Amity Shlaes: Watch Ben Bernanke's 'Little' Inflation Capsize the US

Looks like the Federal Reserve could sink the US after all.

A little is all right. That’s the message Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke has been giving out recently when asked about the evidence of inflation in the U.S. recovery.  Sometimes Bernanke doesn’t even go that far. He simply says he doesn’t see inflation. The Fed chairman recently described the prospects for price increases across the board as “subdued.”

“Sudden” is more like it. The thing about inflation is that it comes out of nowhere and hits you. Monetary policy is like sailing. You’re gliding along, passing the peninsula, and you come about. Nothing. Then the wind fills the sail so fast it knocks you into the sea. Right now, the U.S. is a sailboat that has just made open water, and has already come about. That wind is coming. The sailor just doesn’t know it.

“Sudden” has happened to us before. In World War I, an early version of what we would call the CPI-U, the consumer price index for urban areas, went from 1 percent for 1915 to 7 percent in 1916 to 17 percent in 1917. To returning vets, that felt awful sudden. How did it happen? The Treasury spent like crazy on the war, creating money to pay for it, then pretended that its spending was offset by complex Liberty Bond sales and admonishments to citizens that they save more.

Watch Bernanke’s ‘Little’ Inflation Capsize U.S.: Shlaes - Bloomberg

Video: The Real Price of Gold for the Top 1%

Do the rich in the Top 1% pay the same as you or I for their gold? This video tells the truth about that.

This is a story that has to get out there so people know the real price of gold for 1%. Also to be thankful for what you have even though times are sh#@ty right now, things could always be worse, much worse.

US Dollar Hits 11-Month High Against Japanese Yen

Things seem to be heading up for the US . . . but will it last?

The dollar rose to an 11-month high against the yen before U.S. data today forecast to show regional manufacturing expanded and initial jobless claims decreased, adding to signs the American economy is gathering momentum.

The greenback was near the highest level in four weeks against the euro amid reduced bets the Federal Reserve will begin a third round of bond purchases, or quantitative easing, which could debase the world’s reserve currency. The yen declined against most its major counterparts as Asian stocks advanced for a third day, curbing demand for the lower-yielding Japanese currency.

Dollar Touches 11-Month High Against Yen on U.S. Recovery - Businessweek

Gold Looking for 21 Percent Gain in 2012

Gold has slipped a little lately, but the long term picture (at least for the rest of 2012) looks very good.

Gold is poised for a 21 percent gain in 2012, extending its bull market to 12 consecutive years, as investors hoard record amounts and central banks expand reserves for the first time in a generation.

Bullion may rise to $1,897 an ounce in New York by Dec. 31 from $1,566.80 at the end of 2011, based on the average of 14 respondents in a survey at the Bloomberg Link Precious Metals Conference yesterday in New York. The rally that began in 2001 is the longest since at least 1920 in London, including a 10 percent gain last year.

Demand has strengthened as Europe seeks to contain its debt crisis, China’s economic expansion slows, and governments from the U.S. to the U.K. keep interest rates at all-time lows to shore up growth. Central banks have been net buyers for three straight years, the longest stretch since 1973, World Gold Council data show. Holdings (.GLDTONS) in exchange-traded funds backed by the metal reached a record 2,410.2 metric tons yesterday, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

Gold Seen Heading for 12th Annual Advance on Investor Hoarding - Businessweek

Seven Little Known Ways Drivers Can Save Money on Their Car Insurance IMMEDIATELY!

Want to save money on your car insurance? What are you waiting for!

These days, saving money is on everybody’s mind. From clipping coupons to save on groceries to taking advantage of daily deals offered by group discount sites.  But when it comes to auto insurance, knowing how to save money can be tricky, especially since every insurance provider seems to claim they offer more discounts than their competitors.

The only true way for a driver to be assured they are receiving every applicable discount is to understand all of the deductions they qualify for and locate the insurance providers offering those specific savings. Unfortunately, that can be an arduous task and take quite a bit of time to research.

Offering in-depth auto insurance savings information, InsuranceTipsandRates.com is a new site allowing drivers to quickly compare car insurance quotes from the top providers featuring the best discounts available. By simply entering their zip code, site visitors can locate the highest rated car insurance companies in their area and within minutes receive free car insurance quotes. The site also features comprehensive articles that provide drivers with the information they need to know about the variety of auto insurance discounts available to them.

Seven Little Known Ways Drivers Can Save Money on Their Car Insurance Immediately

Experts: Student Loan Debt a "Ticking Time Bomb"

If you think the next generation is going to be able to afford that house you want to sell when you retire, think again. They'll never be able to buy a house with the student loan debt they're amassing.

Some experts have called the nation's soaring college debt load a "ticking time bomb" -- a looming crisis threatening young adults, their families and the broader economy.  A new report raises even more alarms: It's likely that as many as 1 in 4 borrowers was carrying a past-due student loan balance in the third quarter, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Monday.

That's a much higher delinquency rate than previously thought. By a more conventional measure, the New York Fed said, 5.4 million of 37 million borrowers with student loan balances had at least one past-due student loan account -- a 14.6% rate.

America's Soaring Student Loan Debt Load Is A 'Ticking Time Bomb' - Business Insider