A Golden Tipping Point

A Golden Tipping Point: University of Texas Takes Delivery Of $1 Billion In Physical Gold

Tipping points are funny: for years, decades, even centuries, the conditions for an event to occur may be ripe yet nothing happens. Then, in an instant, a shift occurs, whether its is due a change in conventional wisdom, due to an exogenous event or due to something completely inexplicable. That event, colloquially called a black swan in recent years, changes the prevalent perception of reality in a moment. This past week, we were seeing the effect of a tipping point in process, with gold prices rising to new all time highs day after day, and the price of silver literally moving in a parabolic fashion. What was missing was the cause.

We now know what it is: per Bloomberg: "The University of Texas Investment Management Co., the second-largest U.S. academic endowment, took delivery of almost $1 billion in gold bullion and is storing the bars in a New York vault, according to the fund’s board." And so, the game theory of a nearly 100 year old system of monetary exchange has seen its first defector, but most certainly not last. With an entity as large as the University of Texas calling the bluff of the Comex, the Chairman, and fiat in general in roughly that order, virtually every other asset manager is now sure to follow, considering there is not nearly enough physical gold to satisfy all paper gold in existence by a factor of about 100x. The proverbial Nash equilibrium has just been broken.
From Bloomberg:

The fund, whose $19.9 billion in assets ranked it behind Harvard University’s endowment as of August, according to the National Association of College and University Business Officers, added about $500 million in gold investments to an existing stake last year, said Bruce Zimmerman, the endowment’s chief executive officer. The holdings are worth about $987 million, based on yesterday’s closing price of $1,486 an ounce for Comex futures.

Years from now, when historians attempt to define who may have started it all, one name may emerge...

The decision to turn the fund’s investment into gold bars was influenced by Kyle Bass, a Dallas hedge fund manager and member of the endowment’s board, Zimmerman said at its annual meeting on April 14. Bass made $500 million on the U.S. subprime-mortgage collapse.

“Central banks are printing more money than they ever have, so what’s the value of money in terms of purchases of goods and services,” Bass said yesterday in a telephone interview. “I look at gold as just another currency that they can’t print any more of.”

In summary - the fiat tide is now going out. And among those who will first be observed swimming naked are the very same people whose fate has been so very intrinsically linked to the perpetuation of a flawed regime (and who coined this very saying). In the meantime, hold on to your hats: should a scramble for delivery ensue, the recent parabolic move in various precious metals will seem like a dress rehearsal for what is about to transpire.
The only open question is who was the broker with enough gold to deliver to the UofT. We hope to find out soon enough. We also hope that the UofT is smart enough, and that Kyle Bass advised it, that if they are getting "delivery" in a Comex vault in New York, the gold has likely already been leased out at least several times to various entities demanding paper allocations.  Submitted by Tyler Durden.

OldMrBill likes to think big, but $1 Billion in gold is beyond my vision. That said, this is my vision - http://bit.ly/enK4Ww and you should consider making it yours too.

Are You Still drinking Tap Water?

Did you know that the average adult human body is 55-60% water? (Babies’ bodies are closer to 75%.) The brain is made up of about 70% water, and the lungs, closer to 90%! This means that the quality of the water you drink has an enormous impact on the quality of your health.

Unfortunately, high quality drinking water is increasingly difficult to come by in this day and age. Most health conscious Americans know that, while we are lucky in this country to have access to water that is largely free of disease-causing microorganisms, drinking plain old, unfiltered tap water is generally not a great idea.
What’s wrong with tap water?
Recent analyses of municipal drinking water have shown that, despite government regulations, there are still many dangerous contaminants present in our water, even after it has gone through municipal water treatment facilities.
In fact, these water treatment facilities often actually contribute to the problem by adding dangerous chemicals like fluoride and chlorine to water as part of the treatment process. The water regulations and treatment methods used in the U.S. are old and outdated and do little to address the assortment of toxic chemicals that are currently present in our environment. The Safe Drinking Water Act only regulates 91 potential water contaminants. Yet there are more than 60,000 chemicals used within the U.S., many of which have been identified as probable carcinogens. According to some estimates, there are now more than 2,100 known chemical toxins present in U.S. tap water. Additionally, many municipalities transport their water in antiquated, corroded pipes, which may leach toxic heavy metals into the water after it has been treated.
Here’s a rundown of some of the chemicals that are more than likely lurking in your tap water:
1. Fluoride
For over 50 years, the U.S. government has mandated that fluoride be added to the water supply to prevent dental problems. However, current research has shown that fluoride, a chemical that is used in rat poison, does a lot more harm than good. The fluoride found in tap water has actually been shown to damage tooth enamel, increase fracture risk, suppress immune and thyroid function, increase cancer risk and disrupt the function of the pineal gland.
Many European countries have banned the use of fluoride altogether, and there is a large activist movement of people working to get fluoride banned in the U.S. Visit FluorideAlert.org to learn more.
2. Chlorine
Water treatment facilities use chlorine as a disinfectant. It effectively kills microorganisms, but also has toxic effects on the human body. Chlorine has been identified as a leading cause of bladder cancer, and has been associated with rectal and breast cancers, asthma, birth defects and premature aging of skin.
3. Radioactive contaminants
Radioactive fallout from Japan has been detected in drinking water supplies throughout the U.S. As of last week, radioactive iodine-131 had been detected in drinking water samples from 13 U.S. cities. Radioactive cesium and tellurium isotopes have also been detected at low levels in some cities. (You can view this data on the EPA’s website.) The health implications of this radioactive contamination are yet unknown, but the EPA has said it will continue to monitor the situation.
4. Pharmaceutical drugs
Recent investigations have shown that an increasing number of pharmaceutical drugs are finding their way into our drinking water. Drugs ranging from antibiotics and birth control pills to painkillers, antidepressants and other psychiatric medications are now showing up in most municipal water supplies.
5. Hexavalent chromium
Earlier this year, an Environmental Working Group report revealed that hexavalent chromium, a chemical identified as a “probably carcinogen by the EPA,” is present in high concentrations in 31 U.S. cities. This is the chemical made famous by the movie, Erin Brockovitch, which chronicled the case brought against Pacific Gas and Electric for contaminating the water in an area of Southern California and poisoning thousands of people. Yet despite its known toxicity, there are no government regulations for hexavalent chromium in drinking water.
6. Lead, aluminum and other heavy metals
Lead and other heavy metals can make their way into your tap water through corrosion of the pipes in your plumbing system. Lead consumption has been linked to severe developmental delays and learning disorders in children. Aluminum and other heavy metals have been linked to nerve, brain and kidney damage. Currently, some municipalities still transport water in lead pipes.
7. Arsenic
Arsenic is a poisonous element known to be extremely carcinogenic. The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates as many as 56 million Americans drink water containing unsafe levels of arsenic. For more information, see the USGS website, which offers maps showing where and to what extent arsenic occurs in ground water across the U.S.
So what are the healthier alternatives to tap water?
So what is the best way to ensure that the water you drink is supporting your health, rather than damaging it?
WaterPure International offers equipment that produces 99.99% Pure Drinking water From Air. There are No Pesticides, No Pharmaceuticals, No Chlorine, No Chloramine, No BPA's No Chemicals of any kind...Just pure refreshing chilled water. How can none of these contaminants be resident in our water? when you think about , it makes total sense...The were never there in the first place!  We bring water from the air to your glass and bypass the entire toxic process. we are not trying to make bad water good...we are making good water great!
Being that the WaterCycle tm produces Water from air and does not require municipal water supplies, we can  also reduce our dependence on our aquifers and land based resources and the associated toxic chemicals and equipment used in the process. This can substantially reduce our carbon footprint and provide a truly sustainable unlimited supply of pure water for consumption anywhere the conditions are right for this cutting edge green technology.
Its Green..It's Clean..and it's sustainable.
We represent the only US based manufacturer that provides this patented process and we welcome you to learn more.
Please visit our website    www.myacquapura.com   or contact us direct as noted below.
A fusion of Science and Nature... WaterPure International Inc. providing responsible water that is good for you....and our Planet.
For more information on pricing, delivery or affiliate/referrer opportunities, you may email me directly at littlehales@att.net or use the Contact Us link on the website and tell 'em "OldMrBill" sent you. You'll be glad you did.

Telling Tales Out of School

There's an old phrase that goes something like this "telling tales out of school"*. Was never really sure just what that meant, but always felt it was something to be avoided. Well, here's one that began "in school", or more precisely because I wasn't in school.

I got caught for the umpteenth time, skipping classes during my first time through the eleventh grade of my secondary education. They expelled me. I was fortunate after 10 days to be admitted to another high school where, as providence would have it, I met my bride of 42 years, Suzanne Mallory. That in itself is worth a chapter or three, but I'll save it for another of my "Random Thoughts from a Wandering Mind" blog entries, though I'll have to 'Eat That Frog' again before writing it.

My future father-in-law was an artist, working for the old Southern Bell Telephone Company, with the responsibility for creating the cover art for each year's telephone directories, both the residential (white) pages and the commercial (yellow) pages directories. That was back in the 1960s, before they switched to photographic and digitally altered stuff for the directory covers.

Jack T. Mallory also did a lot of painting, everything from landscape to portrait and abstract to nudes. When Jack passed away back in the mid 1990s, he left a treasure trove of artwork which has since been parceled out to various family members and friends. We have 18 framed pieces of his work in our home. Jack also participated in a good many art shows in and around Atlanta Georgia, selling an occasional piece for enough to buy art supplies for the next year.

One of his fellow artists and art show friend was a gentleman by the name of Harry Rossall, who interestingly enough, worked for my father in the U.S. Forest Service and was the creator of "Smokey Bear", the cartoon character which graced more than a thousand fire prevention posters over the years. Prior to his death in 1999, Harry had been commissioned by the State of Oklahoma to create a huge mural depicting the state's history from prehistoric times to the modern day Western state that it is.

My bride and I were invited to represent the Littlehales family and the Mallory family in Broken Bow Oklahoma for the unveiling and dedication of Harry's magnificent mural. The mural covers the wall from floor to ceiling for a distance of over 100 feet. It was to be Harry's last public appearance, as his health was declining and his passing came soon thereafter.

This past weekend, I was looking through a closet I've been meaning to clean out and I found a framed pencil sketch of Smokey Bear with the words "Remember Bill, only you can prevent forest fires". It is dated 1957, and is signed by Harry Rossall. Also uncovered in the closet were approximately 30 original Smokey Bear posters done by Harry that my Dad had saved over the years and gave to me. I really need to talk to the folks at the Antiques Road Show TV program about those posters.

Three separate families all brought together by providence because a smart-aleck teenager skipped school one too many times. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

 

*TELL TALES OUT OF SCHOOL - "Betray confidences. It was originally said only of children, apparently children who let drop at home things they had heard from schoolmates in the nature of gossip or happenings within a family. Now it applies to anyone who reveals confidences (usually not very weighty) he has received. The saying is old enough to have been picked up by William Tyndale in 'The Practyse of Prelates' : 'So that what cometh once in may never out, for fear of telling tales out of school.'" From "Dictionary of Cliches" by James Rogers (Wings Books, Originally New York: Facts on File Publications, 1985).

The Ranch Queen Is Walking For Suzanne

Do you "tweet"? Then you know where the link below will take you. If you're not on Twitter, then just skip the link and read on.

OldMrBill 

Know someone with cancer? I do. I married her 42 years ago. Our friend "The Ranch Queen" is helping. You can too. http://bit.ly/RanchQueen

 

Back in the early 1990s we were living in the little town of Lowry Crossing Texas, about 40 miles NE of Dallas. I was working for Electronic Data Systems and Suzi was working at the Bill Bates Cowboy Ranch. Some of you will remember Bill Bates #40, strong safety with the Dallas Cowboys NFL football team. The ranch manager was a lady by the name of Katherine, affectionately called "The Ranch Queen" and Suzi was the office manager on the ranch. Katherine was not only a great boss lady, but she became a good friend to most all that knew her and Suzi and I count ourselves among the lucky ones who have kept in touch with Katherine over the years.

As you know, if you've read any of my earlier blogs, my bride of 42 years, Suzi was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer on her birthday in February 2010. It had metastasized to her brain. After 10 whole-head radiation treatments, the brain tumor was declared dead, but was inoperable. Then six grueling months of chemotherapy for the lung tumors showed signs of improvement, that is to say, they had not spread and most had either been reduced in size or disappeared altogether. As we had no insurance, we relied on a study grant for her treatments at the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. That grant expired in September 2010. We are in search of another study grant which will help with the enormous costs of a follow-up MRI and CAT scan to set benchmarks against which to measure her cancer's progression or more hopefully, continued remission. We both have a positive attitude about our chances of finding that grant.

So what's all this got to do with The Ranch Queen? A few days ago, we received an email from Katherine, asking our permission for her to run in the 2011 Relay For Life in support of Suzi's battle with cancer. We, of course, agreed and are honored that Katherine would do that for Suzi. But beyond just honoring Suzi's valiant battle with cancer, Katherine and her team are trying to raise funds for the American Cancer Society by seeking donations from those willing and able to contribute to the fight against cancer. You can visit Katherine's web page at http://bit.ly/RanchQueen, read her dedication to Suzi and make a small donation if you can.

This is a point where I would usually add a few of my Random Thoughts, but this evening I think I'll not do that. Instead, just let me close with a word of thanks to those of you who know Suzi and me and have kept her in your thoughts and prayers through the past year. You have given her the strength to battle on for as long as it takes. We are eternally grateful.

Transphorm, Google-Backed Startup, Claims Major Breakthrough In Energy Technology

Ever wonder how much water is consumed at Google? Hundreds of gallons a day I'd wager. I wonder how much of it is designer-l­abeled plastic-bo­ttled water? Talk about a carbon foot-print­! Atmospheri­c Water Generation is one alternativ­e. Only one U.S. company makes an AWG unit for both personal and commercial use. Its products are available through another U.S. company called AcquaPura LLC. Might be worth a look. http://www­.myacquapu­ra.com Just tell 'em "OldMrBill­" sent you, or contact me directly on Twitter or Skype for more informatio­n.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

What Are You Doing OldMrBill?

Lately, I've been asked what I'm up to; what am I doing; why am I doing something different; and why am I doing 'that'? The answers aren't simple. It depends on who is asking and what prompted the question.

For the last two weeks or so, I've been battling with my computer over the issue of who's in charge here, me or it. Until today, it had the upper hand but after four hours of running an anti-virus scan, a malware application, not one but two different registry optimizers and a spy-ware removal application, I have regained control of the situation. The lesson here is: Don't put off updating and running your security protection applications.

Another answer is that I am working on several different projects at the same time, so on the surface it might seem like I'm doing something different, but in reality it's only that you caught me in the middle of work on one of those projects to the exclusion of all else. Multitasking is not an inborn aptitude, but one which is acquired out of necessity and must be continually practiced in order to be successful at it. Oh, and then there's the "Eat That Frog" maxim which I still struggle with every day. You know about that, don't you? No? Go back and read my January 3, 2011 blog for the explanation.

My last post <http://oldmrbill.blogspot.com/2011/02/acquapura-in-news.html> was a bit of a commercial plug for one of the companies with which I am associated, AcquaPura LLC. I have mentioned them in a couple of earlier bloggings and will continue to do so in the future when there is some noteworthy news to share.  

Yes, the following is an authorized commercial endorsement of a product and is not a "Random Thought from a Wandering Mind".


WaterPure International Appoints New Senior Vice President

WaterPure International Inc.| WPUR

OAKLAND PARK, Fla., Feb. 14, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WaterPure International, Inc. (The "Company" or "WaterPure") (OTCBB:WPUR) announced the appointment of Lee M. Stein as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Mr. Stein will be responsible for defining and implementing the Company's sales, marketing, and cutting-edge green initiative strategies worldwide. 

"We are thrilled that Lee has agreed to join WaterPure. He will add depth and diversity of experience to our leadership team," said Paul Lipschutz, President and CEO of WaterPure International. "Lee will be responsible for functions that are fundamental to the Company's foundation and expansion. He will bring extensive experience and demonstrated leadership qualities to our organization." 

"I'm delighted to be joining WaterPure International at this juncture," Mr. Stein said. "No other Company provides this cutting-edge green technology, and is, at the same time, produced right here in the USA. I am confident that WaterPure will continue to transform and become a market leader, and I look forward to working with Paul and the team, while realizing a substantially stronger return for shareholders."

WaterPure's line of Atmospheric Water Generators condenses the humidity in the air and then creates "water from air" through its patented ozone purification system. WaterPure water has been shown to meet or exceed all of the World Health Organization's guidelines for safe drinking water. As part of the Company's green initiative, WaterPure is focused on reducing the carbon footprint associated with traditional bottled water through a decrease in both plastic production and plastic waste, and reduction of carbon monoxide associated with transportation. 

 

As a registered agent with AcquaPura LLC, I am proud of our association with Water Pure International and look forward to working with Lee Stein in his new position as Senior VP of Sales and Marketing. So ends this commercial announcement. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

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Here's one of those "Random Thoughts" I've been saving up:

Did you know that sex is the way most babies are started, but is sexual intercourse really the primary cause of human reproduction? Let’s consider the statistics:
The World Health Organization estimates that 100 million couples engage in sexual intercourse on an average day, which is only 3.3% of the world’s six billion humans. This pitifully low amount of love-making results in around 910,000 pregnancies, thanks in part to contraceptives and sterility. For a variety of reasons, 55% of these zygotes don’t make it through fetushood to live birth. According to a current U.S. Census Bureau estimate, 359,000 do make it daily.
So, less than 0.4% of each day’s heterosexual trysts result in the creation of new humans—a statistically insignificant correlation for proving causation. In fact, it rounds to zero.
Try it for yourself. Estimate how many times you’ve engaged in sexual activity in your lifetime. Now estimate how many times you were trying to make a baby. Divide the little number by the big number to give you the percent of times sex and procreation have simultaneously motivated you.
Perhaps if there were more opportunities for sexual gratification, so many people wouldn’t feel the need to fill a nagging emptiness with a needy dependent.
[Please note: the above shows how statistics may be manipulated. If we approach the equation from the other end, more than 99% of us were started by sexual intercourse.]

The Silver Snip Award
For Reproductive Responsibility
This handsome trophy is awarded to those outstanding citizens who acknowledge 6+billion humans on Earth is more than enough, and who put their money where their gonads are.

The Silver Snip Award
Anyone, including biological parents, who has chosen permanent, surgical contraception (vasectomy, tubal ligation, hysterectomy, etc.), may download this animated gif.

Somewhere in the Good Book it says "Sinner, Heal Thyself". If you're a reader and a follower of the Good Book, you know that it always takes a little help from above to get healed. Getting "fixed" can't be done by one's self either. It's best left to the professionals.

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A fart is a pleasant thing,
It gives the belly ease,
It warms the bed in winter,
And suffocates the fleas.

A fart can be quiet,
A fart can be loud,
Some leave a powerful,
Poisonous cloud

A fart can be short,
Or a fart can be long,
Some farts have been known
To sound like a song......

A fart can create
A most curious medley,
A fart can be harmless,
Or silent, and deadly.

A fart might not smell,
While others are vile,
A fart may pass quickly,
Or linger a while......

A fart can occur
In a number of places,
And leave everyone there,
With strange looks on their faces .
From wide-open prairie,
To small elevators,
A fart will find all of
Us sooner or later.

But farts are all bad,
Is simply not true-
We must never forget.......
Sweet old farts like you!

Kinda brings a tear to your eye - right?

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Two important dates are fast approaching: April 22nd and April 29th. Do you know why either of them is significant? Stay tuned and I'll let you in on some special news about both of them in future postings. You're probably thinking the 29th is special because the future King of England is getting married, right? Okay, yes that is special, but it is just a coincidence that they chose that date. And, unless you've been living under a rock for the past 41 years, you should darn well know about April 22nd. Here's a clue:

 

That's about it for this go round. But as what's his name says: I'll be back.

AcquaPura in the News

OAKLAND PARK, Fla., Feb. 2, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WaterPure International, Inc. (WaterPure) (OTCBB:WPUR) announced that it has selected Acqua Pura, LLC (Acqua Pura) as its first platinum level broker. 

The "Platinum" status acknowledges Acqua Pura's exceptional talents at facilitating the acquisition of "best in class" domestic and international distributors and agents for WaterPure's product line. Acqua Pura's executives bring with them a valuable set of skills and maturity in the marketplace of direct sales. Through their network of high quality partners, Acqua Pura will offer the WaterPure line of Atmospheric Water Generators, devices that produce crystal clear drinking water from the humidity that is present in the air.

Acqua Pura's key executive management personnel were previously engaged in Fortune 500 companies and have concluded multimillion dollar opportunities with numerous satisfied clients and profitable contacts that continue to prove their concept of win-win for all parties involved.

WaterPure is the only company that manufactures atmospheric water production and treatment products solely in the United States of America.

Their principal product line includes various models of the WaterCycle(TM) brand atmospheric water generator. WaterPure employs a patented water purification process that exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization requirements for safe drinking water.

In addition to Acqua Pura's network, WaterPure offers its products under the 'WaterPure' brand through other prime distributors covering territories in France, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Ireland, Great Britain, the Cayman Islands, and the United States of America.

WaterPure International, Inc. was founded in 2005 and is based in Oakland Park, Florida.

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/WaterPure-International-pz-631151780.html?x=0&.v=1