If you want to believe that propaganda that is coming from the Biden administration, you probably won’t want to read this article. Joe Biden insists that “Bidenomics” is working and that a wonderful new era of peace and prosperity is just around the corner. Meanwhile, inflation is out of control, homelessness is rising to very frightening levels, the commercial real estate market is imploding, and large companies are conducting mass layoffs all over America. In fact, tech companies have already laid off more workers in 2023 than they did all of last year…
More than 219,000 global technology-sector employees have been laid off since the start of 2023, according to data compiled by the website Layoffs.fyi.
That number has gone up more than eightfold since mid-January, the website noted.
The data show that 2023 has easily surpassed 2022 for global tech redundancies, with 869 tech companies laying off 219,809 employees since the start of the year. Last year, 1,024 tech companies laid off a total of 154,336 employees, according to Layoffs.fyi.
For some of our largest tech companies, one round of layoffs was simply not enough.
For example, after laying off 10,000 workers earlier this year, Microsoft has decided that another round of layoffs has now become necessary…
Microsoft confirmed Monday that it’s eliminating additional jobs, a week after the start of its 2024 fiscal year.
The cuts are in addition to the downsizing announced in January that resulted in 10,000 layoffs. The software maker also disclosed a small number of cuts this time last year.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has already conducted three rounds of layoffs so far in 2023…
Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. (META) also made its latest round of layoffs in late May, according to reports, marking the tech giant’s third set of cuts this year. Meta declined to comment in response to a request from MarketWatch for confirmation of the latest layoffs. The company’s second round of layoffs in April cut technical positions, according to LinkedIn posts. Meta is in the midst of cutting 21,000 jobs in 2023 as part of what CEO Mark Zuckerberg has described as a “year of efficiency” for the company.
What we are witnessing is complete and utter carnage, but the mainstream media is not making a big deal out of all this.
After all, it wouldn’t be good to make Joe Biden look bad, would it?
But no matter what sort of positive spin the Biden administration tries to put on things, the layoffs just keep on coming. For example, on Friday we learned that Binance has decided to give the axe to more than 1,000 highly paid workers…
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has cut jobs just days after it was hit by a wave of executive exits, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
The layoffs at the world’s biggest crypto exchange come at a time when the industry’s future in the U.S. market is uncertain, with regulators aggressively clamping down on what they deem are illegal activities.
The job cuts were first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which said more than 1,000 people had been let go in recent weeks.
I could go on with example after example.
Goldman Sachs has decided to lay off workers, and so has Wells Fargo. And now that Tucker Carlson is gone, Fox News has determined that this is the perfect time to conduct “company-wide” layoffs…
Fox News is reportedly beginning “company-wide” layoffs, including of the remaining former employees of Tucker Carlson.
The development was reported on Friday by journalist and Carlson biographer Chadwick Moore, who published a screenshot of an email informing employees of the impending action.
The email ordered the recipients to turn in all company equipment and their ID badges at 9 p.m. after the conclusion of the show they were working on.
It is beginning to look a lot like 2008, and there will be so many heartbreaking stories in the months ahead.
Bankruptcies are surging, and vast numbers of businesses are starting to fail. In San Francisco, Anchor Brewery will be ceasing operations after 127 years in business, and so all of their workers will be losing their jobs…
After 127 years in business, San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Company is shutting down.
According to a press release, the brewery has been facing challenging economic factors and declining sales since 2016.
“This was an extremely difficult decision that Anchor reached only after many months of careful evaluation,” Anchor Brewing spokesperson Sam Singer said. “We recognize the importance and historic significance of Anchor to San Francisco and to the craft brewing industry, but the impacts of the pandemic, inflation, especially in San Francisco, and a highly competitive market left the company with no option but to make this sad decision to cease operations.”
But even though they can see what is happening, officials at the Federal Reserve just keep telling us that more interest rate hikes are coming.
They insist that they can dramatically hike interest rates and engineer a “soft landing” for the economy at the same time, but many are skeptical of this claim…
Can the Federal Reserve navigate a narrow path and slay price inflation while steering the economy to a soft landing?
During an interview on CNBC Squawk Box, financial analyst Jim Grant expressed his doubts.
He compared Jerome Powell’s task to Captain Chelsey Sullenberger’s when he was forced to land a US Airways plane on the Hudson River after an inflight emergency, noting Powell is “no Sully.”
Grant went on to explain that even if things don’t look so bad right now, rivets are popping in the economy.
Yes, rivets are definitely popping, and things are only going to get worse in the months ahead.
But just like Joe Biden, officials at the Fed insist that everything is just fine.
In fact, the Federal Reserve says that Taylor Swift is boosting the U.S. economy all by herself.
Apparently her concert tour is so popular that it is greatly energizing the local economy at each stop.
Good for her.
But Taylor Swift is not going to save us from what is coming.
Neither is Joe Biden.
The truth is that the U.S. economy is already starting to come apart at the seams, and the layoffs that we have seen so far are just the tip of the iceberg.
Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.
Article cross-posted from The Economic Collapse Blog.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.