All Forum Posts by: Shanti S.

Originally posted by Mike M:

It is also a known fact that pepper spray can disable a perp faster than a firearm. My wife and daughter carry pepper spray.

Don't be too sure...I went thru law enforcement training a while back and had to stand there with my eyes and mouth open and get a good blast in the face. I waited a few seconds while nothing much happened, then had the bright idea to tell the guy spraying me that I could still see and would have no problem still coming at him. Blast again. Wait a few more seconds, then 30 minutes of misery.

The way it works really well is if the person is totally suprised and inhales a cloud of it - that will probably drop you to your knees quickly.

Just don't stand there and expect it to work. Blast and move to the side quickly to avoid a tackle, then run run run

If I were shot, I think some instant incapacitation would result from the psychological impact of, holy $^&$ I've been shot, am I going to die? If someone pepper sprays me, I'm just a whole lot more pissed off than I was before

Usually a S&W Jframe .38 with glaser safety slugs. It's just so carryable and has never failed to go bang in practice. Crimson trace grips - I hope if I ever have to turn it on someone there is a possibility the bright red dot sitting on their chest may change their attitude - plus the sights on a J frame are not quickly acquired.

If my clothing for the day permits it, S&W 1911 with tritium sights. It has been back to the factory several times for failing to go bang in practice :-( Wish I'd never sold my Glock .45.

That said, I like to go out and shoot pool and have a few beers and such, that's not a good time to be carrying. But I have a small 5 watt led flashlight, wide beam, with notched lens cover - blindingly bright and good for striking. First preference would be blind 'em and run...

Oh, and to answer the original question, it was a mildly interesting read but has nothing to do with real estate investing at all. The only assets purchased in his system are notes so far gone that nobody else wants to touch them....

I've actually been reading the book, and I get the concept. I just won't be pursuing it because it's not a direction I want to go in.

Purchase packages of bad debt from lenders at pennies on the dollar. Borrow money to purchase them in the first place. Collect more than your debt service and the original purchase price, and you're in business.

Anyone seen the documentary, "Maxed Out"? Some of these guys are featured and their business and tactics totally turned me off - I don't want to be associated with anything like that.

Harassing, browbeating, threatening, outright lying to debtors to try to get them to pay something, anything on the debt and bring it current again so it hounds them on their credit reports.

Maybe his company had more ethics or different methods, but he doesn't reveal any of those in the book.

In my investing, I want to provide a service to people that they are happy to pay for, or at least aren't left with a bad taste after doing so. I don't want to be the guy hounding people suffering from bad past decisions and seeking to profit as much as possible from it.

Not saying all debts should be forgiven by any means.....but their credit is already ruined and the banks have written off the losses as a cost of doing business.

If I personally have an agreement or contract with someone and they blow me off, different story IMO

so bullion shop is also where you pick up your small and 'junk' coins? I like the idea of paying cash in person even better...

What law? Hmm...I heard this the other day on the radio and assumed maybe it was an unenforced blue law. I'll continue to research, but it may have erroneously been referring to this:

[i]"There was a time, for forty one years that it was illegal to own gold. In 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt made it illegal for any person in the United States to own hoards of gold. The ban was not lifted until legislation was signed in 1974 by President Gerald Ford. Although the new bill did not do away with the Gold Clause Resolution of 1933, people could now buy and trade gold as a commodity.

This all happened after the great depression. Foreign banks, who were afraid of the failing economy, were turning in their paper money in exchange for gold. This was depleting the gold supply in the U.S. Reserve. Up until then the United States had been on the gold standard. Many dollar bills, like the fifty, were printed with a yellow back which indicated it could be turned in for the gold rate.

The Executive Order 6102 made it illegal for anyone to own more than $100 worth of gold. Citizens had to turn in their gold in exchange for paper money. The gold coins were melted down into bars by the U.S. Treasury department. This was done to keep the U.S. dollar afloat and avoid panic in the overseas market. The tactic worked."[/i]

In any case, if I put my emergency funds in a safe deposit, and that bank fails (could never happen, right?) or the IRS decides to investigate me, or....., or....,

I think it'll be hidden somewhere that only I know about. Valuables get hidden where nobody would suspect. Semi-valuables go into my safe - after all, any burglar seeing a safe will just assume that's the good stuff, no?

Originally posted by Joshua Dorkin:

Here's another way to buy some gold:
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=gld

That's "paper" gold, though... I want to touch it and store it myself. :-)

BTW, did you know it's illegal to have gold in a safe deposit box?

So I guess, to be more clear, I'm looking for personal experience with companies - There are lots of them I can google but I'm looking for satisfied customers....thanks!

Originally posted by William G.:

Pawn shops. You can get great deals on gold silver semi precious and precious stones in pawn shops at the moment. The market is flooded with them, because a lot of people are pawning, and you have a lot of bargaining power as a buyer.

Great idea, guess my concern there is fakes or lower quality alloys, not getting a good value, and then not being able to convince a buyer later that the stuff is good when I need to liquidate quick. I don't mind paying a handling fee for the guarantee of quality and the genuine deal. Just want to minimize the fee.

OK with the food / water / survival posts recently I have another question I'm hoping to get some good feedback on....I'd like to buy some silver and gold.

Not as an investment - I'd rather put my $ in R.E. for that.

But I want to have a few months' expenses stowed away in case of emergency. I don't want to have cash because I'm becoming relatively convinced that there is ugly inflation coming and holders of a lot of cash are going to take a beating. But I do want an inflation protected, relatively liquid savings that I can see and touch.

Any advice on the most secure and economical way to purchase coins & bullion that are actually delivered or shipped to you?

If they can invest in a market far from home, that's trending well, then that automatically takes away the possibility of having to spend lots of time dealing with tenants, rehab, repairs, etc - they'll need a remote team, and this can certainly be researched and set up part time.

I'm enough of a newbie and have enough tools and building/repair skills that I still want to see and touch my investments myself. Hopefully that will change sooner than later as I figure out which piece of the investing puzzle I'm most suited to, and arrange for others to handle the rest.