.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I think they are serious. I will try to get (and post below) the names of companies that should benefit from this impressive project.
Rare Earth Bull by Jack Lifton
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: A Must Read
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: A Must Read
Dollar Death Watch: China Moves To Further Marginalize Dollar: Offers CNY-Denominated BRIC Loans
Alpha Hunter Louis-Vincent Gave On Opportunities In China
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This guy has it basically all right except the bit about the USD remaining the world's reserve currency. Any and all currencies are backed by what goodies they will fetch in the market place and what a currency will fetch in the market place is largely determined by how many goodies the issusing nation makes. Furthermore, I dispute that widely-held notion that the world needs a so-called reserve currency. Multiple currencies are just fine as long as they can fetch real goodies in the market place.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This guy has it basically all right except the bit about the USD remaining the world's reserve currency. Any and all currencies are backed by what goodies they will fetch in the market place and what a currency will fetch in the market place is largely determined by how many goodies the issusing nation makes. Furthermore, I dispute that widely-held notion that the world needs a so-called reserve currency. Multiple currencies are just fine as long as they can fetch real goodies in the market place.
How the U.S. Became 'The China of Refined' Gasoline
"While the U.S. is becoming less reliant on foreign crude, the world is becoming more reliant on gasoline and diesel fuel refined in the U.S. This week, we learned that in 2011, the U.S. became a net exporter of gasoline, diesel and other fuels for the first time since 1949. Such refined products were the top U.S. export in 2011, beating out such staples of U.S. manufacturing as Detroit’s autos and Boeing’s airplanes. “We have become the China of refined products,” says Fadel Gheit, a senior
energy analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. “We’re dumping product into other countries’ backyards.” Just as Chinese manufacturers are able to make many products for a cheaper price due to lower material and labor costs, U.S. refiners have two key competitive advantages over foreign rivals: cheaper natural gas and access to a cheap, abundant supply of oil. Natural gas is a key raw material for refineries, which use it predominantly as a source of fuel to operate. Since last summer, the price has fallen 50 percent in the U.S., while hydraulic fracturing methods have significantly increased the supply of natural gas in the U.S. More importantly, the price of the crude oil that most U.S. refineries process has been trading at a steep discount to the international supplies of crude that foreign refineries have to use. Most foreign refineries buy oil that’s pegged to the price of Brent crude, which has risen more than 25 percent in the past year due to the uprisings in Libya and Egypt and recent concern over Iranian oil disruption. Meanwhile, U.S. refineries in the Midwest and Gulf Coast process crude that’s pegged to the price of West Texas intermediate, which has stayed low, thanks to all the oil gushing out of North America. Since 2009, North Dakota has more than doubled its monthly oil production to 16 million barrels as of December 2011, surpassing the output of Ecuador late last year. That supply has kept WTI-priced oils cheap, while the cost of Brent-priced oils
has skyrocketed." “This cheaper supply of crude has given U.S. refineries a tremendous competitive advantage over their competition,” Gheit says. “Just like China, we are using cheaper raw materials to sell a product priced in a global market.”
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I am of the opinion that long term the USA is toast because unlike the wise, industrious and thrifty Chinese we are not investing in capital goods. However, between now and the starvation and civil war that await us there will be some remarkable ups and downs. I think a huge (YES, HUGE) upsurge in the stock market in the near future is a real possibility and that's one reason I keep buying stocks.
"While the U.S. is becoming less reliant on foreign crude, the world is becoming more reliant on gasoline and diesel fuel refined in the U.S. This week, we learned that in 2011, the U.S. became a net exporter of gasoline, diesel and other fuels for the first time since 1949. Such refined products were the top U.S. export in 2011, beating out such staples of U.S. manufacturing as Detroit’s autos and Boeing’s airplanes. “We have become the China of refined products,” says Fadel Gheit, a senior
energy analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. “We’re dumping product into other countries’ backyards.” Just as Chinese manufacturers are able to make many products for a cheaper price due to lower material and labor costs, U.S. refiners have two key competitive advantages over foreign rivals: cheaper natural gas and access to a cheap, abundant supply of oil. Natural gas is a key raw material for refineries, which use it predominantly as a source of fuel to operate. Since last summer, the price has fallen 50 percent in the U.S., while hydraulic fracturing methods have significantly increased the supply of natural gas in the U.S. More importantly, the price of the crude oil that most U.S. refineries process has been trading at a steep discount to the international supplies of crude that foreign refineries have to use. Most foreign refineries buy oil that’s pegged to the price of Brent crude, which has risen more than 25 percent in the past year due to the uprisings in Libya and Egypt and recent concern over Iranian oil disruption. Meanwhile, U.S. refineries in the Midwest and Gulf Coast process crude that’s pegged to the price of West Texas intermediate, which has stayed low, thanks to all the oil gushing out of North America. Since 2009, North Dakota has more than doubled its monthly oil production to 16 million barrels as of December 2011, surpassing the output of Ecuador late last year. That supply has kept WTI-priced oils cheap, while the cost of Brent-priced oils
has skyrocketed." “This cheaper supply of crude has given U.S. refineries a tremendous competitive advantage over their competition,” Gheit says. “Just like China, we are using cheaper raw materials to sell a product priced in a global market.”
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I am of the opinion that long term the USA is toast because unlike the wise, industrious and thrifty Chinese we are not investing in capital goods. However, between now and the starvation and civil war that await us there will be some remarkable ups and downs. I think a huge (YES, HUGE) upsurge in the stock market in the near future is a real possibility and that's one reason I keep buying stocks.
The Seductive Nuclear Power of Thorium
"To generate 1000MW of electricity for one year in a conventional reactor you would need 250kg of natural uranium. From this, 35kg of enriched uranium can be
extracted for use as fuel, resulting in 35kg of highly radioactive spent fuel, in addition to the 215kg of less radioactive depleted uranium discarded in the process of enrichment. For the same amount of energy, using a liquid fluoride reactor, you would need only 1kg of thorium, resulting in 1kg of waste, which contains no uranium or plutonium. Eighty-three percent of this waste becomes stable within 10 years and can then be sold for use in other applications, with only the remaining 17% required to be buried -- but then only for 300 years, compared with the thousands of years required for uranium fuel waste."
"To generate 1000MW of electricity for one year in a conventional reactor you would need 250kg of natural uranium. From this, 35kg of enriched uranium can be
extracted for use as fuel, resulting in 35kg of highly radioactive spent fuel, in addition to the 215kg of less radioactive depleted uranium discarded in the process of enrichment. For the same amount of energy, using a liquid fluoride reactor, you would need only 1kg of thorium, resulting in 1kg of waste, which contains no uranium or plutonium. Eighty-three percent of this waste becomes stable within 10 years and can then be sold for use in other applications, with only the remaining 17% required to be buried -- but then only for 300 years, compared with the thousands of years required for uranium fuel waste."
Tri-Tech Holding Recognized as Top 10 Emerging Enterprise in China's Water Industry
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: An under the radar stock that could become a ten bagger
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: An under the radar stock that could become a ten bagger
Focus Metals prepares to gain momentum as we start into a new year
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: It has always been my plan to "swing for the fences." I'm a gambler, plain and simple. I am not the least bit interested in saving nickles and dimes for bingo games in the old folks' home. My sole goal is go get filthy rich as soon as possible and I'm perfectly willing to risk everything. Focus Metals looks to me like a buy at anything less tan $10.00 a share. I may buy some more today.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: It has always been my plan to "swing for the fences." I'm a gambler, plain and simple. I am not the least bit interested in saving nickles and dimes for bingo games in the old folks' home. My sole goal is go get filthy rich as soon as possible and I'm perfectly willing to risk everything. Focus Metals looks to me like a buy at anything less tan $10.00 a share. I may buy some more today.
New Mediterranean oil and gas bonanza F. William Engdahl
"The USGS calculated the total for the eastern Mediterranean as a whole currently at 345 tcf of gas and 3.4 billion barrels of oil. Suddenly the entire region is facing completely new geopolitical challenges and conflict potential. To put the numbers in perspective, the USGS estimates that Russia’s West Siberian Basin, the world’s largest known gas basin, holds 643 tcf of gas.
"The USGS calculated the total for the eastern Mediterranean as a whole currently at 345 tcf of gas and 3.4 billion barrels of oil. Suddenly the entire region is facing completely new geopolitical challenges and conflict potential. To put the numbers in perspective, the USGS estimates that Russia’s West Siberian Basin, the world’s largest known gas basin, holds 643 tcf of gas.
Investing In Palladium by Investment U at Seeking Alpha
"These geologic forces have been kind in providing concentrated gold and silver deposits, as mining these metals is active in nearly all settled territories and countries. The same cannot be said, however, about palladium. (Or for the other PGMs) Concentrated palladium deposits are exceedingly scarce. The most extensive deposits are located in just two regions, the Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa and the Norilsk Complex in Russia."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: A must read about palladium.
"These geologic forces have been kind in providing concentrated gold and silver deposits, as mining these metals is active in nearly all settled territories and countries. The same cannot be said, however, about palladium. (Or for the other PGMs) Concentrated palladium deposits are exceedingly scarce. The most extensive deposits are located in just two regions, the Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa and the Norilsk Complex in Russia."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: A must read about palladium.
Heavy rare earths - the 16 most advanced projects.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This link has a very interesting list of the heavy rare earths percentage at many major rare earth ore bodies.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This link has a very interesting list of the heavy rare earths percentage at many major rare earth ore bodies.
Beryllium Experiences A Renaissance by Harold Hough
"The open pit Utah mine and plant is owned by Materion. In addition to processing bertrandite, the facility also processes about 20 metric tones of imported beryl, which is a higher grade beryllium ore. Despite the new applications, it is the beryllium copper alloy that remains at the core of beryllium uses. It has a greater tensile strength and hardness than any other copper alloy. The alloy is used in springs and other parts that must retain their shapes when they are subjected to repeated strain. It is also used in low-current contacts for batteries and electrical connectors. That means it’s found in cell phones and high definition TVs. It’s true that other
copper alloys can be used in place of copper beryllium, but only with reduced performance. And, while the Department of Defense is trying to rid itself of many of its stockpiles of strategic minerals, beryllium is considered the only critical metal by the United States Department of Defense."
"The open pit Utah mine and plant is owned by Materion. In addition to processing bertrandite, the facility also processes about 20 metric tones of imported beryl, which is a higher grade beryllium ore. Despite the new applications, it is the beryllium copper alloy that remains at the core of beryllium uses. It has a greater tensile strength and hardness than any other copper alloy. The alloy is used in springs and other parts that must retain their shapes when they are subjected to repeated strain. It is also used in low-current contacts for batteries and electrical connectors. That means it’s found in cell phones and high definition TVs. It’s true that other
copper alloys can be used in place of copper beryllium, but only with reduced performance. And, while the Department of Defense is trying to rid itself of many of its stockpiles of strategic minerals, beryllium is considered the only critical metal by the United States Department of Defense."
Under-the-Radar Rare Earth Elements: James Passin
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: International Isotopes looks interesting.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: International Isotopes looks interesting.
Palladium Investments Declines as Stricter Emissions Apply
"Though off-road emissions standards are not new, they are changing in efforts to close the gap between them and those imposed on road bound vehicles. Tier 4 Interim as the new legislation is called in the US, and Stage IIIB as it is called in the EU, accompanied by similar measures in Japan aim to put a tighter clamp on pollution from sources such as agricultural and industrial equipment. This will be accomplished over the next few years as limits are phased in according to engine size. In 2014, North America will be subject to an even stricter bundle of regulations known as Tier 4 Final. The EU will be regulated by Stage IV and Japan will follow with a similar bundle of legislation taking effect in 2015. By this time, nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions are supposed to be at near zero levels for off-road machinery regulated by these laws.Off-road emissions standards and palladium demand David Wilson, Director of Metals Research with Societe General, projects that off road emissions control will affect over 600,000 non-road mobile machinery units per annum."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The above article was first posted on this site in November 2011 but I think it deserves a second read. I am very bullish on palladium. The platinum group metals seem to be the rarest of all metals and there seems to be no real world substitutes for PGMs in catalytic converters. However, it seems that palladium can be substituted for platinum in some cases so in theory palladium prices should tend to rise to the price of platiunm and platinum is about 3 times as costly as palladium.
"Though off-road emissions standards are not new, they are changing in efforts to close the gap between them and those imposed on road bound vehicles. Tier 4 Interim as the new legislation is called in the US, and Stage IIIB as it is called in the EU, accompanied by similar measures in Japan aim to put a tighter clamp on pollution from sources such as agricultural and industrial equipment. This will be accomplished over the next few years as limits are phased in according to engine size. In 2014, North America will be subject to an even stricter bundle of regulations known as Tier 4 Final. The EU will be regulated by Stage IV and Japan will follow with a similar bundle of legislation taking effect in 2015. By this time, nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions are supposed to be at near zero levels for off-road machinery regulated by these laws.Off-road emissions standards and palladium demand David Wilson, Director of Metals Research with Societe General, projects that off road emissions control will affect over 600,000 non-road mobile machinery units per annum."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The above article was first posted on this site in November 2011 but I think it deserves a second read. I am very bullish on palladium. The platinum group metals seem to be the rarest of all metals and there seems to be no real world substitutes for PGMs in catalytic converters. However, it seems that palladium can be substituted for platinum in some cases so in theory palladium prices should tend to rise to the price of platiunm and platinum is about 3 times as costly as palladium.
Angry About High Gas Prices? Blame Shuttered Oil Refineries
"The U.S. has lost nearly 5 percent of its refining capacity in the past three months, as a handful of old refineries have shut down."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Contains some interesting info bits about the US oil business.
"The U.S. has lost nearly 5 percent of its refining capacity in the past three months, as a handful of old refineries have shut down."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Contains some interesting info bits about the US oil business.
China developes 5-Yr. plan for rare earths use
"the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said the plan involved increasing efforts to improve rare earth functional materials, bolster endeavors meant to expand the implementations of new materials produced with rare earth, promote its application in high-end manufacturing, and increase product added-value. The plan, which also outlines the advancement of China's new material industry, lists down the expansion of six types of advanced materials, namely new inorganic non-metal materials, advanced macromolecular materials, high performance composite materials, special metal functional materials, high-end metal structural materials, and frontier new materials"
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is straight from the Dragon's mouth. The Chinese keep telling the world exactly what they are going to do and the Wall Street clowns just don't get the message. I'm betting the ranch that China will become a ravenous importer of rare earths and other rare and critical metals.
"the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said the plan involved increasing efforts to improve rare earth functional materials, bolster endeavors meant to expand the implementations of new materials produced with rare earth, promote its application in high-end manufacturing, and increase product added-value. The plan, which also outlines the advancement of China's new material industry, lists down the expansion of six types of advanced materials, namely new inorganic non-metal materials, advanced macromolecular materials, high performance composite materials, special metal functional materials, high-end metal structural materials, and frontier new materials"
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is straight from the Dragon's mouth. The Chinese keep telling the world exactly what they are going to do and the Wall Street clowns just don't get the message. I'm betting the ranch that China will become a ravenous importer of rare earths and other rare and critical metals.
The Sinopec File: Pollution, bribes, more. Nikiforuk pries open the record of China's oil giant.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is just a load of BS from a media outlet sucking up to "The City" over in the UK. I just put in a bid to buy 2,300 shares of Sinopec at $0.39 a share. Sinopec is trading close to the low end its 52 week range and it seems to have a bright future in a great nation with an inovative and progressive economic plan.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is just a load of BS from a media outlet sucking up to "The City" over in the UK. I just put in a bid to buy 2,300 shares of Sinopec at $0.39 a share. Sinopec is trading close to the low end its 52 week range and it seems to have a bright future in a great nation with an inovative and progressive economic plan.
A123: Clear Sector Leader In Lithium-Ion Battery Space by John Petersen
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Based on Mr. Petersen's views I'm adding A123 Systems to my buy list and will probably get some stock soon.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Based on Mr. Petersen's views I'm adding A123 Systems to my buy list and will probably get some stock soon.
China Will Take Over the World's Aerospace Industry.
MAG sells first (carbon fiber) tape laying system to China.
"MAG has made its first sale of a composite tape-laying system to the Chinese aerospace industry. It’s the first time any U.S. company has sold a composite processing system to China. Financial details were not disclosed. The new Charger contour tape layer from the Erlanger-based machine tool maker is to be installed at Shanghai Aircraft, a production facility for Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China. It will produce wings, horizontal stabilizers and central wing boxes for COMAC’s C919 commercial passenger jet, which is slated to
enter service in 2016."
Wikipedia: China's COMAC C919
"Design and assembly of the aircraft will be done in Shanghai, using foreign-made jet engines and avionics. However, China has expressed its desire to eventually produce a locally-made engine for the C919. It has been announced that Michelin will supply Air X radial tyres. The center wing box, outer wing box, wing panels, flaps and ailerons are planned to be built in Xi'an, China. The center fuselage sections are planned to be built in Hongdu, China. CFM International will supply a version of the LEAP-X engine, the LEAP-X1C, to power the aircraft. The engine's nacelle, thrust reverser and exhaust system will be provided by Nexcelle, with such features as an advanced inlet configuration, the extensive use of composites and acoustic treatment and an electrically-operated thrust reverser. Dimensions of the C919 are very similar to the Airbus A320, possibly to allow for a common pallet to be used."
And they will take over the helicopter business as well
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Can you say "Reverse Engineering?" I knew you could. Make note of all the Western firms supplying technology to build this Chinese plane. By the way, please do not think that I'm hacking on China for ... uh, borrowing ... foreign technology. I salute them because the Chinese government is determined to raise the living standard of the Chinese people and their plan to accomplish this noble task is to constantly move up the so-called value added manufacturing chain, which simply means building more and more high tech gizmos and less of the cheap junk you see in Wal-Mart.
"MAG has made its first sale of a composite tape-laying system to the Chinese aerospace industry. It’s the first time any U.S. company has sold a composite processing system to China. Financial details were not disclosed. The new Charger contour tape layer from the Erlanger-based machine tool maker is to be installed at Shanghai Aircraft, a production facility for Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China. It will produce wings, horizontal stabilizers and central wing boxes for COMAC’s C919 commercial passenger jet, which is slated to
enter service in 2016."
Wikipedia: China's COMAC C919
"Design and assembly of the aircraft will be done in Shanghai, using foreign-made jet engines and avionics. However, China has expressed its desire to eventually produce a locally-made engine for the C919. It has been announced that Michelin will supply Air X radial tyres. The center wing box, outer wing box, wing panels, flaps and ailerons are planned to be built in Xi'an, China. The center fuselage sections are planned to be built in Hongdu, China. CFM International will supply a version of the LEAP-X engine, the LEAP-X1C, to power the aircraft. The engine's nacelle, thrust reverser and exhaust system will be provided by Nexcelle, with such features as an advanced inlet configuration, the extensive use of composites and acoustic treatment and an electrically-operated thrust reverser. Dimensions of the C919 are very similar to the Airbus A320, possibly to allow for a common pallet to be used."
And they will take over the helicopter business as well
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Can you say "Reverse Engineering?" I knew you could. Make note of all the Western firms supplying technology to build this Chinese plane. By the way, please do not think that I'm hacking on China for ... uh, borrowing ... foreign technology. I salute them because the Chinese government is determined to raise the living standard of the Chinese people and their plan to accomplish this noble task is to constantly move up the so-called value added manufacturing chain, which simply means building more and more high tech gizmos and less of the cheap junk you see in Wal-Mart.
Graphite and Rare Earth Metals for the 21st Century by Jack Lifton
"Northern Graphite's Bissett Creek graphite project has a number of significant advantages over other graphite deposits. It is located about two hours east of Ottawa, the nation's capital, and 10 miles from the TransCanada highway and associated natural gas pipeline, power lines and small communities where workers can live. It is five hours by truck from the port of Montreal and less than one day by truck from the major steel and automotive centers in the northeast United States. Bissett Creek itself is a very large, low-grade deposit that is located right at the surface, which means it will be mined by simple open pit methods and will have a very low waste-to-ore ratio. It is also very flat lying and therefore production can be expanded by moving laterally rather than going deeper, which is much more expensive. North Graphite's original NI 43-101 report contemplated an operation producing 20,000 tons of graphite per year for over 40 years. Since that time, the resource has more than doubled and it is still open to the north and down dip. This indicates the deposit could support production of 70-80,000 tons per year and still have a mine life of more than 20 years. We do not know of any other graphite deposit in the world that has this degree of scalability and believe that at this production level it would be the largest graphite mine in the world. This feature should make it very attractive to potential strategic partners that want to secure a stable source of long-term supply to meet growing demand. Another feature that makes Bissett Creek quite unique is that almost 100% of production will be large-flake (+80 mesh), high-purity graphite. Recent metallurgical test results have shown that 50% of production will be even larger, +48 mesh jumbo flake, which will result in premium pricing. We believe Bissett Creek will produce concentrates that have the highest average value per ton in the industry. While Bissett Creek will not be the lowest cost operation due to its relatively low grade, its near-surface nature and low strip ratio will help to balance this disadvantage out, meaning that costs will be in the middle of the pack. Bissett Creek should generate the highest margin per-ton of concentrate in the industry."
"Northern Graphite's Bissett Creek graphite project has a number of significant advantages over other graphite deposits. It is located about two hours east of Ottawa, the nation's capital, and 10 miles from the TransCanada highway and associated natural gas pipeline, power lines and small communities where workers can live. It is five hours by truck from the port of Montreal and less than one day by truck from the major steel and automotive centers in the northeast United States. Bissett Creek itself is a very large, low-grade deposit that is located right at the surface, which means it will be mined by simple open pit methods and will have a very low waste-to-ore ratio. It is also very flat lying and therefore production can be expanded by moving laterally rather than going deeper, which is much more expensive. North Graphite's original NI 43-101 report contemplated an operation producing 20,000 tons of graphite per year for over 40 years. Since that time, the resource has more than doubled and it is still open to the north and down dip. This indicates the deposit could support production of 70-80,000 tons per year and still have a mine life of more than 20 years. We do not know of any other graphite deposit in the world that has this degree of scalability and believe that at this production level it would be the largest graphite mine in the world. This feature should make it very attractive to potential strategic partners that want to secure a stable source of long-term supply to meet growing demand. Another feature that makes Bissett Creek quite unique is that almost 100% of production will be large-flake (+80 mesh), high-purity graphite. Recent metallurgical test results have shown that 50% of production will be even larger, +48 mesh jumbo flake, which will result in premium pricing. We believe Bissett Creek will produce concentrates that have the highest average value per ton in the industry. While Bissett Creek will not be the lowest cost operation due to its relatively low grade, its near-surface nature and low strip ratio will help to balance this disadvantage out, meaning that costs will be in the middle of the pack. Bissett Creek should generate the highest margin per-ton of concentrate in the industry."
A Crash Course On Graphite And Profitable Graphene by Byron King
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I like to buy stocks that have a potential to go ballistic. And if they don't go ballistic these stocks can still be sold for something which will at least in theory keep me from losing my entire stake. The stocks of the graphite mines I'm buying are a good example of this strategy. If graphene really is the new gollygeewhiz stuff that changes everything I'll make a bundle. If graphene remains just a laboratory curosity then the graphite can still be sold for its many established uses.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I like to buy stocks that have a potential to go ballistic. And if they don't go ballistic these stocks can still be sold for something which will at least in theory keep me from losing my entire stake. The stocks of the graphite mines I'm buying are a good example of this strategy. If graphene really is the new gollygeewhiz stuff that changes everything I'll make a bundle. If graphene remains just a laboratory curosity then the graphite can still be sold for its many established uses.
Playing the Rare Earths Summit by Matthew Smith
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Based on what Mr. Smith says about Avalon's hanky panky with its shares I will not buy any Avalon shares, there are much better prospects elsewhere.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Based on what Mr. Smith says about Avalon's hanky panky with its shares I will not buy any Avalon shares, there are much better prospects elsewhere.
Rare Earth Metals-Not Your Father's Mining Biz by Byron King
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Mr. King says Stans Energy could go from its present $1.54 a share to "the $20.00 range" in four years. It has always been my publicly stated plan to "swing for the fences" and Stans Energy is a gamble worth taking. Mr. King also likes UCore Rare Metals.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Mr. King says Stans Energy could go from its present $1.54 a share to "the $20.00 range" in four years. It has always been my publicly stated plan to "swing for the fences" and Stans Energy is a gamble worth taking. Mr. King also likes UCore Rare Metals.
New direction for China shale gas reserves
"The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated that there was 1.275-QUADRILLION-cubic-feet-worth of “technically recoverable” shale gas in China. By comparison, the U.S. – which has led the way with the development of shale gas – has “only” 862 trillion cubic feet."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines. I don't even know what a "QUADRILLION" is but evidence is piling up that economically recoverable oil and natural gas exist in huge abundance all over the globe due to pit mining and new drilling techniques such as fracking. This abundance of relatively cheap fuel plus even cheaper electricity provided by new generation nuclear reactors will cause a massive economic boom in all nations willing to embrace both. China and India will lead the way and the USA and Europe will probably wither. My plan to make a buck off this ongoing revolution is to buy stock in platinum and palladium mines (and other metals). All the vehicles burning this cheap fuel will need catalyic converters. Platinum and palladium exist in recoverable quantities in just a handful of locations on this planet and unless new deposits are found or a new way to make catalytic converters is found - the price of platinum and palladium will soar to a multiple of gold. I've been saying all along that peak oil is rubbish and that peak metals is the real problem. I will be posting more links backing up my assertions so visit this site often.
"The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated that there was 1.275-QUADRILLION-cubic-feet-worth of “technically recoverable” shale gas in China. By comparison, the U.S. – which has led the way with the development of shale gas – has “only” 862 trillion cubic feet."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines. I don't even know what a "QUADRILLION" is but evidence is piling up that economically recoverable oil and natural gas exist in huge abundance all over the globe due to pit mining and new drilling techniques such as fracking. This abundance of relatively cheap fuel plus even cheaper electricity provided by new generation nuclear reactors will cause a massive economic boom in all nations willing to embrace both. China and India will lead the way and the USA and Europe will probably wither. My plan to make a buck off this ongoing revolution is to buy stock in platinum and palladium mines (and other metals). All the vehicles burning this cheap fuel will need catalyic converters. Platinum and palladium exist in recoverable quantities in just a handful of locations on this planet and unless new deposits are found or a new way to make catalytic converters is found - the price of platinum and palladium will soar to a multiple of gold. I've been saying all along that peak oil is rubbish and that peak metals is the real problem. I will be posting more links backing up my assertions so visit this site often.
Dangdang: Next Amazon or next Apple by Kevin Chen
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I think Dangdang at less than $10.00 a share is a steal.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I think Dangdang at less than $10.00 a share is a steal.
Dollar Death Watch: India joins Dollar Exclusion Zone, will transact with Iran in Rupees
Following Ocean Oil Success, Brazil Goes Deep Sea Mining
"Last year, Toronto-listed Nautilus Minerals Inc. (TO: NUS) secured a mining lease from the government of Papua New Guinea to develop its Solwara copper mining project about 5,249 feet underwater in the Bismarck Sea. Underwater copper tends to have a higher grade than copper found on land. Solwara has an estimated 74,000 tons of copper and around 166,000 ounces of proven gold reserves."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I will neither buy nor recommend underwater mining stock. I don't think this bird will fly. However, I will keep an eye on it.
"Last year, Toronto-listed Nautilus Minerals Inc. (TO: NUS) secured a mining lease from the government of Papua New Guinea to develop its Solwara copper mining project about 5,249 feet underwater in the Bismarck Sea. Underwater copper tends to have a higher grade than copper found on land. Solwara has an estimated 74,000 tons of copper and around 166,000 ounces of proven gold reserves."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I will neither buy nor recommend underwater mining stock. I don't think this bird will fly. However, I will keep an eye on it.
Rare Earths Are About to Become a Lot More Rare by the Mad Hedge Fund Trader
"China’s Baotou Steel has announced its intention to start up the world’s first rare earths exchange. The move is expected to increase the liquidity and visibility of these valuable elements while reducing their trading costs. It turns out that you can’t build a hybrid or electric car, a wind turbine, thin film solar, LED’s, high performance batteries, or a cell phone without these elements. One Prius uses 25 kilograms of the stuff. You also can’t fight a modern war without rare earths, being essential for radar, missile guidance systems, navigation, and night vision goggles. That’s where things get interesting. China now produces 97% of the world’s rare earth supplies, much of it coming from small mines operating by criminal gangs where it is safe to say, concerns about environmental damage are nil. In 2009, China announced that would start restricting rare earth exports, possibly banning several, it is thought, in order to force foreigners to buy more of their downstream electronic
products."
"China’s Baotou Steel has announced its intention to start up the world’s first rare earths exchange. The move is expected to increase the liquidity and visibility of these valuable elements while reducing their trading costs. It turns out that you can’t build a hybrid or electric car, a wind turbine, thin film solar, LED’s, high performance batteries, or a cell phone without these elements. One Prius uses 25 kilograms of the stuff. You also can’t fight a modern war without rare earths, being essential for radar, missile guidance systems, navigation, and night vision goggles. That’s where things get interesting. China now produces 97% of the world’s rare earth supplies, much of it coming from small mines operating by criminal gangs where it is safe to say, concerns about environmental damage are nil. In 2009, China announced that would start restricting rare earth exports, possibly banning several, it is thought, in order to force foreigners to buy more of their downstream electronic
products."
Graph of gold/platinum ratio 1975-2011
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: To me this graph says "dump gold and buy platinum." I sold my two ounces of gold in 2011 and I will probably never buy gold again unless it sinks to $300 a troy ounce, which seems totally unlikely at this time. A nation MUST HAVE platinum (and palladium) to have modern industy but a nation can get along just fine without much gold because gold has few industrial uses. The going price of gold is driven by fear and mega crooks in London. I am wary of predicting the sum of these two factors. Currently, my thinking is that platinum and palladium are on sale due to a real and/or preceived slump in the world economy. on January 6, 2012 I bought 200 shares of North American Palladium (PAL) at $2.95 a share. (This comment posted Jan. 13, 2012)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: To me this graph says "dump gold and buy platinum." I sold my two ounces of gold in 2011 and I will probably never buy gold again unless it sinks to $300 a troy ounce, which seems totally unlikely at this time. A nation MUST HAVE platinum (and palladium) to have modern industy but a nation can get along just fine without much gold because gold has few industrial uses. The going price of gold is driven by fear and mega crooks in London. I am wary of predicting the sum of these two factors. Currently, my thinking is that platinum and palladium are on sale due to a real and/or preceived slump in the world economy. on January 6, 2012 I bought 200 shares of North American Palladium (PAL) at $2.95 a share. (This comment posted Jan. 13, 2012)
3 China stocks that made big gains in 2011 by In Wyatt
China’s shale-oil output could surpass production in the U.S. within the next five to 10 years, a development that would be a boon for China Petroleum, also known as Sinopec. The country reportedly is sitting on 1,275 trillion cubic feet of recoverable shale gas resources – by far the largest in the world. With eight of the top 10 refineries in China, Sinopec has become one of the world’s biggest oil producers. Through the first three quarters of 2011, the company raked in $295.5 billion – up 31% from the same period a year ago. With a new off-shore drilling deal to buy a 30% stake in a Portugese oil group’s Brazilian subsidiary, plus the expected shale-oil boom at home in China, Sinopec’s revenues may continue to climb."
China’s shale-oil output could surpass production in the U.S. within the next five to 10 years, a development that would be a boon for China Petroleum, also known as Sinopec. The country reportedly is sitting on 1,275 trillion cubic feet of recoverable shale gas resources – by far the largest in the world. With eight of the top 10 refineries in China, Sinopec has become one of the world’s biggest oil producers. Through the first three quarters of 2011, the company raked in $295.5 billion – up 31% from the same period a year ago. With a new off-shore drilling deal to buy a 30% stake in a Portugese oil group’s Brazilian subsidiary, plus the expected shale-oil boom at home in China, Sinopec’s revenues may continue to climb."
Dollar Death Watch: New Asian Union means the fall of the dollar
Dollar Death Watch: China and Japan to Bypass Dollar, Engage In Direct Currency Trade
Only 1% of China's 560 million urban dwellers have clean air - 80% of China's electrical power comes from burning coal.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is one major reason the Chinese will keep building dozens of nuke plants.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is one major reason the Chinese will keep building dozens of nuke plants.
Japan to buy ten billion worth of Chinese government bonds
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Another sign that the USA dollar is losing its status as the world's reserve currency.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Another sign that the USA dollar is losing its status as the world's reserve currency.
Why silver could take off from current levels (December, 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I think silver is a good buy at $20 or less per ounce. I buy one ounce Silver Eagles, I think that's the smart way to go.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I think silver is a good buy at $20 or less per ounce. I buy one ounce Silver Eagles, I think that's the smart way to go.
Robotics and Changing workplace dynamics
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: There is an ongoing and world-wide Industrial Revolution and China and the rest of Asia are leading the way.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: There is an ongoing and world-wide Industrial Revolution and China and the rest of Asia are leading the way.
Decoupling The Rare-Earth Junior-Mining Market From Emphasis On Molycorp And Lynas by Jack Lifton (Nov., 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This a must read
"China has grown into a world-class economic power through the extraordinary creation of a huge sustained rate of growth of its GDP, based on the marshaling of its national resources of people, resources, and capital into the largest single-goal-directed economic entity in mankind’s history. The single goal of the Chinese Communist Party, the sole political entity in China, is to raise the standard of living of all Chinese people as much as possible, by any means possible, in the shortest period of time. In China, the political system to achieve this is known as “socialism with Chinese characteristics” and the chosen economic system to achieve this goal as “capitalism with Chinese characteristics. China has been very lucky to have had a foundational leader to unify the country, albeit ruthlessly and brutally, who was followed in short order by a brilliant economic leader such as few countries have ever had. The Western democracies without even so much as an industrial plan, such as the USA, look economically precarious to the central economic planners of China, who themselves are dismissed as nothing more than the latest iteration of Soviet central planning. China is not following the Soviet model of the path to communism, but China learned from the Soviet failure, and it learned well. China, since the reforms of Deng Xiaoping, has created and nurtured until now an export-driven economy, which has allowed the Chinese to rapidly accumulate large amounts of reserve currencies (principally US dollars and Euros) representing the surplus of the payments they have received from their largest trading partners. China’s currency has not been allowed to become “convertible” in the free market. Its value vis a vis the reserve currencies, is set only by the Chinese government and not by the market. The Chinese store of assets anchored by its hard-currency reserves is the most powerful weapon in the history of economic nationalism. It now seems that the Chinese have become aware that the growth of their manufacturing economy is slowing, so that if a high “floor” rate of growth is to be maintained, then it is the time for some structural adjustments. China has stated as official policy that it now wants to transform itself into a mixed economy, led ultimately by domestic consumption. This means that the types and amounts of resources now allocated to export, will have to be reviewed to see what amounts of them will have to be redirected to support the growth of the domestic consumer economy.
With regard to HREEs, based on the information that I have about the deposits, management, markets and politics to be served by the potential rare-earth mines that can produce HREEs, I have reduced my interest in the space to the following. I may have missed a good one or included a bad one, but I think that the survivors in 2015 must be in my list today:
Avalon Rare Metals
Great Western Minerals Group
Matamec Explorations
Rare Element Resources
Tasman Metals
Ucore Rare Metals
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This a must read
"China has grown into a world-class economic power through the extraordinary creation of a huge sustained rate of growth of its GDP, based on the marshaling of its national resources of people, resources, and capital into the largest single-goal-directed economic entity in mankind’s history. The single goal of the Chinese Communist Party, the sole political entity in China, is to raise the standard of living of all Chinese people as much as possible, by any means possible, in the shortest period of time. In China, the political system to achieve this is known as “socialism with Chinese characteristics” and the chosen economic system to achieve this goal as “capitalism with Chinese characteristics. China has been very lucky to have had a foundational leader to unify the country, albeit ruthlessly and brutally, who was followed in short order by a brilliant economic leader such as few countries have ever had. The Western democracies without even so much as an industrial plan, such as the USA, look economically precarious to the central economic planners of China, who themselves are dismissed as nothing more than the latest iteration of Soviet central planning. China is not following the Soviet model of the path to communism, but China learned from the Soviet failure, and it learned well. China, since the reforms of Deng Xiaoping, has created and nurtured until now an export-driven economy, which has allowed the Chinese to rapidly accumulate large amounts of reserve currencies (principally US dollars and Euros) representing the surplus of the payments they have received from their largest trading partners. China’s currency has not been allowed to become “convertible” in the free market. Its value vis a vis the reserve currencies, is set only by the Chinese government and not by the market. The Chinese store of assets anchored by its hard-currency reserves is the most powerful weapon in the history of economic nationalism. It now seems that the Chinese have become aware that the growth of their manufacturing economy is slowing, so that if a high “floor” rate of growth is to be maintained, then it is the time for some structural adjustments. China has stated as official policy that it now wants to transform itself into a mixed economy, led ultimately by domestic consumption. This means that the types and amounts of resources now allocated to export, will have to be reviewed to see what amounts of them will have to be redirected to support the growth of the domestic consumer economy.
With regard to HREEs, based on the information that I have about the deposits, management, markets and politics to be served by the potential rare-earth mines that can produce HREEs, I have reduced my interest in the space to the following. I may have missed a good one or included a bad one, but I think that the survivors in 2015 must be in my list today:
Avalon Rare Metals
Great Western Minerals Group
Matamec Explorations
Rare Element Resources
Tasman Metals
Ucore Rare Metals
An Interview With China Expert Shaun Rein, Part 1
"The key trend for investors is China's shift from an export-oriented economy to a consumption-oriented economy. That shift has accelerated much faster than many investors realize in the past three years as labor and real estate costs have soared. Wages are increasing 20% a year in the main manufacturing hubs and office space in Shanghai is more expensive than in many Western capitals."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: China is now the BIG DOG of the world economy. The USA is just another Brazil. Get used to it.
"The key trend for investors is China's shift from an export-oriented economy to a consumption-oriented economy. That shift has accelerated much faster than many investors realize in the past three years as labor and real estate costs have soared. Wages are increasing 20% a year in the main manufacturing hubs and office space in Shanghai is more expensive than in many Western capitals."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: China is now the BIG DOG of the world economy. The USA is just another Brazil. Get used to it.
Subaru, Mitsubishi, BYD and GS Yuasa announce development of vanadium-based battery technology
"The impact that vanadium-based battery technology can have was clearly demonstrated when Germany's DBM Energy equipped an Audi A2 with its lithium-vanadium polymer battery and set a world distance record of 603 km on a single charge. Even more impressive was the company's claim that the battery could be re-charged in under 10 minutes using 240 volts of direct current."
"The impact that vanadium-based battery technology can have was clearly demonstrated when Germany's DBM Energy equipped an Audi A2 with its lithium-vanadium polymer battery and set a world distance record of 603 km on a single charge. Even more impressive was the company's claim that the battery could be re-charged in under 10 minutes using 240 volts of direct current."
The Huge Alberta Black Shale (Mining) Project and bio leaching (Brian Hicks - Sep., 2911)
"The Alberta Black Shale Project is a massive polymetallic formation (1,050 square miles) that contains cobalt, copper, gold, lithium, molybdenum, nickel, rare earths, silver, uranium, vanadium, and zinc. Similar to the history of the oil sands, geologists have known about the vast polymetallic black shales for decades, but considered the metal concentrations too low and the extraction methods too costly to make it economically feasible. But that all changed in 2008 when Finnish company Talvivaara Mining put a new extraction method called bioleaching into full production. Bioleaching is a process whereby metals are leached from ore as a result of a bacterial action. In a nutshell, the heat and waste from these bacteria separate the precious metals from the ore.bioleaching is a very slow process — one that requires years for good recovery rates."
"The Alberta Black Shale Project is a massive polymetallic formation (1,050 square miles) that contains cobalt, copper, gold, lithium, molybdenum, nickel, rare earths, silver, uranium, vanadium, and zinc. Similar to the history of the oil sands, geologists have known about the vast polymetallic black shales for decades, but considered the metal concentrations too low and the extraction methods too costly to make it economically feasible. But that all changed in 2008 when Finnish company Talvivaara Mining put a new extraction method called bioleaching into full production. Bioleaching is a process whereby metals are leached from ore as a result of a bacterial action. In a nutshell, the heat and waste from these bacteria separate the precious metals from the ore.bioleaching is a very slow process — one that requires years for good recovery rates."
Teijin to build carbon fiber/thermoplastic facility for autos
To introduce this cutting-edge technology to automakers, Teijin developed an electric-vehicle concept car earlier this year featuring a body structure made entirely of CFRTP components and weighing only 47 kg/104 lb — or roughly one-fifth the weight of a conventional automobile body structure.
To introduce this cutting-edge technology to automakers, Teijin developed an electric-vehicle concept car earlier this year featuring a body structure made entirely of CFRTP components and weighing only 47 kg/104 lb — or roughly one-fifth the weight of a conventional automobile body structure.
No hard landing in China and what that means for Investors
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is a must read article.
"Investors wishing to bet that the (Chinese) leadership can roll out their new economic model in time should stick to the seven industries the government itself outlined last year as “strategic.” These industries are targeted to have a 15% share of the economy by 2020, up from about 2% presently. These seven industries are:
1: Advanced materials
2: Alternative energy
3: Alternative fuel cars
4: Biotechnology
5: Environmental and energy saving technology
6: High-end equipment manufacturing
7: New-generation information technology.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is a must read article.
"Investors wishing to bet that the (Chinese) leadership can roll out their new economic model in time should stick to the seven industries the government itself outlined last year as “strategic.” These industries are targeted to have a 15% share of the economy by 2020, up from about 2% presently. These seven industries are:
1: Advanced materials
2: Alternative energy
3: Alternative fuel cars
4: Biotechnology
5: Environmental and energy saving technology
6: High-end equipment manufacturing
7: New-generation information technology.
Internet Phone Market Heats up
"Huawei and ZTE are delivering good quality, attractive smartphones on the Android platform for both the domestic and foreign markets, and their aggressive
pricing strategies are enabling them to ship large volumes," Nicole Peng from Canalys said. "They will continue to be an increasingly disruptive force in the global market in the coming quarters."Both Huawei and ZTE are offering low- and medium-priced smartphones to the market. The lowest price for ZTE's smartphones was around 1,000 yuan, compared with iPhone 4's 4,492 yuan."
"Huawei and ZTE are delivering good quality, attractive smartphones on the Android platform for both the domestic and foreign markets, and their aggressive
pricing strategies are enabling them to ship large volumes," Nicole Peng from Canalys said. "They will continue to be an increasingly disruptive force in the global market in the coming quarters."Both Huawei and ZTE are offering low- and medium-priced smartphones to the market. The lowest price for ZTE's smartphones was around 1,000 yuan, compared with iPhone 4's 4,492 yuan."
Russians to Drill Melting Artic with Nukes
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: and the Ruskies don't give a flying F if Al Gore likes it or not.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: and the Ruskies don't give a flying F if Al Gore likes it or not.
The Declining Importance of the U.S. as an Export Market (Keith Summers, 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I've said it before and I'll say it again: The USA is no longer the big dog, China is. I don't "fight the Fed." I don't even pay any intention to it. I pay attention to China.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I've said it before and I'll say it again: The USA is no longer the big dog, China is. I don't "fight the Fed." I don't even pay any intention to it. I pay attention to China.
Researchers discover doped aluminum (used as a catalyst) may make hydrogen fuel cells more practical
H1 US ore exports to China tops all 2010 USA ore exports to China (Sep. 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The USA is transforming into a third-world raw material plantation for China. May a special place in Hell be reserved for those who conceived, planned, carried out and profited from this rape and murder of our once great nation.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The USA is transforming into a third-world raw material plantation for China. May a special place in Hell be reserved for those who conceived, planned, carried out and profited from this rape and murder of our once great nation.
17 rare earth elements, the number is actually 52 (David Fessler - September, 20110)
"At least according to a new rare earths list published by the British Geological Survey (BGS). These include the standard list of 17 rare earth elements, 97% of which are produced in China. However, the list also includes other “technology metals” used in modern digital devices and things like solar panels, wind generators, and other green technologies, that are most at risk from supply disruption. The scary part is the list comprises nearly half the elements in the entire periodic table. You can see the entire list here. The supply risk index runs from 1 (very low risk) to 10 (very high risk). What isn’t widely known, however is that it (China) dominates the global production of all 52 of the elements on the BGS list. BGS published the list to bring attention to the direness of the situation, in hopes policy makers will see the need to facilitate diversifying the sourcing of the more critical ones."
"At least according to a new rare earths list published by the British Geological Survey (BGS). These include the standard list of 17 rare earth elements, 97% of which are produced in China. However, the list also includes other “technology metals” used in modern digital devices and things like solar panels, wind generators, and other green technologies, that are most at risk from supply disruption. The scary part is the list comprises nearly half the elements in the entire periodic table. You can see the entire list here. The supply risk index runs from 1 (very low risk) to 10 (very high risk). What isn’t widely known, however is that it (China) dominates the global production of all 52 of the elements on the BGS list. BGS published the list to bring attention to the direness of the situation, in hopes policy makers will see the need to facilitate diversifying the sourcing of the more critical ones."
China Watch
Is China ready to pull the plug on U.S. Treasury Debt? (Brandon Smith - September, 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: In its first stage of economic development China had no choice except to have a cheap currency because they had nothing to export except the labor of their citizens in the form of cheap manufactured products like the stuff you buy at Wal-Mart - Cheap export products means cheap currency. The Chinese wisely used the dollars they got to buy machine tools and technology to improve their manufacturing capabilities. While we were off shoring the Chinese were in shoring. Now that China is manufacturing more expensive products (such as capital goods and thus moving up the value added supply chain) Chinese currency will naturally become more valuable - Expensive export products means a strong currency. Also, due to an increase in manufacturing of all types China will require more and more imports of raw materials and a stronger currency will be to China's advantage. To those who say that the Chinese would be foolish to dump our Treasury debt and thus wipe out billions of their assets I have this to say: China is getting very close to being able have its currency supplant the U.S. dollar as the world's currency. This status as the world's reserve currency would reap such enormous benefits for China that the loss of a few trillion U.S. dollars is a trifle in comparison. In addition China is fed up with financing the USA military encirclement of their homeland by rolling over our treasury debt and thus financing the huge U.S. deficit caused by our enormous military spending. Hey, how would you feel if China had vast armies and military bases in Canada and Mexico? Would you be in favor of the USA loaning the Chinese money to finance those Chinese military bases? Moreover, Russia is also fed up with this ever expanding USA military capabilities around the entire globe and would certainly be in favor of Chinese currency being the world's reserve currency. And a lot of Europeans are of a like mind because they are afraid that America is set on provoking a war with both China and Russia. In a war of the USA vs. Russia Europe would certainly be a battleground and the Europeans will have no part of that insanity. Both Russian and the EU are doing more and more business with China and less and less with the USA. The one sure way to stop the American global military encroachment is to stop the financing of it and sooner or later the Chinese will do exactly that. When they do America will become an impoverished third-world country over night and all our major cities will burn in the initial stages of a 3,000 mile long Yugoslav-style civil war that will make the already terrible economic collapse so utterly severe that it will be irreversible. You've heard of ghost malls, right. Well, within 10 years America will become a ghost nation inhabited more by skeletons than living people. Thanks you very much all you Wall Street banksters.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: In its first stage of economic development China had no choice except to have a cheap currency because they had nothing to export except the labor of their citizens in the form of cheap manufactured products like the stuff you buy at Wal-Mart - Cheap export products means cheap currency. The Chinese wisely used the dollars they got to buy machine tools and technology to improve their manufacturing capabilities. While we were off shoring the Chinese were in shoring. Now that China is manufacturing more expensive products (such as capital goods and thus moving up the value added supply chain) Chinese currency will naturally become more valuable - Expensive export products means a strong currency. Also, due to an increase in manufacturing of all types China will require more and more imports of raw materials and a stronger currency will be to China's advantage. To those who say that the Chinese would be foolish to dump our Treasury debt and thus wipe out billions of their assets I have this to say: China is getting very close to being able have its currency supplant the U.S. dollar as the world's currency. This status as the world's reserve currency would reap such enormous benefits for China that the loss of a few trillion U.S. dollars is a trifle in comparison. In addition China is fed up with financing the USA military encirclement of their homeland by rolling over our treasury debt and thus financing the huge U.S. deficit caused by our enormous military spending. Hey, how would you feel if China had vast armies and military bases in Canada and Mexico? Would you be in favor of the USA loaning the Chinese money to finance those Chinese military bases? Moreover, Russia is also fed up with this ever expanding USA military capabilities around the entire globe and would certainly be in favor of Chinese currency being the world's reserve currency. And a lot of Europeans are of a like mind because they are afraid that America is set on provoking a war with both China and Russia. In a war of the USA vs. Russia Europe would certainly be a battleground and the Europeans will have no part of that insanity. Both Russian and the EU are doing more and more business with China and less and less with the USA. The one sure way to stop the American global military encroachment is to stop the financing of it and sooner or later the Chinese will do exactly that. When they do America will become an impoverished third-world country over night and all our major cities will burn in the initial stages of a 3,000 mile long Yugoslav-style civil war that will make the already terrible economic collapse so utterly severe that it will be irreversible. You've heard of ghost malls, right. Well, within 10 years America will become a ghost nation inhabited more by skeletons than living people. Thanks you very much all you Wall Street banksters.
Profit from the really critical rare earth elements (Jack Lifton - September, 2011)
Mr Lifton's stock picks are:
Alkane Resources
AMR Minerals (Turkey)
Arafura Resources
Commerce Resources
Frontier Rare Earths
Great Western Minerals
Lynas
Matamec Explorations
Montero Mining and Exploration
Quest Rare Minerals
Rare Earth Metals Inc
Rare Element Resources
Tantalus Rare Earths
Tasman Metals
Ucore Rare Metals.
Mr Lifton's stock picks are:
Alkane Resources
AMR Minerals (Turkey)
Arafura Resources
Commerce Resources
Frontier Rare Earths
Great Western Minerals
Lynas
Matamec Explorations
Montero Mining and Exploration
Quest Rare Minerals
Rare Earth Metals Inc
Rare Element Resources
Tantalus Rare Earths
Tasman Metals
Ucore Rare Metals.
China Number One (Visit My China Number One Page)
Updated September 10, 2011. China is number one in world in ships built per year.
A rocky road ahead, the problem with plug in cars (September, 3011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The economic facts are plain as they can be. The only electric car that has a chance for mass production is the glorified golf cart made by Kandi Technology. Also the Kandi golf cart car does not need any platinum or palladium because it uses ordinary lead acid batteries. The ONLY way to get around the looming shortages of platinum and palladium and rare earths and other metals is to use nuclear reactors to generate electrical power and then use that electricity to power the golf cart cars. That's exactly the direction the Chinese are taking while the USA wastes all its resources on Al Gore's dream world.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The economic facts are plain as they can be. The only electric car that has a chance for mass production is the glorified golf cart made by Kandi Technology. Also the Kandi golf cart car does not need any platinum or palladium because it uses ordinary lead acid batteries. The ONLY way to get around the looming shortages of platinum and palladium and rare earths and other metals is to use nuclear reactors to generate electrical power and then use that electricity to power the golf cart cars. That's exactly the direction the Chinese are taking while the USA wastes all its resources on Al Gore's dream world.
Japan, EU and USA seek exit out of the rare metals crisis (Tokyo Times - September, 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: There is no exit other than giving the Chinese whatever they want. I'm buying some more RE stock in October.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: There is no exit other than giving the Chinese whatever they want. I'm buying some more RE stock in October.
The Transfer Payment Paradox (Russ Koesterich - September, 2011)
"Today, as I’ve mentioned before, transfer payments comprise 20% of disposable income in the United States. Put differently, 20 cents of every dollar of after-tax income comes via checks from the federal government.Not only do transfer payments make up a significant portion of disposable income, but growth in transfer payments is increasingly driving overall income growth. Since the end of 2007, more than 60% of the increase in disposable income came from increases in transfer payments."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: "And when you add the (unmentioned above) transfer payments of mega mountains of mucho money from Uncle Sam to the banksters there are not enough zeros in all the cosmos since the Big Bang to express the amount. This is eternal QE and to "work" it must proceed at an ever accekerating rate - that's rule one of Ponzi economics."
"Today, as I’ve mentioned before, transfer payments comprise 20% of disposable income in the United States. Put differently, 20 cents of every dollar of after-tax income comes via checks from the federal government.Not only do transfer payments make up a significant portion of disposable income, but growth in transfer payments is increasingly driving overall income growth. Since the end of 2007, more than 60% of the increase in disposable income came from increases in transfer payments."
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: "And when you add the (unmentioned above) transfer payments of mega mountains of mucho money from Uncle Sam to the banksters there are not enough zeros in all the cosmos since the Big Bang to express the amount. This is eternal QE and to "work" it must proceed at an ever accekerating rate - that's rule one of Ponzi economics."
Trends Within China's Export Market: A Time Of Change (Stuart Burns, September 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Read every last word of this slowly and carefully. Then read it two more time again slowly and carefully. Email this to your friends. The Chinese dragon is an eighteen wheeler and the USA eagle is road kill.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Read every last word of this slowly and carefully. Then read it two more time again slowly and carefully. Email this to your friends. The Chinese dragon is an eighteen wheeler and the USA eagle is road kill.
EU stockpiles rare earths as tensions with China rise (Resourse Intelligence September 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This situation is going to snowball until there is a global stampede to buy rare earth stocks. A buddy involved in mining emailed me that there has been a major find of REs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and that China and the USA are already growling at each other about who gets it.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This situation is going to snowball until there is a global stampede to buy rare earth stocks. A buddy involved in mining emailed me that there has been a major find of REs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and that China and the USA are already growling at each other about who gets it.
Can EVs Really Drive Increased Vanadium Demand (Chris Berry - September, 2011)
"Another company that is particularly interesting is Largo Resources Ltd. (TSX.V:LGO). This is a Canadian company that has two different vanadium deposits in Brazil. The company's Maracas project contains the highest grades of vanadium I've seen in North or South America at roughly 1.27%. It's also a deposit of size with ample potential to expand, so here you're combining good grades with tonnage. Another important factor I haven't mentioned is an offtake agreement. Largo negotiated an offtake agreement with Glencore International for a term of six years. This is a huge credibility boost for Largo, in my opinion. The fact that Largo has a high-grade vanadium deposit as well as other metal deposits in the Americas makes the potential for this company quite strong going forward."
"Another company that is particularly interesting is Largo Resources Ltd. (TSX.V:LGO). This is a Canadian company that has two different vanadium deposits in Brazil. The company's Maracas project contains the highest grades of vanadium I've seen in North or South America at roughly 1.27%. It's also a deposit of size with ample potential to expand, so here you're combining good grades with tonnage. Another important factor I haven't mentioned is an offtake agreement. Largo negotiated an offtake agreement with Glencore International for a term of six years. This is a huge credibility boost for Largo, in my opinion. The fact that Largo has a high-grade vanadium deposit as well as other metal deposits in the Americas makes the potential for this company quite strong going forward."
Stillwater's Purchase Of Peregrine Metals (Interview of Greg Wing, CFO of Stillwater, Sep. 20110)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is a must read article with interesting facts about platinum and palladium and gold (yes, gold) as catalytic converters.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This is a must read article with interesting facts about platinum and palladium and gold (yes, gold) as catalytic converters.
Rare industrial metals, proxy to gold, sivler investment (Randy Hilarski September 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I assert that there is a world-wide industrial revolution going on. The USA is floping back and forth between stagnation in the best of times and poping bubbles in the worst of times but the rest of the planet is on a long term boom upwards led by China. That's why I'm scooping up metal stocks while the Chicken Littles on Wall Street are running to the perceived safety of US Treasury IOUs and gold. Read this guy's article carefully.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I assert that there is a world-wide industrial revolution going on. The USA is floping back and forth between stagnation in the best of times and poping bubbles in the worst of times but the rest of the planet is on a long term boom upwards led by China. That's why I'm scooping up metal stocks while the Chicken Littles on Wall Street are running to the perceived safety of US Treasury IOUs and gold. Read this guy's article carefully.
Axion Power Poised To Dominate Energy Storage For Stop-Start Idle Elimination (John Petersen Sep. 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I Intend to buy some high tech stocks soon (besides Kandi Technology which I already have) and Axion Power will be one of the first. I have a lot of respect for Mr. Petersen.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I Intend to buy some high tech stocks soon (besides Kandi Technology which I already have) and Axion Power will be one of the first. I have a lot of respect for Mr. Petersen.
Energy From Thorium (this is a must watch video)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The Chinese and Indians are very interested in thorium power reactors so I am NOT going to buy and uranium mining stocks.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The Chinese and Indians are very interested in thorium power reactors so I am NOT going to buy and uranium mining stocks.
China finds world's 2nd largest molybdenum deposit (August, 20110)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I am not going to buy any stock in any molybedenum mining company until I learn more about the new molybedenum discovery in the link above.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I am not going to buy any stock in any molybedenum mining company until I learn more about the new molybedenum discovery in the link above.
China Watch
China, emerging markets point to double dip (August 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The above story is the work of a dolt. China is now the "Big Dog". We have lost world economic leadership and we will never get it back. We are stuffed. We are just another third-world basket case. We are spoiled rich brats living off our status as the world's reserve currency. Nothing you can do will help the USA. The only thing to do is save yourself as best you can. Just look at the rise in real incomes in China and compare it to the decline in real wages for most working people here in the the Republic of Bomb-em-and-Loot-em.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: The above story is the work of a dolt. China is now the "Big Dog". We have lost world economic leadership and we will never get it back. We are stuffed. We are just another third-world basket case. We are spoiled rich brats living off our status as the world's reserve currency. Nothing you can do will help the USA. The only thing to do is save yourself as best you can. Just look at the rise in real incomes in China and compare it to the decline in real wages for most working people here in the the Republic of Bomb-em-and-Loot-em.
China Number One
The Commodities You Don't Hear About Are Returning Triple Digits (Nathan Slaughter)
"50,000 new vehicles are hitting congested roadways every day. Since the start of the year, China has started construction on 200 high-rise buildings of 50 stories or more (about as many as exist in the entire United States). And there are ambitious plans to add another one every five days in the next three years. China's economy is growing about 10% annually. So in the simplest terms, the country will need about 60% more "stuff" in 2016 than it consumes today. More coal to feed its power plants. More oil to fuel all those new cars. According to some estimates, within a decade China will need 75% of all globally produced metals to maintain its current growth rate."
"50,000 new vehicles are hitting congested roadways every day. Since the start of the year, China has started construction on 200 high-rise buildings of 50 stories or more (about as many as exist in the entire United States). And there are ambitious plans to add another one every five days in the next three years. China's economy is growing about 10% annually. So in the simplest terms, the country will need about 60% more "stuff" in 2016 than it consumes today. More coal to feed its power plants. More oil to fuel all those new cars. According to some estimates, within a decade China will need 75% of all globally produced metals to maintain its current growth rate."
Dr. Strange Investor's Hot Stock Tip (August 2, 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: I think the company American Manganese is a steal at any price less than $1.00 a share. Right now it's going for sixty some cents a share. I'll probably buy some in December. As always this is a "Five Year Stock" so don't buy it unless you can afford to hang onto it till the end of 2016.
As of July 29, 2011 American Manganese is $0.71 a share.
Story about manganese.
As of July 29, 2011 American Manganese is $0.71 a share.
Story about manganese.
Battery Watch
After 3-Year Roller Coaster, Energy Storage Emerging as Investment Mega Trend by John Petersen (July 2011)
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Mr. Petersen is required reading for anybody who is seriously interested in Dr. Strange Investor's stock gambling schemes. I'm a gambler but I'm not another TV-hypnotized tree hugger that will jump off a cliff to put Al Gore's Greenie Armageddon into high gear. Read Peteresen to find out what mistakes to avoid and where the chances worth taking are.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Mr. Petersen is required reading for anybody who is seriously interested in Dr. Strange Investor's stock gambling schemes. I'm a gambler but I'm not another TV-hypnotized tree hugger that will jump off a cliff to put Al Gore's Greenie Armageddon into high gear. Read Peteresen to find out what mistakes to avoid and where the chances worth taking are.
Dr. Strange Investor's Hot Stock Tip
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Kandi Technology at anything less than $10 a share is like stealing and right now (July 20, 2011 market close) it's going for $2.78 a share. Kandi makes tiny cheap cars for the typical Chinese Joe Sixpack. These cars run on ordinary batteries. When your battery runs low you go to a station where your depleted battery is swaped for a charged one in about the same time it takes to gas up an ordinary car. A big plus is that this thingy doesn't need any rare earths or platinum group metals which the Chinese need to conserve so they will make millions of these inexpensive things and when you add in the coming dollar crash buying Kandi now is a bargain. As always this is a "five year stock" so don't buy unless you can wait until the end of 2016 to cash in. I'll update this stock now and then.
Dr. Strange Investor's hot link for today
The Solar Fraud by Howard Hayden
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: This book is required reading for anyone who wants to understand our current energy mess and why solar power will not solve our problems and that in fact all money spent on useless solar power (and wind mills) is being poured down a bottomless rat hole.
Chicken Little Watch (It's not peak energy, it's peak metals)
Hydrocarbons, Industrial Metals and the Alternative Energy Fallacy by John Petersen
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Mr. Petersen is right. Our establishment has got their mega view of our current economic mess exactly 100% wrong. The real danger is NOT the peak energy hoax. The real danger is peak metals.
Dr. Strange Investor Opines: Mr. Petersen is right. Our establishment has got their mega view of our current economic mess exactly 100% wrong. The real danger is NOT the peak energy hoax. The real danger is peak metals.
My Crystal Ball Speaks: Platinum and Palladium will outshine Gold and Silver
Here are the bid prices for gold, silver, platinum and palladium (NY spot price at market close on July 19, 2011)
Gold: $1,588.80
Silver $39.01
Platinum $1,766.00
Palladium $786.00
This prediction has a closing date of December 31, 2016. By that I mean platinum and palladium prices will have increased percentage wise more than gold and silver prices on that date as compared to the date this prediction was made - July 19, 2011. So all you gold and silver hoarders should sell your gold and silver now and buy platinum and palladium now. I will update these figures monthly. PS: Platinum and palladium will also out perform the S&P 500, the Euro and oil. Dr. Strange Ivestor has spoken.
Gold: $1,588.80
Silver $39.01
Platinum $1,766.00
Palladium $786.00
This prediction has a closing date of December 31, 2016. By that I mean platinum and palladium prices will have increased percentage wise more than gold and silver prices on that date as compared to the date this prediction was made - July 19, 2011. So all you gold and silver hoarders should sell your gold and silver now and buy platinum and palladium now. I will update these figures monthly. PS: Platinum and palladium will also out perform the S&P 500, the Euro and oil. Dr. Strange Ivestor has spoken.
My Crystal Ball Speaks: Stans Energy will be the first company to open a large (and producing) refinery for heavy rare earths outside of China. Therefore its stock will outperform gold (and most other RE stocks.)
Prices as of market close July 19, 2011
Gold $1,588.80
Stans Energy stock $1.55
So sell your gold and buy Stans Energy stock. This prediction will be updated from time to time. PS: Stans Energy will also out perform the S&P 500, the Euro and oil. Dr. Strange Investor has spoken.
Gold $1,588.80
Stans Energy stock $1.55
So sell your gold and buy Stans Energy stock. This prediction will be updated from time to time. PS: Stans Energy will also out perform the S&P 500, the Euro and oil. Dr. Strange Investor has spoken.
Wind Energy's Ghosts by Andrew Walden
"California's wind farms -- then comprising about 80% of the world's wind generation capacity -- ceased to generate .... In the best wind spots on earth, over 14,000 turbines were simply abandoned. Spinning, post-industrial junk which generates nothing but bird kills. Wind's erratic power feed destabilizes power grids and forces engineers to stand by, always ready to fire up traditional generators. Wind does not fit into an electric supply model made up of steady massive low cost "base load" coal or nuclear plants backed up by on-call natural gas powered "peaker" units which kick in during high demand. No coal or nuclear power plant has ever been replaced by wind energy."
I, Dr. Strange Investor, have bought stock in vanadium mining compamies because greenies will need huge vanadium redox batteries to make their stupid windmill and solar farms look good.
"California's wind farms -- then comprising about 80% of the world's wind generation capacity -- ceased to generate .... In the best wind spots on earth, over 14,000 turbines were simply abandoned. Spinning, post-industrial junk which generates nothing but bird kills. Wind's erratic power feed destabilizes power grids and forces engineers to stand by, always ready to fire up traditional generators. Wind does not fit into an electric supply model made up of steady massive low cost "base load" coal or nuclear plants backed up by on-call natural gas powered "peaker" units which kick in during high demand. No coal or nuclear power plant has ever been replaced by wind energy."
I, Dr. Strange Investor, have bought stock in vanadium mining compamies because greenies will need huge vanadium redox batteries to make their stupid windmill and solar farms look good.
The spreadsheet below will not be updated again until the last trading day of 2012.
INFAMOUS AND DISTURBING BOTTOM OF THE PAGE NEWS
USA=Rome
From the book, The Betrayal of American Prosperity by Clyde Prestowitz.
Introduction: Loads of Dung
“Rome lived upon its principal till ruin stared it in the face. Industry is the only true source of wealth, and there was no industry in Rome. By day the Ostia Road (Ostia was Rome’s seaport) was crowded with carts and muleteers, carrying to the great city the silks and spices of the East, the Marble of Asia Minor, the Timber of the Atlas, the grain of Africa and Egypt - and the carts brought nothing out but loads of dung. That was their return cargo.” - Winwood Reade, the Martyrdom of Man
What, you may ask, does the state of Rome and Roman trade have to do with the condition of the United States Today? Anyone who visits Long Beach, California,
will quickly understand the answer. The port of Long Beach is where most of the hulking container ships that carry the goods of Asia to the American market are
unloaded. To the inexperienced eye, it is a vast expanse of cranes, stacked containers, and parking lots waiting to accommodate the millions of imported cars that roll off specialized Asian auto ships destined for the American consumer. Long Beach is the Ostia of our day, the gateway to the great American market. Even more striking than the size of the port and the armada of ships is the contrast between the cargo that’s off-loaded and the cargo being loaded for the return trip to Osaka, Busan, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. The imports are as numerous as the sands on the nearby beach, including everything from shoes and shirts to computers, autos, advanced telecommunications gear, and photo voltaic panels for generating solar energy, The Exports, though, are few, consisting mostly of scrap metal and waste paper - this millennium’s dung, you might say.
Introduction: Loads of Dung
“Rome lived upon its principal till ruin stared it in the face. Industry is the only true source of wealth, and there was no industry in Rome. By day the Ostia Road (Ostia was Rome’s seaport) was crowded with carts and muleteers, carrying to the great city the silks and spices of the East, the Marble of Asia Minor, the Timber of the Atlas, the grain of Africa and Egypt - and the carts brought nothing out but loads of dung. That was their return cargo.” - Winwood Reade, the Martyrdom of Man
What, you may ask, does the state of Rome and Roman trade have to do with the condition of the United States Today? Anyone who visits Long Beach, California,
will quickly understand the answer. The port of Long Beach is where most of the hulking container ships that carry the goods of Asia to the American market are
unloaded. To the inexperienced eye, it is a vast expanse of cranes, stacked containers, and parking lots waiting to accommodate the millions of imported cars that roll off specialized Asian auto ships destined for the American consumer. Long Beach is the Ostia of our day, the gateway to the great American market. Even more striking than the size of the port and the armada of ships is the contrast between the cargo that’s off-loaded and the cargo being loaded for the return trip to Osaka, Busan, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore. The imports are as numerous as the sands on the nearby beach, including everything from shoes and shirts to computers, autos, advanced telecommunications gear, and photo voltaic panels for generating solar energy, The Exports, though, are few, consisting mostly of scrap metal and waste paper - this millennium’s dung, you might say.
Submarine Nazis Gotta Die
Submarine Nazis Gotta Die by You-Know-Who
Don't fall asleep while watching war movies or you will have nightmares
Don't fall asleep while watching war movies or you will have nightmares
Papal Impropriety
Novus Ordo Seclorum
FEDEX GOES A TRIPING
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=FEDEX+COMMERCIAL+FOREST&view=detail&mid=3F6A414D6A7BF47FB7E13F6A414D6A7BF47FB7E1&first=0&FORM=LKVR
MAGIC SHROON IS CLEARLY VISIBLE ON CENTER LEFT OF SCREEN AT START OF COMMERCIAL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscaria
MAGIC SHROON IS CLEARLY VISIBLE ON CENTER LEFT OF SCREEN AT START OF COMMERCIAL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscaria
Mars Attacks
China Watch
Count DeMoney
Did nuke tests cause the airplane eating South Atlantic Anomaly
Biggus Dickus
Bankster Watch
A Hobo Pothead Rant
Guess which nation is number one in skyscrapers and win a bowl of chop suey
WTF is the weird thingy in the picture? Link to find out.
WTF is the weird thingy in the picture? Link to find out.
The Comet Mahuika
When you're hot you're hot
Preppers
Potslyvania
From Russia with Love
Volcano Watch
Ice Ages Coming Back?
Let 'Em Eat Cake
Thank God I'm a Rich Kid
Billionaires rats jumping ship. Plan to leave sinking USA, live in floating ocean castles.
Billionaires rats jumping ship. Plan to leave sinking USA, live in floating ocean castles.
A Sgt. Skull Rant
California: Just get the hell out
The Expanding Earth Theory
Novus Ordo Seclorum (NOS)
The Geographical Pivot of History: The actual NOS blueprint for the military conquest of the world drawn up in 1904 by Sir Halford Mackinder.
Sulfite is a toxin in almost all of our food
The Electric Universe
Apocalypse ... Again
The Truth about religion and its origins
I suspect that there is an ancient cult that for reasons of its own invents belief systems for peasants which they set into conflict with each other. I suspect that the Council of Nicea was the last turning of their belief cycle and a new one is about to take place - the age of Aquarius.
I suspect that there is an ancient cult that for reasons of its own invents belief systems for peasants which they set into conflict with each other. I suspect that the Council of Nicea was the last turning of their belief cycle and a new one is about to take place - the age of Aquarius.
My Crystal Ball Speaks: 2018 or Sooner
2018 or sooner: Under the terms of the so-called "No Tickie No Washie" Treaty with China If the USA wants to borrow money from China it will have to borrow Chinese money, the Yaun I think it's called, and pay back the loan with Chinese money. This will be because the U.S. dollar will no longer be the world's reserve currency and all U.S. dollars of less than $100 denomination (the price of a Big Mac) will be sold as scrap paper to China so they can use it to wipe their .... oops, my crystall ball is fading out
More Garbage
