[Editor's Note: The following post is by TDV Editor-in-Chief, Jeff Berwick]

On April 11th we went public stating that shorting Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs) was an effective means of, "Profiting from The End Of The Monetary System As We Know It" (TEOTMSAWKI).

Less than a month later, on May 10th, after a month replete with numerous halts of the market over intraday crashes JBGs had their worst day in the last five years. Yields rose higher by 11bps to 70bps in the 10 year bond and ended up 10 basis points higher on the day.

Did you see the media coverage over the recent rescue of the innocent woman from a decade-long kidnapping? Thank goodness Patricia Spottedcrow was finally freed.

Oh, you thought I meant Amanda Berry and those other women in that sensational case of kidnap and sexual torture? While that was indeed horrible, I think it is worth keeping in mind that the state kidnaps people every day --especially non-whites-- and sentences them to long years in the sexual torture facilities commonly known as prisons. 

Hello from sunny Acapulco,

I was looking forward to my usual daily wake up in paradise when I rolled over at around 11am and my beautiful Mexican wife looked like Alvin from the Chipmunks.  Her small face was bloated to nearly twice its normal size with her cheeks in huge balls.

"Er, have you looked in the mirror?" I asked her in what I now call Berspanglish because it is my own personal brand of Spanglish having picked up poorly pronounced words and slang from dozens of different Spanish speaking countries and which now leaves most Mexicans confused as to my background much the same way that in English most people can't really place my accent and style of speaking after having lived all over the world for the last ten years.

Welcome to your Friday tradition, a weekly opportunity to demand, debate, and discuss the topics of the day or TDV's posts from the week that was. As always, send your questions, comments, queries, and concerns to tdv@dollarvigilante.com, comment on a post, or get on the forums.

On to the feedback...

SECOND PASSPORTS WITH LIMITED RESOURCES

Hi Jeff,

[Editor’s Note: The following post is by TDV legal correspondent, Jim Karger]

Every anarchist I know is, deep within, an optimist. That observation is often unbelievable to the casual observer, what with our frequent expressions of anger and frustration toward government and other forced collectives. But, beyond those frustrations lives an almost universal belief that one day an event, or a series of events, will occur setting into motion the elimination of government which will be replaced by a society based solely on voluntary connections.

[Editor's Note: The following post is by TDV Editor-in-Chief, Jeff Berwick]

Welcome to Europe where the vultures aren't hanging back and waiting for things to die anymore. Thanks to the government, the Griffon vulture is showing a little more initative, being proactive, and moving a notch upward on the food chain from scavenger to hunting killer.

Farmer Alain Larralde reported seeing a group of vultures attack and start eating an adult cow. "You can't imagine what it is like to see an animal eaten alive," said Mr. Larralde. There have also been reported sightings of live animals being carried off.

[Editor’s Note:  The following post is by TDV contributor, Wendy McElroy]

[Editor's Note: The following post is by TDV Golden Trader Chief Editor, Vin Maru]

Lately there has been a lot more news on how the physical demand for precious metals is off the charts. It seem like the physical off-take of bullion from dealers has only accelerated during this recent price drop in the metals. Inventory shortages are now a common occurrence at many dealers and premiums are rising until more supply comes to market.

Dear dollar vigilantes,

I yet again have the pleasure of participating in another excellent event, this time at the “Liberty Mastermind Symposium” in Dallas on June 28th and 29th and would like to extend my personal invitation to you to attend with me.

You may have noticed I get around!  I practically live on airplanes and in airports, which is unfortunate in some ways because I’d rather be on the beach in Acapulco or down at Galt’s Gulch in Chile than in an airport or on a plane.  But, I really feel that the important message and information we have has to get out there to as many places as possible as The End Of The Monetary System As We Know It (TEOTMSAWKI) draws ever nearer!

Laughter at Climate Skeptics and the Assumption of Political Affiliations