The Sovereign Society

Addicted To the Bubble

Make no mistake; as bad as the housing market gets, it will eventually stabilize and resume its upward trudge.

Homebuilders, Regional Banks and Transports Flashing Red

As the third quarter gets underway, U.S. stocks posted their best quarterly gains since Q4 1998 following the Long Term Capital Management crisis.

Here's What Meaningless Fads Have to Do With Gold & Your Portfolio...

Fads come and go... Pogs, tech stocks, Rubik's cubes, flipping residential properties, beanie babies, Barack Obama, Member's Only jackets, iPods...

Michael Jackson: An Estate to Die For

Although there are many opinions about how the late Michael Jackson lived his life, no one can say he didn't live - and live large.

Market Movers' Delight

For our market junkies here at The Sovereign Society - myself included, of course -this morning's been one hell of a ride...

Nothing Like Giving Us Plenty of Notice...

In case you haven't noticed, there's been an unprecedented amount of publicity in the financial media about today�s date, June 30, 2009.

Storming The Federal Reserve

As far as finance and business goes, at least one rule generally holds true...

Storming The Federal Reserve

As far as finance and business goes, at least one rule generally holds true...

The Justice Department's Plan to Maximize Asset Forfeiture

I've written many times in this blog on the abominable practice of "civil forfeiture," a legal procedure in which prosecutors can seize your property without accusing you-much less convicting you-of any crime.

Answering the Hardest Question in Investing: When to Sell

And then there were two... GM is kaput. But let's be honest: the company had a good run.

Next Chapter of Banking Crisis Unfolds as Credit Card Securitization Threatens to Unravel

Credit card securitization is the new dirty phrase in mid-2009, as banks face an avalanche of bad loans tied to consumer loans that were aggressively sold to investors as individual securities prior to the credit crash almost 24 months ago.

Pass the Popcorn

For sake of argument, let's say I'm a complete loon. Not too much of a stretch there, but bear with me...

Switzerland: Bent but Not Broken

The Swiss Finance Ministry announced on Friday (June 19) that it had agreed to a new tax treaty with the United States, a step that the Swiss sincerely hope will ease major pressure on their banking industry...

Profiting from ETF-based market distortions

I'm a big fan of stories. Often, a complicated graph weaves a rich and compelling yarn and can, if done properly, explain numerous events at once.

Could You be Imprisoned for Estate Planning?

American jails are bulging with "criminals" guilty of nothing more than indulging in their favored herbal remedy, seeking privacy in their financial affairs, or building on their own property.

Why God Loves Idiots

"God must love idiots," as the old joke goes... Because he made so damn many of them.

Cashing in on Conventional Wisdom (Part I)

How many investors shorted technology stocks in the late 1990s ahead of the bust in March 2000?

Too Early to Sound the Offshore All-Clear?

Do you hear that? It's a little something Simon & Garfunkel would've called, "The Sound of Silence" in the world of offshore banking...

Will Pandemic Declaration Lead to Financial Defaults?

Late last week, the World Health Organization declared the spread of the H1N1 flu virus, the causative agent of the so-called "Swine Flu" to be a "flu pandemic."

Like Gold For Chocolate

You read that right... gold coin vending machines. Just don�t blame me if I don't sound impressed...

"Gold to Go" Vending Machines Hit Germany

Germans will soon be able to buy gold in vending machines across the country the same way most people purchase a chocolate bar or a soda.

The Secret History of Government Debt (Treasury Bonds)

One of the biggest lies in history is the idea that government debt is a "safe haven." Today we�re going to revisit one of The Sovereign Society's favorite "hidden histories" for the real scoop...

The Internet Never Forgets

Web-savvy employers and universities are increasingly employing a new tactic to screen applicants: conducting online research to unearth photos, blog entries, or other "digital dirt" you might prefer to keep private.

"Here's How to Quadruple a 56% Gain on Gold"

If you've been with The Sovereign Society for a few years, then you likely had some form of gold in your portfolio for quite some time now.

Pravda and Consequences

Forgive me, dear readers, but my absence from these pages reflects another bout with my life-long battle with periodic acute sinus infections attendant to occasional head colds.

Weekend At Bernie's

The U.S. Dollar wiggled around a bit this weekend in a fit of unexpected strength; ruining the weekend for virtually every other asset class...

Junk Bonds Heavily Overbought Amid Tight Credit Noose

One of the greatest asset reversals has occurred over the last three months with stunning velocity...

The Two-Century Empire

During these strange - and for many people, hard times we're going through, it's a reasonable decision for any individual to tighten the old purse strings.

What's Next for Caribbean Offshore Centers?

The global recession and the U.S. crackdown on offshore jurisdictions have seriously affected Caribbean economies.

Your Fool-Proof Strategy For Retiring at 33� on the Dollar

As investors, we�ve seen a nice little uptick in our stock portfolios over the last few months.

A Day in the Life... (It's All in How You Look at it)

I spent a whole glorious hour watching the talking heads on CNBC last night.

The Hunt for Value in Norwegian Bonds

Depending on your outlook for the global economy and corporate earnings over the next 12 months, Norwegian stocks are either a great buy or a timely sell.

Tomorrow's Superpower... or Just Green Tea Leaves?

So Angie Merkel came out and yelled about the dollar about a week ago... a few days before EU elections firmly guaranteed her tenure. Curious timing?

Tiananmen Square: 20 Years Later

It's been 20 years since the tragic deaths of pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square in June 1989, and 30 years since Deng Xiaoping embarked on economic reform in China.

Fed Brings on Enron's Linda Robertson

Oh, boy! Have we got a juicy one for you today! Apparently the Federal Reserve is hiring a new lobbyist.

Sell Dollars on Next Rally...

This is my second visit to Norway since May. Oslo is a great city, and a superb walking town.

Isn't It Always Darkest Before the Dawn?

New Bull Market? Recession over? No. It's simply not that dark yet...

The Enemy Is Us

The late cartoonist Walt Kelley created Pogo, a sensible, sensitive possum who was the leading character of his long running (1948-75) daily comic strip bearing the same name.

Geithner the Landlord

Looking for a rental? Something in a nice New York neighborhood... maybe around $75k a year?

"Article 26"...

If you invest or do business internationally, you need to know about double taxation agreements, more commonly called "tax treaties."

How the World's Most Skeptical Investor Pulls in an Average Return of 71%... Without Breaking a Sweat

These days, a bird in the hand is worth 100 in the bush.

Is Your Money Safe in Stocks?

"Any suggestion that an American corporate icon like GM could file for bankruptcy would have been laughable a few years ago"

New Canadian Gold Fund Offers a Twist

A unique new closed-end gold fund hit the Canadian market last Friday, with more than $366 million (C$400 million) from institutions and investors.

Roundabout Ways to Cheer Up the Economy

There - with the country facing the worst recession of all 27 EU members - they�ve come up with a... unique solution for cheering up the economy.

Recession Exposes Hidden Risk of "Like-Kind" Exchanges

Deferring tax on income or gain is almost as effective a strategy as avoiding it altogether.

Ding! Dong! The Recession is Over! Long Live the Recession

This ain't a recession. And by no stretch of the imagination is it anywhere near over.

Your Recipe for Curing Analysis Paralysis

I've gotta be honest with you... I'm feeling a wicked case of the old "Analysis Paralysis" these days.

Rumors Fly in Washington and Panama

As the holiday weekend neared last week, you may not have noticed the May 21st U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing on the pending free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and the Republic of Panama.

Minding the Gap

"Mind the Gap"...as the tubes in London tell you. It's a matter of courtesy - One that helps you avoid the common pitfalls of subterranean life in the City.

Insider Selling Gains Momentum as Stock Prices Rally

If you're looking for a reason to sell stocks then here's a powerful catalyst...

Blockbuster Politics and The Dollar's Fate...

Even if you didn�t go see the new Terminator movie this weekend, Memorial Day was still action-packed...

Feds Claim Right to Search Your Home Day or Night, without a Warrant

If you live in the United States, you might have the na�ve idea that police can't enter your home without a search warrant.

This Week's Liars, Scoundrels and Half-Truths

We've been treading lightly with the politicians lately... but it's Friday, and a host of outright lies, half-truths and such are bubbling up to the surface.

The View From Norway

Norway is oil-rich and home to one of the strongest currencies in the world this decade. It's also an incredible country, gifted by warm people and a strong work ethic.

Subcontinents and Rain in the Streets... What's Best for You?

Summer always arrives a bit early in South Florida, heralded by the onset of Monsoon season... something that's started up in the last few days.

Won the Lottery?

While the odds are against you if you play the lottery, you might get lucky and win the jackpot.

The Time of Our Lives

The Japanese economy is shrinking like a two-dollar t-shirt in the dryer.

Government Flying Out of Control

In The Federalist No. 51, published February 6, 1788, James Madison warned us: "In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this..."

More Irrational than the Dotcom Bubble

In its epic battle against reality, "Green Shoot" mentality is getting back into the driver's seat.