Having followed various developing issues, like a precipise were about to fall into,  the ‘warnings’ from experienced economists and market professionals, we’re seeing respected commentators likewise raise a warning voice concerning the impending crisis that many like myself expect will happen in probably the first six months of 2011. There is now finally more furious talk about the Eurozone Crisis, Soverign Debt, Inflation, Bond Bubbles, Currency and Trade War Tensions, a China slowdown with a red alert over China’s inflation worries!

World on Red Alert over China’s Inflation

Inflation

The Bank of England is really ‘piggy in the middle’, it’s already had to abandone it’s 2% inflation target, in reality inflation in the UK is at 4.7% according to the old retail price index. With VAT increases this week to 20% this will help drive UK inflation even higher. If Mervyn King doesn’t raise interest rates soon, the Bank will loose all credibility! The effect on consumers, businesses and mortgage payers is invertible.

Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee sees higher inflation risk

As we can already see Inflation in China is already becoming a bigger problem, Brazil and other emerging markets suffer the same issues, not forgetting the reckless antics of the US Federal Reserve and all that money printing by ‘Helicopter’ Ben Bernake.

Citi says Bank of England has lost the plot on inflation

No other major industrial country has experienced such persistent inflation overshoots at any point in recent years

Families worse off

Middle-class families will be more than £3,000 a year worse off this year, with the rising cost of living pushing many to the brink of bankruptcy.

The Eurozone

Spain and Italy alone must refinance more than €400bn (£343bn) of debt in the first half of the year, which could prove impossible given investor fears over the finances of southern European countries

Euro stands just 20pc chance of survival in next decade

CEBR said a new eurozone crisis was its number one forecast for 2011, citing the hundreds of billions of euros of debt that members must replace this year.

European debt markets ‘face second credit crisis’

European debt markets could be hit by a second credit crisis within months as fears grow over the huge volume of new bonds that must be sold by governments and banks in 2011.

Governments have been able to slow down the process, but the problems did not go away. There remains trillions of dollars of debt that must be refinanced or sold.

Precious Metals Will Accelerate In 2011, Turk Tells King World News (17mins MP3)

Soverign Debt

Despite all the rhetoric and promised cuts in spending by our (UK’s) coalition government, the hard fact is that spending and borrowing continue to soar and it looks as if they are spiraling out of control.  The chart above illustrates the magnitude of the problem as our government debt nears £1 trillion, 56.3% of GDP.

The US has ignored its $13.9 trillion debts and dished out recently tax cuts to the wealthy, by continuation of the Bush Era tax concessions.

Debt servicing costs are rising, the bond markets are seriously running scared and the only question is which country will be first to default, ‘cough’ rather restructure!

White House Warns Failure to Raise Debt Ceiling Would Mean Economic ‘Crisis’

The US $13.9 trillion national debt is creeping closer to its $14.3 trillion ceiling, and a vote to increase that limit is expected in the spring. “This is not a game,” Goolsbee said on ABC’s “This Week.” “If we hit the debt ceiling, that’s essentially defaulting on our obligations, which is totally unprecedented in American history.

Dollar Debauchment

The world is having reservations about the global reserve currency, as the US Federal Reserve prints the dollar into debauchery.

Stoking inflation to monetise the deficit may be the only way the US can ever tackle its debts, but it’s a dangerous game. Especially since everybody is trying to debauch their own currencies at exactly the same time.

This Is By Far the Most Important Financial Development of 2010

U.S. Treasurys and municipal bonds are crashing… affect the value of every stock, bond, exchange-traded fund… every type of investment there is

Video – America As We Know It Is Going To End In 2011

Watch this presentation from Stansberry and Associates Investment Research, who explains how the US crisis in particular is related to the financial crisis of 2008… but it is infinitely more dangerous for everyone the world over.

Jim Rickards of research firm Omnis Inc. gave a great presentation to the “Rethinking the Future International Security Environment” conference held last month in Washington by the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University, worth viewing!

Jim Rickards – ‘Rethinking the Future International Security Environment’

For us Brits, ‘wake up’, the UK’s huge deficit is simply not sustainable. It will lead to ever greater amounts of inevitably ‘money printing’ – so called quantitative easing” by the Bank of England – the turning of UK government debt into British pound currency – will sooner or later lead to hyperinflation.

I had always thought that the US dollar would hyperinflate and collapse before any other major currency. I’m not so sure now, its become clearly evident that our UK Government spending and borrowing looks even worse than the dire levels being reached in the US. It’s painful to admit but that dubious distinction of being the first currency to hyperinflate may end up going to our own British pound.

Worrying days ahead but you can protect yourself, store your pension funds, savings in the best safe haven there is – Precious Metals.

Buy Gold online – quickly, safely and at low prices

Buy Silver online – quickly, safely and at low prices

GATA board member Adrian Douglas, publisher of the Market Force Analysis letter, has announced his Moron of the Year Award for 2010, and in reviewing the top candidates he describes the doubtful commentary about the precious metals market that put them in contention. You can learn about the candidates and the winner at the Market Force Analysis Internet site here:
Who said the dumbest things about precious metals in 2010?

Here’s a hypothetical sequence of events: (Warning, this post might ruin your day!!)

1. Government dilutes austerity measures as they are socially unacceptable.
2. Government spending continues to increase.
3. Borrowing costs increase as markets lose faith in government’s commitment to tackle the deficit.
4. Unemployment sky-rockets and tax revenues collapse.
5. Government borrowing increases to cover additional debt burden & welfare payments.
6. Bond markets lose faith in government, borrowing costs rise to crippling high levels.
7. Government resorts to 100% direct bond purchase to bring interests rates down.
8. Currency begins to depreciate due to government monetisation (money printing).
9. Inflation is ignited as import costs soar.
10. More money printing is required to prevent a depressionary collapse.
11. Currency become worthless.
12. Hyperinflation and societal collapse.

It doesn’t have to end this way but I ask the question, how likely is it and what are governments doing to avert this? To my mind absolutely nothing. In fact they are effectively creating these events by the very means the buffoons are using to prevent it.

I would suggest here in the UK we’re at #1 and just about to spill over into #2. The USA are at #7, Bernake is completely in denial suggesting recently another round of money printing (QE3) and so I’m 99.99% certain heading the whole way to #12. The US do have their secret ‘Nuclear’ weapon to potentially save them… which is gold!

Jim Rickards – ‘Rethinking the Future International Security Environment’

Market intelligence analyst James G. Rickards of research firm Omnis Inc. made a long presentation to the “Rethinking the Future International Security Environment” conference held 7th Dec 2010 in Washington by the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University. The second half starting around 62mins into Rickards’ presentation elaborated on his recent incisive observations about gold, as expressed at King World News and elsewhere.

Rickards told the Johns Hopkins conference that he considers gold to be the secret economic weapon of the US government, and he noted that devaluing currencies against gold in times of economic distress has been done frequently throughout history.

He said he expects the United States to avert the dollar’s collapse by returning it to a gold standard or even to avert the collapse of currencies worldwide by sponsoring a new gold-backed international currency, with gold revalued to perhaps $4,000 per ounce under either scenario. Protect yourself, Buy Physcial Gold and Silver now!

Known for motivating millions with his seminars and training products, world renowned Mr Tony Robbins is NOW adding his apocalyptic word of warning surrounding the impending Financial Armageddon?

I’ve been saying exactly the same to family and close friends for some time now, although now with mounting voices such as Tony, perhaps others will now not think me a ‘merchant of doom!’

Tony Robbins – How to Survive the Impending Financial Armageddon?

Really I’m not normally a pessimistic person – I believe we need to be optimistic and positive, especially in business, otherwise it’s as though we can talk ourselves into a recessionary cycle, not helped by the media. However no matter what we’d like the believe, the ‘real economy’ isn’t looking pretty underneath. Educate yourself about the real reasons why and how this is out of our hands no matter how much we wish otherwise.

So how do you protect yourself financially, your investments and savings from the impending financial Financial Armageddon?

Irrespective of how much we might ‘wish’ for a better economic outlook, there are forces at work here, decisions which have been made which will result in the coming ‘financial Armageddon’, an economic depression to rival the 1930’s.

This may seem difficult to fathom right now, we all realise now that it was the sub-prime mortgage fiasco from the trading of CDC’s (Credit Default Swaps etc) which started it all…

This Video explains how it started with CDC’s:

The Crisis of Credit Visualized

Concerns over the stock markets, Eurozone bailout, Sovereign debt and current investments leave us very concerned for future economic stability!

A more updated view since – a funny Australian comedy sketch that sums up the Eurozone bailouts since… perhaps not so amusing when you consider this is real!

Clarke and Dawe: Lending merry-go-round

The financial meltdown of credit appeared to us almost out of nowhere, however decisions made since are almost impossible now to reverse. Even though our UK coalition government is trying to tackle our national deficit given our global economies are so interconnected through the banking sector and markets, if the US goes down, which it will – we’ll all be affected.

Money and Markets – August 5, 2010

We are going to see the biggest transfer of wealth in history, unfortunately it’s the average ‘middle classes’ who are going to suffer the most! There is significant information below, links and videos, appreciate this is time consuming to read, view or listen to, I’ve been following these issues for some time… so I am rather convinced of what we need to do to try and protect ourselves from this, it’s going to be very difficult for everyone, but the more we’re informed, the better able we are to come out of this financially still alive.

• Robert Kiyosaki, bestselling author of “Rich dad, poor dad”, says the best investment in the world today is Gold & Silver?

• George Soros: known as the worlds best investor, just (Nov – Dec’09) increased his Gold holdings from $421m up to $663m

• Warren Buffett: once the richest man in the world, said “the purchasing power of most currencies will continue to fall”?

• Mike Maloney, the famous bullion expert predict Gold to hit $15,000 per oz & Silver to hit $1,500 per oz in paper money within 5 years?

$15,000 Gold and $1500 Silver – Gold and Silver Predictions By Mike Maloney

Silver is the best hedge against inflation! Robert Kiyosaki

You can read an eye opening book which details some of the historical perspective behind all of this online for FREE from Robert Kiyosaki at:

Robert Kiyosaki – Conspiracy of the Rich

In the meantime, some videos and articles below that help us appreciate what has been going on and more importantly, what unfortunately is probably going to happen, it’s almost invertible now…

‘Not 5% or 10%, but 25% Gold’
“If the US currency is failing because of the problems we’ve discussed, there’s no question that the other currencies are going fail with it.”
“The United States is plunging back into a hard recession, if not worse”
“If the United States gets into deep difficulty, we get into deep difficulty because our economies are so closely aligned…. the fact is the whole Western world will be seriously impacted by what happens in the United States.”

‘DailyTelegraph: George Soros slashes exposure to US equities’
“Of those equities that do remain, the fund’s holding in a gold exchange traded fund constitutes his largest investment,”
“investing in commodities and other safe havens”

‘DailyTelegraph: Time is running out for the West’
“a full-blown sovereign debt crisis as their demographic time-bomb threatens”
“Moody’s fears that the US will crash through its safety buffer by 2013″
“The US, UK, Germany, France, and Spain are all at risk of an “interest rate shock”
“the UK is clearly one of the weaker countries in the AAA peer group.”

‘MoneyNews: Billionaire fund manager Thomas Kaplan goes “all in” – a $2 billion bet on gold!’

‘DailyReckoning: V-Shaped Recovery, Where Art Thou?’
“At that point – which could be 5 or 10 years ahead – we hope to trade our gold for stocks, buying the best companies at the best prices in a quarter century.”

‘City fears of Great Depression Mark II’
“Pimco said that hedge funds were starting to liquidate their positions in a bid to preserve their capital”

Bloomberg: Jim Rogers – Gold will go higher!
Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings, talks with Bloomberg’s Haslinda Amin and Paul Gordon from Singapore about the outlook for gold and commodities prices, that Gold will continue to rise, he owns gold and still planning to buy more!

To stay informed – educate yourself, review sites such as:

www.kingworldnews.com
www.dailyreckoning.com
www.thedailycrux.com
www.theaureport.com
http://goldnews.bullionvault.com

All the best, protect yourself now!

Finally Sony have released a trailer for the ‘This is It’ film, the Michael Jackson concert rehearsal documentary which is being rushed out for a global release on 28th October. The film is being released for a special, limited, two-week showing in cinemas worldwide.

I’ve been a huge MJ fan since my youth and saddened by his loss, but this will be a great collector item on DVD, so I’ll probably wait for the DVD release to enjoy on my big screen and 7:2 THX home cinema system, rocks any public cinema audio!

From the press release:

Kenny Ortega directed the film, which is produced with the full support of The Estate of Michael Jackson. Ortega, director of and Jackson’s creative partner on the THIS IS IT concert, said, “This film is Michael’s gift to his fans. As we began assembling the footage for the motion picture we realized we captured something extraordinary, unique and very special. It’s a very private, exclusive look into a creative genius’s world. For the first time ever, fans will see Michael as they have never seen him before – this great artist at work. It is raw, emotional, moving and powerful footage that captures his interactions with the THIS IS IT collaborators that he had personally assembled for this once in a lifetime project. This film shows a consummate performer working with and guiding singers, dancers, band members, choreographers, special effects creators and countless other creative members of the team as we all assemble this historic concert. I can think of many words to describe Michael as he rehearses for and creates THIS IS IT– inspirational, dynamic, generous, dedicated, loving and the guiding force—you see him as the true architect and driving force of this project – a true master of his craft, the Entertainer of Entertainers. I’m proud of the many years of friendship and creative association I shared with Michael and I’m happy that people will get a chance to see his spirit and drive in action. THIS IS IT may go down as the greatest concert that no one got a chance to see, but with this film, we get a rare portrait of Michael as he prepares for his final curtain call and what I believe was going to be his master work.”
Michael Jackson THIS IS IT will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place beginning this summer in London’s O2 Arena. Chronicling the months from April through June, 2009, the film is drawn from more than one hundred hours of behind-the-scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing a number of his songs for the show. Audiences will be given a privileged and private look at the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, and genius as he creates and perfects his final show.

“I have never been partners with a more creative, innovative or groundbreaking entertainer than Michael Jackson,” said Randy Phillips, President & CEO, AEG LIVE and producer of Michael Jackson THIS IS IT. “While the concerts would have been the greatest shows in the history of music, our film will provide a historic event for Michael’s fans to see for themselves the genius that he was and the creativity, talent and imagination that the entire cast devoted to create the ‘greatest concert that never happened’.”

Just claiming my blog via Technorati, using this publish code isktxduh5y so please ignore this page!

OK, I’m not dead and I didn’t quit! yes, it’s been quite a while since I made the time to post a blog entry!

I simply like to have a normal life outside of cyberspace! Too many of us can be guilty of spending far too many hours infront of our laptops indeed I can be guilty of this at times. Then I reflect that I’m so blessed with a wonderful family and there are better things to do in life that be tied to the computer sreen! For those of you, forever on your keyboards, if you feel like this image below seems like you, then it’s really time to chill and get on with real life – unplug!

So this past Friday (15th May’09), I took our 13 year old son Antony on a Father and Son’s overnight camp. Each year, we take the time to ‘bond’ and spent this valuable one-on-one time with each other. With 5 daughters, who get very jealous that I take Antony camping, this just has to be done! We’re so out numbered in our household by the ‘female kind’, that Antony and I have to get some male bonding each year with our camp outs!

My life long friend Clifford Herbertson has a lovely estate and hosted this Father and Son overnight camp on his land, which was perfect, apart from one thing – typical British weather, it rained and rained that night, but it all adds to the fun!

Thankfully we have a pop-up tent, one of those tents that when upzipped automatically flips into shape and so all we had to do was peg it down whilst in the rain, thankfully Antony held the umbrella whilst I did the pegging down in the dark night as we had arrived late.

YouTube Video: Father and Sons Camp – 15April09

You can’t have a camp out, without a camp fire…

These pics show the camp fire the following morning, some of the boys had stayed up all night keeping the fire and embers going, thats dedication for you!

Antony and I didn’t have that staying power to remain awake all night, we hit the sack in the early hours! Getting into our sleeping bags Antony then got out his Apple iTouch and wanted to play Chess, I tried to oblige but trying to play Chess on an iTouch is a little difficult in the wee early hours! With no Wi-Fi access, he wasn’t able to get online either thankfully so Antony fell asleep after me, as we drifted off to sleep in our warm sleeping bags, with the rain dripping on out tent. Note in the video his wet socks, lovely!

By Morning, after breakfast, time for games, a variety of father and son team games, such as catch the egg throwing competition. Oh yes, I knew what to expect, lots of eggy mess, so we hung back, but it was not surprising to find some pre-planned fun cheating going on, some were using part hard boiled eggs. It all becaome too suspicious, when the distances being thrown and dropped was too unbelieveable for a soft raw egg to survive, especially when they bounced – no way!

The last game was popping the balloon, tied to your angle, not so much fun if those tramping on your feet were wearing football studs, ouch!

So why do we do all this, apart from the obviously bonding time with our youth, our sons and young men? Certainly camping isn’t the idea of fun for many men, who’d rather be comfortable on a matteress bed at home. For me, I love camping and spending one-on-one time with Antony camping is great for our relationship, but there is another reason for the recognition of this date 15th May each year.

In our faith, the significance of this date is important, for Latter-Day Saints, 15th May 1829 is the date that John the Baptist appeared and restored the holy Aaronic Priesthood which is the authority to act in God’s name.

YouTube Video: Restoration of the Priesthood

Restoration of the Priesthood

Hope that if anyone is looking for a back to basics bonding time with their children, trust me, go camping, get your kids unplugged from their games consoles, TV or computers and spend some ‘human’ interaction time with your kids, you won’t regret it, just watch the ‘ole back if sleeping rough!

Paul Zane Pilzer is a world-renowned economist, a multimillionaire software entrepreneur, an adjunct professor, and the author of eight best-selling books and dozens of scholarly publications. I’ve enjoyed reading some of his material and watching his links online etc. A very smart entrepreneur, take note below!

Pilzer completed Lehigh University in three years and received his MBA from Wharton in 15 months at age 22. He became Citibank’s youngest officer at age 22 and its youngest vice president at age 25. At age 24, he was appointed adjunct professor at New York University, where he taught for 21 consecutive years. Over the past 30 years, Pilzer has started and/or taken public, five companies in the areas of software, education and healthcare. [Biography]

Paul Zane Pilzer – So he’s an Economist, Professor and a Best selling author who has admitted conservatively in his latest book “The Next Millionaires” (New York Times Bestseller), that even with the economic downturn…

Ten million new millionaires will be created between 2006-2016, and you can become one of them especially if you are in direct selling, technology, home-based business, product distribution, or an emerging trillion-dollar industry like wellness.

Seems like Paul is being proved right, even in these tough economic times. The World is home to more than 10 million millionaires already now. The number of people around the world with at least $1 million in assets passed 10 million for the first time last year.

All told, but get this… there were about 600,000 more millionaires in the world in 2007 than in 2006, for a total of about 10.1 million. That’s a 6 percent increase from the previous year.

Ten million may seem like a big number for such an elite club, but it still represents less than one-fifth of 1 percent of the world’s 6.7 billion people.

American investor Warren Buffett is the world’s richest person. His ranks – the superrich – are growing. It’s what good you can do with wealth that attracts me to people like Warren Buffett whom I see as just a wonderful example of how to use wealth for the greater good with his incredible Philanthropy.

The rarefied group of the superrich – those with at least $30 million in assets – got richer, too. There were 103,000 of them around the world last year, 9 percent more than the year before, and their wealth grew by nearly 15 percent.

So how can ‘Joe Average’ – you and I have a chance of entering in this elite club? Paul Zane Pilzer has stated in his book The Wellness Revolution that by the year 2010, an additional $1 trillion of the US economy will be devoted to products and services that keep us healthy, make us look or feel better, slow down the effects of aging, and prevent diseases from developing altogether. The implications of the shift to proactive wellness are far reaching from health to beauty to food to medicine.

This is why AGEL represents such an incredible opportunity for ‘Joe Average’. AGEL is aligned with four of the most powerful growth trends in the world today. The internet revolution, the home based business boom, the aging baby bombers and the explosive health and wellness industry. AGEL has all of the factors in place to be the next billion dollar giant in this industry.

Here’s a successful story which shows how is really can be done. Pic below of Bruno Grilo with myself John Deighton at a London AGEL Team event recently, as you can see we’re enjoying ‘rocking with AGEL‘, but watch the video beneath of Bruno’s incredible story.

Bruno Grilo from Portugal after 4 months had sponsored just 16 people into AGEL (with no prior experience), Those 16 family members and friends (including Bruno) were paid out by AGEL $365,000 USD November’07, just 4 months after Bruno had joined AGEL. This demonstrates what is possible in this industry. See Bruno’s story below after 3 months and 1 week with AGEL and earning over $50,000 per month!

For those who have no idea what AGEL is all about, watch this short video below (3:39). Enjoy, then we should talk! Call me

Your friend, John Deighton
My Other Site – Agelfortune

To sell or not to sell my beloved Phaeton – that be the question!

I remember the day in November 2005 that I drove to East Grinstead to test drive a Volkswagen Phaeton at the VW dealership. I wasn’t really certain about what I was doing there, perhaps more curiosity than anything else. My friend having worked for Bentley explained that the Phaeton is really a Bentley in disguise and so having driven Bentley’s too, I was intrigued.

I had been driving Mercedes for the previous 6 years and perhaps rather snobbish about the badge on my personal transportation, so if this Phaeton was a Bentley, it was worth the drive to go check it out – ‘what a snob’ I hear you say.

Indeed, the understated lines of the VW Phaeton, offer a reassurance, to go about unnoticed, therefore less chance of some holigan ‘hoodie’ to recklessly scratch it than otherwise a Mercedes or similar prestige marque.

A Bentley Continental GT shares its basic architecture with the VW Phaeton. The suspension setup is also nearly the same, with gas air springs and multiple links front and rear. The steering wheel, 7” display, clock, switchgear and dashboard layout are all the same. So is the Bentley worth nearly double the price of the VW Phaeton? Or should you ask the more appropriate question: What’s in a name?

My friend, who advised me to check out the Phaeton, was at that time the General Manager for H.R. Owen Bentley Dealership in Barclay Square, Central London. He had commented that they had discussed using Phaeton’s as courtesy cars for their clients, Bentley advised them against this. Their reasoning being some clients would soon appreciate that they paid twice the price for their Bentley’s and the Phaeton shares so much of the same components at half the price, with all those same ‘bells and whistles’ to boot!

I test drove the car, I was sold, it was awesome, the performance, the quality, the technology and patents behind the Phaeton are so very impressive, so I actually brought the demonstrator car I drove on that day. Later did I come to appreciate what a sensible decision that had been seeing reviews such as Top Gear below.

Don’t take my word for it; see what Jeremy Clarkson of BBC’s Top Gear said about the Phaeton, video below.

So after watching this Top Gear review you’re probably thinking why would I even consider selling my beloved Phaeton after almost 3 years of blissful and exhilarating performance from its jaw dropping V10 cylinder 5.0 litre twin turbo engine, even considering its frugal diesel economy, I must be mad to even consider selling my Phaeton.

Jeremy Clarkson would be ashamed of me, being such a petrol head. I’d like to think I could do my part in reducing my carbon footprint and even with the frugal economy of the Diesel, a V10 5.0 litre engine even so make a generous footprint!

Don’t expect me to rush out and go buy a Hybrid Toyota Prius, I’ve driven one and it’s no Phaeton! You must see what Clarkson thought of the Prius; watch his review, driven whilst in the US.

Just to appreicate how powerful the VW Phaeton V10, 5.0 litre diesel engine is, how much torque is available. Fifth Gear TV show took a VW Touareg which has the same V10 engine and used it break a new world record – towing a 155 tonne Boeing Jumbo 747 airplane.

I’ll let you know if I ultimately do sell my beloved Phaeton and go Green and if so, what next? Well perhaps a Hybrid Supercar that is capable of 220 miles per gallon?

This is the supercar that can return 220mpg, but has enough power to see off a Ferrari! With it’s Porsche Carrera GT-style rear, it looks ready to take on the world’s elite motors, I think I’ll order mine now!

Your friend, John Deighton
My other web site!

So why write about Warren Buffett… read on, this is not what you think!

After 13 years on top, Bill Gates is no longer the richest man in the world. That honour now belongs to his friend and sometimes bridge partner Warren Buffett.

Riding the surging price of Berkshire Hathaway stock, Buffett has seen his fortune swell to an estimated $62 billion, up $10 billion from a year ago.

Gates is now worth $58 billion and is ranked third richest in the world. He is up $2 billion from a year ago, but would have been as rich or richer than Buffett, had Microsoft not made an unsolicited bid for Yahoo! at the beginning of February. Mexican telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helú now ranks as the world’s second richest person with a net worth of $60 billion.

The son of a Nebraska politician, Buffett delivered newspapers as a boy. He filed his first tax return at age 13, claiming a $35 deduction for his bicycle. He moved on to study under value investing guru Benjamin Graham at Columbia University.

Buffett began buying shares in textile firm Berkshire Hathaway in 1962 and purchased a controlling stake in 1965. He began buying insurance companies and astutely investing those companies’ cash reserves.

Despite Buffett’s meteoric rise, his days as the World’s Richest Man are almost certainly numbered. He had long promised to give away his fortune posthumously. But in the summer of 2006 he irrevocably earmarked the majority of his Berkshire shares to charity, most going to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

At the time, the gift was valued at $31 billion. However, assuming that Berkshire shares continue to rise, the final amount of the donation will far exceed that sum. Buffett gives 5% of his shares to charity every July.

This is what impresses me about these Billionaires (Gates and Buffett), they pretty much want to give it all away, they have so much, they can afford to certainly, but their humanity is worthy to note. I read Buffett still lives in the same house he’s lived in for years and only pays himself a measly $100,000 a year, just incredible hey!

The parable of the widows mite is no less acceptable for us mere peasants by comparison to these billionaires! We can give generously to those causes that make a difference. Gates and Buffett’s philanthropic generosity is an example to us all.

You must watch this… an exclusive conversation with Warren Buffett, Bill and Melinda Gates – a new age in philanthropy, how to give away $30+ billion and importantly – why!

This video above was two years ago. Now this week Bill Gates left his office as planned from Microsoft and today now full time works tirelessly for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, using the wealth of people like Warren Buffett to create a legacy of greater worth to the world than Microsoft as I heard Bill comment this week.  What will your legacy be? How will you be remembered? How would you like to be remembered? There are many who think and say in a manner of speaking… eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. That’s the philosphy of many in the world, but certainly there are reasuringly those who would wish to make a difference and do a little good.

We’ve been an advocate for the humanitarian work done by our church. So offering a little something, knowing 100% of our contributions is used for the worthy work done by these unpaid volunteeers. Some good friends return shortly from serving a humanitarian mission for the church and many more are sent throughout the world.

If we would all look a little further than our own self interests, having seen real poverty face to face in parts of the world seamingly unforgotten, we need to care, don’t ignore the attrocities and hardships seen on our news channels. The reality is, it’s not just the Buffett and Gates of this world that can make a difference it’s all of us in so many ways, remember just as the widows mite.

Your friend, John Deighton
My other web site!

Who remembers Little Nellie?
The Gyroplane from the 007 James Bond movie – ‘You Only Live Twice’. (If you haven’t seen Little Nellie in action, I copied below some video look at the opening scene which features Little Nellie, scroll down.)

I remember as a young boy, seeing this incredible flying machine and how it performed just ‘owned me’. As our hero Bond took to the skies this would forever plant in my mind a desire to fly. They call the Gyroplane the ‘motobike of the skies’ due to it’s incredible ‘seat of your pants’ performance and the open air cockpit.

During You Only Live Twice, Bond asks Tiger Tanaka to contact M and arrange for Little Nellie to be delivered along with her father. Little Nellie arrives in 4 large suitcases accompanied by her father, Q.

After being assembled Bond uses Little Nellie to scout remote mountains and volcanoes to try to find the missing US and Russian spacecrafts. During his reconnaissance mission, five SPECTRE helicopters armed with machine guns confront him. Using all Little Nellie gadgets, Bond manages to defeat SPECTRE and return to base. (see brief video below from You Only Live Twice among other scenes too.)

Loaded with gadgetry, Little Nellie sported two rear flame guns, aerial mines, front-mounted machine guns, two rocket launchers, smoke ejectors and two heat seeking air-to-air missiles, just wonderful for a young boy growing up on the Bond legend!

For those who appreciate some of Bond’s gizmo’s and gadgets, see this short video clip which at the beginning features Little Nellie, plus many other great Bond moments.

Here’s the history from Commander Ken Wallis himself on the story behind Little Nellie. I joined the British Rotorcraft Association many years ago and their annual Wallis Day’s fly-in up in Norfolk would include a visit with Commander Walis to his home where he has about 19-20 gyros. I just found this on YouTube of another event where he tells the story behind Little Nellie becoming part of James Bond history.

More on my Glyro Flying dreams realised later….

Your friend, John Deighton
My other web site!