Embrace the Doom

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Posted on 8th December 2012 by Novista in Economy |Politics |Social Issues |Technology

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the print edition

 A little science, history, and speculation to reveal everything you never wanted to know about the dooms and disaster the universe has in store.

From the ordinary worries about the next financial crisis to the possibilities for war, civil unrest, or martial law or even “Mad Max” world, to things that fall out of the sky (ask the dinosaurs) or Extreme Weather, to magnetic pole shift, coronal mass ejections, novae and supernovae complete with massive x-radiation — and beyond the Solar System to the fartherest reaches of the cosmos.

“Embrace the Doom” is a Grand Tour like nothing you’ve ever seen before.

all my projects

 

I’ll say this about indie publishing — CreateSpace (“an Amazon company”) is easy to use. KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing is another kettle of fish, and none of these people seem to talk to each other. KDP has two user guides, the ‘easy’ one is inadequate and the ‘techy’ one is incomprehensible — both assume everyone in the world uses Microsoft Windows.

No idea why the Doom print version does not have the Look Inside feature when all the others do. Oh well.

My only cost — other than time capital — has been ordering print proofs (and shipping that costs more than my cost of said books, grrrr. So it goes.) I’ll welcome any feedback, particularly on Kindle problems. I have three ways of reading that format on Ubuntu linux and two readers on Windows 7 new laptop, and none agree on the display, maybe the format is just flaky!

 

COULD MONDAY BE THE BEGINNING OF THE END?

33 comments

Posted on 5th November 2011 by Administrator in Economy |Politics |Social Issues

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If Zero Hedge is right about this, Monday could be one of the most chaotic days in the history of our country. I hope they are wrong, because financial markets will collapse as people sell hundreds of billions to meet their margin calls. Stocks would be crushed. But don’t think gold and silver would be excluded. People will sell everything to meet their margin requirements. There are still two days until Monday. I’ve got to believe the BIG BOYS (Bernanke and Geithner) would threaten the CME and make them reverse this decision. Who knows what is going on behind the scenes. Our financial system is based on trust. The MF Global fraud proves that no one can be trusted. No trust means the system will seize up due to no liquidity.

I have no idea whether this will be the beginning of the end. But I do think it would be prudent to withdraw some extra cash from the ATM this weekend, just in case.  

CME Goes To Collateral DefCon 1: Makes Maintenance Margin Equal To Initial For… Everything!?

Tyler Durden's picture

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 11/04/2011 21:20 -0400

The most important news announcement of the day was not anything to came out of Cannes  (as nothing did), nor from Greece (the merry go round farce there continues unabated). No, it was a brief paragraph distributed by the CME long after everyone had gone home, and was already on their 3rd drink. It is critical, because not only is this announcement a direct consequence of what happened with MF Global several days ago, but because also it confirms one of our biggest concerns: systemic liquidity is non-existanet. We confirmed interbank liquidity in Europe was at an all time low earlier today, and can only assume the same is true for US banks. But what is very disturbing is that this is just as true at the exchange level, where it appears the aftermath of the MF collapse is just now being felt. What exactly was the announcement. Unless we are completely reading it incorrectly, it is nothing short of a margin call for tens if not hundreds of billions worth of product. Because as of close of business on November 4, today, the CME just made the maintenance margin, traditionally about 26% lower than the initial margin for specs, equal. For everything. Which means that by close of business Monday, millions of options and futures holders will be forced to deposit billions in additional capital to the CME just so they are not found to be margin deficient, and thus receive a margin call. Naturally, since it is very unlikely that this incremental amount of liquidity can be easily procured in one business day, we anticipate the issuance of hundreds of thousands of margin calls Monday, followed by forced liquidations of margin accounts across America… and the world. Just like when Lehman blew up, it took 5 days for Money Markets to break. Is this unprecedented elimination in the distinction between initial and maintenance margin the post-MF equivalent of the first domino to fall this time around?

From the CME (source):

AUTHORITIES DESPERATE TO DEFLATE GOLD & SILVER

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Posted on 26th September 2011 by Administrator in Economy |Politics |Social Issues

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Last week you had hedge funds and mutual funds liquidating their gold and silver positions in order to cover the losses in their stock portfolios. Their stock losses caused margin calls since the big boys don’t use cash to invest. With rates at historic lows, the Big Swinging Dicks on Wall Street borrow to make their bets. They bet wrong on stocks. The authorities/ moneyed interests/ruling elite sensed an opportunity. In the midst of the silver and gold selling, they raised margin requirements knowing that would further depress the price of gold and silver. They want to create a panic out of gold and silver and into Treasuries and stocks. Rising gold and silver prices reveal the machinations of Bernanke and all the central bankers thoughout the world. They will stop at nothing to keep their game going.

So, again this morning the Chinese have dramatically raised margin requirements on the gold and silver exchange. They may have a different purpose than Ben and the European central bankers. With a stronger dollar and lower gold and silver prices, the Chinese government will be able to convert more of their increasingly worthless USD holdings into gold and silver. Very wily of them.

You need to keep the big picture in view. Nothing done in the last week has dealt with the un-payable debt that is weighing down the world. The solution being attempted by every country is to debase their currencies. There will be momentary instances when it appears they are succeeding, but they are doomed to fail. Gold and silver will find a floor and then resume their climb. I will continue to accumulate each as their price falls. I suggest you do the same.  

Shanghai Gold Exchange Hikes Silver Margin By 20%

Tyler Durden's picture

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 09/26/2011 03:51 -0400

Wondering what caused the dramatic plunge in gold and silver earlier? Wonder no more: the CME’s counterpart in China, the Shanghai Gold Exchange, decided to follow through with an identical, if more substantial, action to that undertaken by the CME on Friday, and announced an increase in the Silver T+D contract margin from 15% to 18%, a 20% bump; the SGE also noted an increase in the price range limit from 12% to 15%, which will be promptly fulfilled, as margin hikes traditionally tend to lead to a sudden spike in vol, contrary to well-meaning expectations. There was a second announcement, slightly more cryptic one, noting that if volatility were to persist, the SGE would outright halt silver trading (although the Google Translation of this previously unseen form announcement is a little sketchy). Expect to see more exchange intervention in precious metals today. Regardless, those who bought silver 15% lower a whopping, oh, two hours ago, courtesy of the out and out sheer panic, are quite grateful to the Chinese.

The Margin hike announcement – link:

Member Unit:     silver Ag (T + D) contract Sept 23 close to seal the lower limit. According to “Shanghai Gold Exchange Risk Control Measures” of the relevant provisions, such as Ag (T + D) contract on Sept 26 (Monday) close to limit the same direction (ie, a second consecutive unilateral City), end of the day from the date of liquidation from the Ag ( T + D ) contract margin increased from 15% adjusted to 18% , the next trading day Ag ( T + D ) contract price limits range limit from 12% adjusted to 15% .

And the more cryptic one – link:

Silver Ag (T + D) contract Sept 23 close to seal the lower limit. If Sept 26, Sept 27 days Baiyin Yan swap transactions to limit the same direction, namely to reach the daily limit for three consecutive days, there will be the third consecutive unilateral City. According to “Shanghai Gold Exchange Risk Control Measures,” the relevant provisions of Chapter II, once the third consecutive unilateral City, Spet 28 Exchange will suspension of silver Ag ( T + D ) the contract day, and the implementation of the following two measures to resolve any of the market risk.

    Measures one: 9 months 28 days to decide whether to take unilateral exchange or bilateral, in the same proportion or in different proportions, some members or all members to improve trading margins, some members or all members suspended new positions, adjust the up (down) circuit breakers rate to restrict some or all members of the withdrawal of funds, the deadline open, forced open, suspension and other measures to resolve in one or more of the market risk. Exchange of relevant measures will be Sept 28 12 -point first through the exchange website, Spet 28 at end of day settlement will go into effect.

    Measures II: Setp 28, the Exchange’s trading positions held by members of Baiyin Yan period open for an agreement. Specific methods are: Exchange of the Sept 27 (third unilateral City) daily limit price at closing time to declare the transaction Baiyin Yan swap transactions did not open declaration to Sept 26 (second unilateral City) settlement The contract price and the net profit of customers by profitability position to match the size of the transaction, not in Sept 27 to declare open daily limit price does not enter the agreement positions open range. Recommended to prepare closing out of long positions will, in Sept 27 prior to the closing price to sell positions to declare the daily limit, once the exchange using measures two positions will serve as a basis for agreement. Positions held by the same customer-way, the first level their positions, then the method open.

    City in the event of three consecutive cases of unilateral, which measures the specific use, the exchange will be based on market conditions, in the Sept 28 12 -point first through the exchange website, please access the Member in a timely manner, and to prepare preparations.

    Such as Sept 27 closed, the Bai Yinyan swap transactions did not appear for three consecutive unilateral City, Sept 28 normally open for trading, and maintenance margin ratio 18% , Change stop range limit of 15% unchanged.

Exchange Special Note: As the silver market price volatility and uncertainty of exchange to take measures, in order to safeguard the interests of investors in their own, reminding investors carefully about the risks of exchange control measures, prudent market.