Why social distancing is important is kind of an abstract concept. I try to explain how virol load changes with distance. My daughter had a better explanation. She calls it " fart smell radius "
There is one teensy little problem with the gold standard — while numerous gold mines operate around the world, their output is barely enough to keep up with the worldwide demand for jewellery. Add in gold’s usage in electronics, satellite shielding, and other little known but essential industrial processes, and there just isn’t enough left over to back up the world’s largest economic system.
Of course we should. But the banks would never want it. With the gold standard, the value of the currency is locked with that of gold, ending (1) speculation on the precious metal and (2) essentially locking the price of anything away from inflation.And the reason banks would not like it is that it would be readily apparent that the current interest rates on deposits are negative when inflation adjusted, meaning that banks do not pay interest, but charge rental on money.
Just like dollars, gold is only valuable, beyond it’s physical uses, because someone told us it is, and we believe it. Money, whatever it’s based on, is just tokens that represent wealth. A way to keep score and allow some to hoard more than the rest of us.
I read in a geology text some time ago that all the known gold in the world would make a cube 18 meters on a side. Not all that big. And that it was/is formed in the universe only when neutron stars happen to collide. So apparently there’s really not that much to go around, unlike the case of diamonds which are formed constantly in the earth’s mantle and can be made in the lab from carbon. Those are only valuable because of strict control by a cartel.
There’s about $10 Trillion in gold available compared to 19 Trillion USD in circulation and $46T in the US stock market alone. Ready for a serious adjustment of the world economy?
I don’t think we have that much Gold on earth to cover what we are in debt for and the Democrats keep wanting to spend more and send prices up even more.
I had to work with someone who insisted on talking about going back to the gold standard while we were standing around waiting for work. I’m not sure which level of Hell that is.
The only profit ever made by “REAL GOLD” is made by both sellers and buyers with ‘us’ in the middle as advertised in the back pages of AARP, Veterans Mags, etc. By the time a $95 investment is made buying a $100 gold piece, time passes until it’s listed as worth $105 bux, where it’s bought for $100 bux by a ‘coin dealer’ looking for a $5 buck profit and where’s the fun in THAT?? The only GOLD profit I’ve ever made in life was the discovery of a small sachet of California Gold from the 1800’s found in Grandpa’s old roll-top desk back in the ’50’s when we sold the farm.. Seems a bunch of relatives ‘went out west" in the 1850-70’s and brung home a few samples of their findings and gramps put it in a box along with a bunch of Silver Dollars of the era and so I keep it around to send on to ‘not my brightest’ generation who will somehow manage to get themselves screwed real goodly by the “Gold, Valuables and Silver Collectors” of that age.. >huge eye-roll<
The concept of a gold standard encourages hoarding so there can never be enough to keep an economy moving. If it’s not circulating it’s not money, it’s collectable scrap at best. If it doesn’t circulate to the bottom it gets scuzzy down there.
The real problem with trying to go back on the gold Standard at this point in time is that we would need at least 10 times as much Gold as there is in the World to do it.
And, that includes any gold that haven’t been dug out of the ground yet.
The Money supply outgrew Gold, Platinum & Silver combined many years ago.
EasternWoods over 3 years ago
Knowledge of another kind
Why social distancing is important is kind of an abstract concept. I try to explain how virol load changes with distance. My daughter had a better explanation. She calls it " fart smell radius "
Kveldulf over 3 years ago
There is one teensy little problem with the gold standard — while numerous gold mines operate around the world, their output is barely enough to keep up with the worldwide demand for jewellery. Add in gold’s usage in electronics, satellite shielding, and other little known but essential industrial processes, and there just isn’t enough left over to back up the world’s largest economic system.
Bilan over 3 years ago
We ARE still on the gold standard. The guys that have the gold make the rules.
Superfrog over 3 years ago
Bob has underestimated the public’s thirst for ignorance.
WGillete over 3 years ago
Some people just can’t leave the 19th century.
Cornelius Noodleman over 3 years ago
I think I’ll stand over here.
Doug K over 3 years ago
He should have charged (more for) admission/consultation.
tudza Premium Member over 3 years ago
Maybe, but don’t start any wars you can’t afford. Also, watch that emergency spending.
mikeyman over 3 years ago
Must be before TED talks.
dot-the-I over 3 years ago
Obviously, “Location, location, location" is not in his purview.
VincentGoudreault over 3 years ago
Of course we should. But the banks would never want it. With the gold standard, the value of the currency is locked with that of gold, ending (1) speculation on the precious metal and (2) essentially locking the price of anything away from inflation.And the reason banks would not like it is that it would be readily apparent that the current interest rates on deposits are negative when inflation adjusted, meaning that banks do not pay interest, but charge rental on money.
keenanthelibrarian over 3 years ago
I’m sure he’s thought long and hard about this – a shame no-one seems to be interested.
JohnCL over 3 years ago
There are so many other possible topics that Bob might post.
-Saint- over 3 years ago
He’d have more people in line if he was giving away free samples…!
Lenavid over 3 years ago
When I die, I want my last check to bounce.Check? I guess I’m stuck in the 20th Century.
Twelve Badgers in a Suit Premium Member over 3 years ago
Nobody wants to hear ideas that would fùck the economy even more than it already is.
kartis over 3 years ago
At least it’s not Four Seasons Landscaping.
bbenoit over 3 years ago
Just like dollars, gold is only valuable, beyond it’s physical uses, because someone told us it is, and we believe it. Money, whatever it’s based on, is just tokens that represent wealth. A way to keep score and allow some to hoard more than the rest of us.
1953Baby over 3 years ago
NO! NO! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE! I’LL DO ANYTHING! JUST . . .NO ECONOMICS!!!
Huckleberry Hiroshima over 3 years ago
Well, Bob…… oh, never mind.
rickseg over 3 years ago
I read in a geology text some time ago that all the known gold in the world would make a cube 18 meters on a side. Not all that big. And that it was/is formed in the universe only when neutron stars happen to collide. So apparently there’s really not that much to go around, unlike the case of diamonds which are formed constantly in the earth’s mantle and can be made in the lab from carbon. Those are only valuable because of strict control by a cartel.
david_42 over 3 years ago
There’s about $10 Trillion in gold available compared to 19 Trillion USD in circulation and $46T in the US stock market alone. Ready for a serious adjustment of the world economy?
vaughnrl2003 Premium Member over 3 years ago
Just add the “signature” of Q on the bottom of that sign. That’ll get their attention.
david_42 over 3 years ago
The US left the gold standard in 1971. USD in circulation: $19T, world stocks: $95T. Mined gold: $10T It could get ugly.
well-i-never over 3 years ago
This is why the world has switched to the Bitcoin standard. That and ransomware.
Free or Not? Premium Member over 3 years ago
Well, We SHOULD go back on the gold standard. Much better than fiat currency.
scottbruce over 3 years ago
Bob must be in DC. Politicians don’t want to be controlled by any standard.
Richard S Russell Premium Member over 3 years ago
Bob’s knowledge might be more highly regarded if he knew how to set up the stanchions for a proper waiting line.
mistercatworks over 3 years ago
You have to call it crypto-gold and tell people it’s backed by massive expenditures of power for tedious calculations.
BigEd over 3 years ago
I don’t think we have that much Gold on earth to cover what we are in debt for and the Democrats keep wanting to spend more and send prices up even more.
micromos over 3 years ago
Shhh, the Democrats may be reading this.
Ermine Notyours over 3 years ago
I had to work with someone who insisted on talking about going back to the gold standard while we were standing around waiting for work. I’m not sure which level of Hell that is.
Vangoghdog01 over 3 years ago
Please, stop printing unbacked money.
Back our money with any objective standard of worth
Cactus-Pete over 3 years ago
Is the joke about the gold standard or about how no one ever disseminates information in that manner? It doesn’t work with both.
unca jim over 3 years ago
The only profit ever made by “REAL GOLD” is made by both sellers and buyers with ‘us’ in the middle as advertised in the back pages of AARP, Veterans Mags, etc. By the time a $95 investment is made buying a $100 gold piece, time passes until it’s listed as worth $105 bux, where it’s bought for $100 bux by a ‘coin dealer’ looking for a $5 buck profit and where’s the fun in THAT?? The only GOLD profit I’ve ever made in life was the discovery of a small sachet of California Gold from the 1800’s found in Grandpa’s old roll-top desk back in the ’50’s when we sold the farm.. Seems a bunch of relatives ‘went out west" in the 1850-70’s and brung home a few samples of their findings and gramps put it in a box along with a bunch of Silver Dollars of the era and so I keep it around to send on to ‘not my brightest’ generation who will somehow manage to get themselves screwed real goodly by the “Gold, Valuables and Silver Collectors” of that age.. >huge eye-roll<
COL Crash over 3 years ago
You know the old saying that you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.
If you stake him down next to it, he’ll come around eventually.
ChukLitl Premium Member over 3 years ago
The concept of a gold standard encourages hoarding so there can never be enough to keep an economy moving. If it’s not circulating it’s not money, it’s collectable scrap at best. If it doesn’t circulate to the bottom it gets scuzzy down there.
locake over 3 years ago
Is Bob going to talk to people One at a Time? That seems very inefficient.
KeithPixton1 over 3 years ago
Wouldn’t it be “Back to the gold standard”?
Ka`ōnōhi`ula`okahōkūmiomio`ehiku Premium Member over 3 years ago
The BLING Standard.
Boots at the Boar Premium Member over 3 years ago
I think we should return to the cowry shell standard.
mfrasca over 3 years ago
Bitten by the Gold-Bug.
wndflower1 over 3 years ago
presently, the public has NO thirst for Any knowledge!!! GAAAH!!
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 3 years ago
Libertarians are hard for gold.
bakana over 3 years ago
The real problem with trying to go back on the gold Standard at this point in time is that we would need at least 10 times as much Gold as there is in the World to do it.
And, that includes any gold that haven’t been dug out of the ground yet.
The Money supply outgrew Gold, Platinum & Silver combined many years ago.
UpaCoCoCreek Premium Member over 3 years ago
Ha! There were 139 commenters here who would’ve stood in line for Bob….