Gold Will Not Go Away

Gold, and its resultant protection of your financial life, simply will not go away anytime soon. Despite what some would say about gold being yesterday’s investment, one can be assured that even the most savvy of gold investing detractors knows to at least stay connected to a gold investment, somewhere and somehow. 

Gold is not only a beauty to have in your hands, but it has some amazing chemical and physical properties that make it unique in all the world. Water doesn’t effect it, and neither does oxygen cause it to rust. Rust being to metal what cancer is to the body, this makes gold “superhuman” in this comparison of metal and biological resistance. It is also an amazingly recyclable product.

It can be pounded into a thin sheet that is so incredibly thin that light can pass through it, but there will be no damage to the gold itself. Electrically conductible wires can be stretched as thin as a human hair with no effect to the metal or its properties. It can be planted inside of the human body for medical reasons and resist bacterial growth far beyond the patient’s life time. Gold is the ultimate metal, all other ages have come and gone, from the bronze to the iron, but Gold just won’t go away.

A huge number of mechanical devices rely on the gold in their systems to keep them functioning properly. Billions of computers, home appliances and the telecommunications network relies on gold electrical connectors for continued performance. Protection from solar heat is also manufactured into the shields of satellites using gold. Air bag systems rely on gold coated contacts to keep your automobile safe.

Technology and deregulation have brought down much of the cost of our everyday living despite what the regular news will tell you. Food and gas are, of course, always a concern among the constantly rising and falling prices that keep us all in check on our spending for daily needs. The long term, however, has proven to be a different story, and gold is at the heart of this revolution.

Just take a look at your cell phone and all of its capabilities. You can not only call someone, but you can text them as well. You can open a calculator, set up an alarm clock, take photos, play chess or video poker, have a music play list, an FM radio, maps and navigation and also internet access. All of those things together would have cost quite the pretty penny in the not too distant past, and gold is right there on the cutting edge. And, also, one can get incredible computing power today in relation to what was on the market just ten years ago. A computer that cost about $2,500.00 with a tower and a monitor, now costs about $700. As you might have guessed, gold is a major player in this amazing shift of cost. 

Thinking about investments on the long term with gold just makes good sense from a financial standpoint. Eurozone countries have shown that dirty political games and ineffective decision making can cause difficulties from the past to suddenly appear at the front of your social problems. Sovereign debt is all too often taken from the banks and passed on to the taxpayers. Politicians who can’t get a grip on their own money, your first tax payment, often believe it’s just a matter of taxing the people once again to fix a fiscal problem. Long term irresponsibility with money invariably leads to bankruptcy, be it personal, or corporate, or sadly, entire governments.

Gold’s refusal to go away anytime soon may well be the hedge against the failures of the currency around you, and not sometime far off in the next generation either. The wolf may indeed be at the door. Reports of the looming currency law and President Obama’s intended proposition may or may not cause a chaos as predicted by those who oppose his intent, but if you have gold investment, you will perhaps rest a bit easier if indeed the wheels come off later this year.

Fort Hood and Bill Clinton and Blood Moons and Buffalo

It’s the end of the world as we know it. And I feel fine. Increasingly in our day and age of over information, coming from television, the internet, radio and just about anywhere and anything that wants to compete for our attention and, of course, our dollar, we find ourselves awash in a sea of truth, fiction, or a combination of both. These are the reports from news and internet sources that bring together subjects like the tragic Fort Hood shootings, President Bill Clinton chatting about space aliens, blood moon harbingers of the future and stampeding buffalo in Yellowstone Park. It’s difficult enough to see burger chain restaurants selling pizza and submarine sandwich fast food places selling tacos without the addition of our news spilling over into the range from what is, to what might be, to the totally outrageous. If you peruse the internet for any length of time, you’ll realize that information itself has lost its moorings and gone adrift.

Forth Hood

Recent stories like the tragic shooting in Fort Hood, which seem to be on the rise all over the world, are now linking themselves up with the internet “doomsayers” on a consistent basis. Increasing earthquakes, which are documented from 1990, are also now included in the “end of the world” notices that accompany each new shift of tectonic plates. There is even a video online in a recent news story of buffalo stampeding through Yellowstone Park, as though they are escaping some up and coming natural disaster. Animals are a pretty good judge of these kinds of events, and indeed something could happen with volcano activity in the area. But you can be sure to find that someone somewhere will be warning of the sky falling when it does happen.

There is an interesting news story of former President Clinton appearing on a popular talk show and discussing space aliens, and how he had once ordered an investigation

President Bill Clinton

into the phenomenon. If you have done any creative searching on the net, you’ll find that this isn't the fanciful entertainment news that it seems to be to a lot of the internet populace. Self proclaimed “time traveler” Andrew Basiago and those who subscribe to him, would indeed tell you that President Clinton knows more than he lets on - a lot more. Mr. Basiago claims that every president from Jimmy Carter to Barak Obama knew they would be president years ago due to a government program known as Project Pegasus. His information on aliens, space aliens that is, would seem to also inform us that conspiracy

Andrew Basiago

theorists and those who live on the fringe have more on the ball toward the truth of the government’s involvement with space aliens than can be realistically portrayed on say, an episode of the X Files. By the way, Mr. Basiago plans to run for President of the United States in 2016. It’s the future, he says. 

Blood Moons

Whether you agree with informants such as Pastor John Hagee or not, he is indeed a respected practitioner within his circles, perhaps more so than Mr. Basiago, but that is a matter of personal choice. Recent stories about the coming blood moon eclipse may be to many an interesting lunar event which happens only once in a “blue moon”, or it may indeed be something attached to Jewish prophecy and historic holidays. Pastor Hagee believes from his studies on the subject that the event is indeed more than just an interesting science study and he outlines this as being the first of four lunar events which will harbinger major changes in the world as we know it. Once again, this is serious stuff depending on what you, the reader, choose to accept as truth, fiction or truthful fiction/fictional truth. The bottom line is, however, that all of this is being reported as news. 

Major stories of global warming, and the world’s ill preparedness on the subject are now also a regular offering in the news arena, but they too, also carry the naysayer responses to what is referred to as “chicken little” reporting. One need not look too far to find evidence for the idea of global warming as a fact, but it’s the interpretation of information that brings the debate forward. In many instances the debate itself gets its own news story. Indeed the lines have become blurred between what is the truth of data disseminated to the public and what is fanciful opinion. One has to ask, with hands thrown up high, if anyone and any informant can be trusted. 

Recent YouTube video graphically showed the problem with much of the news reported today. In the video, a local news station cut away from their own live broadcast, to report on a plane that had gone down on a major freeway. In the helicopter cam shot, the viewer was witness to a small prop plane that had crashed on the freeway which was surrounded by several accidents that apparently had happened as a result of the incident. The anchors were quite serious and heartfelt as they attempted to describe the horrific scene to the viewer, only to be interrupted when they were told it was a set piece for a filming television show. Ah well, back to the news.

What is the real story? What is worthy our time? Is the Fort Hood shooting and the increase in this sort of lunacy taking place in our society a social problem or is there indeed a bigger story of signs of end times? Or is it both? Are blood moons merely a science story or a bigger sign toward a major shift in our way of life upon Earth? How much does Bill Clinton really know? Can anyone tell us the truth unequivocally or do we rely on the scatter-shot information which comes and goes and may or may not manifest itself, while in the meantime garnering our attention and filling up our time? Let’s ask the stampeding buffalo, they seem to be the most reliable source for our undivided attention.

Or perhaps we should just join them.... and run! 

*Originally written for a more neutral editorial page, but you know where I go to get my guaranteed information.         

Neil deGrasse Tyson Liberal Elite

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Could it be possible that the heralded scientific spokesman, Neil deGrasseTyson, hosting the re-invigorated television science program, Cosmos, is indeed one of the liberal elite that we hear about so much these days? The term "liberal elite" often carries the implicit connotation that the individuals described by the term are hypocritical. When Mr. Tyson recently broadcast his views on the age of the universe on his PBS program, his stance could easily have been taken as an implication that secular views on the age of the universe are a “done deal”. He based this information upon the agreed secular definitions of science fact about the speed of light and it’s true nature in the reality of the universe. The implication could very well be that everyone should just accept that as truth. This attitude is one that many today are increasingly labeling as an elitist position. 

In this program he presumably de-bunked the Creationist “belief” (italics mine) that the universe is only around 6,000 years old. His scientific focus was upon the Crab Nebula; 6,500 light-years or so away from Earth. He explains that the nebula is the result of an exploding star larger than our own sun. The light seen from this nebula takes about 6,500 light-years to reach our eyes. This, of course, works primarily in a static or slower than light universe where nothing else moves along with or as fast as the path of light. Therefore, calculations of distance and time can be problematic.

To assume that Creationists who oppose his science fact, with their own science fact, are simply wrong because they do not rely on the secular viewpoints of the definition of science results and configurations, is to indeed find Mr. Neil deGrasse Tyson on only one side of an argument which indeed possesses alternative views to the so called “liberal elite”. Some of these views are provided by faith to be sure, but others are also provided by good old scientific research itself. To ignore the science side of the opposing view points merely because The Bible, a spiritual book, is involved is to be less than honest toward ones own scientific veracity. If opposing views based upon science research and fact do indeed exist, than they should never be ignored by scientists. 

It would be quite easy, one might attest, to claim that the Big Bang, a dearly held position on the origins of the universe, could have somehow begun and then continued in the 14th of a second that it would require, without light itself, but that would be against known physical laws. Similarly, if the universe had light at its beginning, then it follows that light has always traveled along side of an expanding universe. If the universe were only a week old, then light itself, no matter the speed of it, would not only be seen by those traveling the cosmos in the same direction with light, but light itself would only be a week old. However, this argument isn’t necessary considering the offerings from the Creationist science community.

What are indeed those science issues that Mr. Neil deGrasse Tyson has ignored in his “liberal elite” positions? Briefly, there are many, and some of course include the faith in a universe created with age, and fully functional to support the planned forms of life. However, not everything necessitates a reliance on a universe created with age. For one, distant starlight has never been an adequate argument against a young earth due to the lack of rigidity of the flow of time. Science knows all about the relativity of time and the inaccuracies of clocks, which exist at different physical points in relation to the varying strength of gravity at different locations, right here on our own home planet. Gravity can be so strong that it does indeed affect time and light. 

Science also knows that there are multiple rotating galaxies that could not have lasted billions of years due to the laws of physics that would command them to become twisted conflagrations. Also, there are hot blue stars out in the void which themselves cannot last billions of years. Without going too deeply into any one of these science FACTS, it would be ingenuous to attest to one singular view point toward any science proof or concept which did not present the whole of the matter as it has been unveiled by scientific process itself.

Creation science has called Mr. Neil deGrasse Tyson “on the carpet” to allow for equal time from a science view point not singularly his own or even that of a labeled liberal elite. His response will attest to his “elitist” position and reveal to his public base the depth to which he feels science needs to be exposed to the masses even when it doesn’t necessarily line up with his own views. In the end, it will always be the people who decide if they are getting the whole story. In the interest of science, I hope Mr. Tyson can see his way to equal time for all scientific positions. 

Firefox Enters World War Sex

Brendan Eich

One has to wonder if indeed the recent protests by the Gay lobby over the CEO of Firefox’s contributions to Proposition 8 in California, isn’t symptomatic of a greater world wide war over sex and an individual’s right to choose his own predilection for it accordingly. Brendan Eich,  Mozilla's new CEO made a $1,000 contribution to the California ballot measure back in 2008. It wasn’t until 2012 that the information was uncovered. Now in 2014, the Homosexual Rights lobby is making a stand and calling for everyone to utilize another browser for internet use.

One has to wonder if the lobby itself isn’t developing a “headhunter” mentality in defending their position in the public eye. Recent news has been rife with the mention of this ongoing battle, as is most recently provided by the Phil Robertson scandal involving statements he has made which imperiled the “Duck Dynasty" television show for a brief time until public outcry pressured for his return. 

Author Linda Harvey, who runs a pro-family ministry called Mission America, is now also under attack for a book she has written entitled: Maybe He’s Not Gay. This book, which outlines her reasons pre-pubescent children do not need to be confronted with sexual choices, came under brutal attack by activists who had not even read her book. In the meantime, she has asked Amazon.com to take the book down for offered sale and it is now, for the present time, only offered on her website. 

American food chain, Chic-fil-A was also targeted by a homosexual rights group. They referred to the chain’s food as “hate-filled homophobic Chicken.” They have also attempted to prevent Chick-fil-A from doing business in the state of Illinois. 

The problem isn’t simply a North American one, though much of the impetus for the lobby does indeed come from the United States. The fight, as it were, has appeared across the world. On Dec. 31, the Moscow Theological Academy, the Russian Orthodox Church's top learning institution, removed Deacon Andrei Kuraev from his position within the organization. They claim he regularly appeared in the media with shocking statements, and his activity is overly tumultuous. It was not the deacon's stand on political prisoners or outrageous stunts by musical acts that resulted in his dismissal. Instead, it was a LiveJournal post about a teacher from the Kazan Seminary who was fired for making homosexual advances to students and then given a better job elsewhere. Kuraev believes this exemplifies a broader "gay metastasis" in the church.

BBC News anchor, Clare Balding, was a victim of an abusive internet attack on Twitter over her decision to front the BBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics despite Russia's laws against gays. Miss Balding, herself a lesbian who is about to tie the knot in the near future, felt no remorse or animosity toward those who opposed her. Her attitude is admirable considering that much of the abuse contained slanderous and defamatory language, which incidentally, came from those who support gay rights.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni recently announced his intention to sign a bill dubbed the “jail the gays” bill,  saying he was declaring “war on the homosexual lobby”. In a recent statement, Pope Francis has himself referred to there being a Gay lobby and for there to be a need to have something done in relation to the lobby. He certainly did not mention any sort of “war” on the Gay lobby, but it is clear that conflict can certainly be coming on the horizon with the Pope and the Catholic Church, that is to say, more so than is already present.

Considering the larger scope of the ongoing world war over sex and the inclusion of Firefox CEO Brendan Eich in the issue, despite the action in question being a private one of his own choice and also that of it being an issue from the year 2008, one has to wonder if things aren’t getting to the point that the gay lobby itself is becoming as militant as those they claim to be in contention with. Can we now look forward to the American people losing their right to place votes, as was the case for the Proposition 8 ballot in California, when votes were tossed out after the measure passed? Do businesses like Chic-fil-A not have a right to do business because they don’t agree with the Gay lobby? Will high ranking officials, celebrities and business persons be forced to “go into the closet” in order to allow the Gay rights activists the freedom to not have the burden of opposing view points? 

Brendan Eich and Firefox appear to be only the latest victims dragged into a war over sex that appears to be happening all over the world. It is a fight that may or may not be won in the trenches of legislation, but it is one that will certainly wear out its welcome in the hearts of the public. Just what happens when this resistance lowers is anyone’s guess. When the picket lines are crossed, and the songs of peace and freedom end, what sort of world will we find as a result of the division and animosity created by movements on both sides - simply over sexual preference? 

Captain America on the Edge

Captain America is living on the edge these days. He does this right along with the rest of us, in both movie adventure and, questionably, the real lives we live every day. The Winter Soldier’s story writing and movie making bring us the best of what movies have to offer us today in the way of real life resonance and technical know how which is both involving and uniquely emotionally compelling. 

One may groan at the thought of yet another superhero movie in the offering, and rightfully so some my attest due to the last ten years of post 9/11 movie making, but you would be remiss to skip this second installment of Captain America. We’re no longer in the 1940's folks. The enemy is at our doorstep, in our backyards, and has a very, very big gun aimed right at us.

In todays headline filled information society, we’ve all become begrudgingly aware that something, someone at sometime has come stalking us all. It might not be an overt villain like say, the Red Skull from Captain America: The First Avenger, but it might be something more insidious, more ethereal than can be displayed upon a movie screen whose character is torn from the pages of a comic book. This is a villainy threat that we all have a nagging feeling about and are made aware of now almost on a daily basis. 

In this latest installment, the writers are proving themselves “hip” to the social wonder-ings we’ve all developed as we watch rapid and dangerous changes take place within our surrounding world. In the guise of villainous bad guys, including corporate, governmental and also from the source of impossible technical fantasy, we’re reminded of that which has been made public on the information highway. This highway, like Captain America: The Winter Soldier, has become rife with “speeding cars” and “tragic accidents”.  

Fictional bad guys from the Marvel Universe have become the hidden secret societies of today. Captain America, with his “Gomer Pyle” type affectations, is drawn to the edge of this so-called alternative agenda which has come our way in the form of the argument over how much freedom must be sacrificed in order to maintain social balance. Our world may have no other worlds to conquer for it’s 7 billion inhabitants, except perhaps, it’s own. These bad guys could easily have been subjects of real life speculation such as the Freemasons, the Illuminatti and others who have supposedly directed history behind the scenes for generations now, all in an attempt to bring about their concept of how the world should be. There is even the mention of the now well known concept of a New World Order. What’s frightening is that this NWO may be something we, as ordinary citizens may have no choice about living within, and there will be NO Captain America to pull us back from the edge. 

We’ve all become regularly aware of the subject matter being covered here, and the cold reality that it doesn’t just belong to a country somewhere over there who is threatening our life over here, but your next door neighbor just might like the New World Order’s agenda. If you look closely at some of the scenes in this film, and some dang exciting ones there are, you’ll see technical prowess seamlessly placed into the mix between real life and what is done in the computer. 

In one scene Captain America is lowered down onto a ship by his comrade the Falcon and then they both start to walk toward the camera. If you are not looking closely, you won’t catch the fact that the landing moment is all computer generated image and we really don’t see the actors walking towards us until a moment later when real life and movie magic are miraculously made into one. If you consider it, it’s kind of a hidden commentary on the subject matter at hand that this sort of thing happens all over this film with the viewer never realizing it. It is a good thing, of course, to not be reminded that I am indeed in a movie, but the film is a product of it’s own times, in technology, social conscience, and the draw of the characterizations of the actors upon the viewing public. The viewer won’t even realize it’s insidious effects whether pro or con.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier lives on the edge of all of our lives in both the large an small segments that affect us all. Marvel is almost genius in its realization of what would make a great movie for today’s viewing public, and one has to wonder just how long and how hard the crew that produced this heartfelt, wickedly smart and thoroughly engaging film, had to work in order to bring us a movie that drops right into the center of our lives. Consider the fact that a movie called Captain America has already broken records around the world before it had even opened in the United States, and you get a real feel for how the whole world has become aware of life on the edge.   

5 0f 5 stars