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  • From: Jim <ashevillecurrencyproject@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] A Question about investments
  • Date: Sun, 07 Oct 2007 12:58:35 -0400

Hi- I imagine that your main concern is for the money to stay secure and not lose value, and less to grow; and that you might want to withdraw some of this money quickly in case of a medical/other emergency. My reading of the economic situation is that we are in early 1929. Yes, the stock market is at an all-time high, but the foundations just aren't there (and that's independent of peak oil). I would avoid things that are convoluted. It is precisely those things that have already started unraveling with the mortgage subprime crisis. Last night I learned that there is a rating of US banks, which should come in handy for 90% of us: http://www.thestreet.com/tsc/ratings/screener.html - click on the "banks and thrifts" button Here's a sample of the Alabama banks:
HOLD C+
Alabama Bankers Bank C
Alabama Exch Bank B
Alabama Municipal Ins C
Alabama Reassurance C-
Alabama Trust Bank C
Alamerica Bank A-
Alfa General Ins A
Alfa Ins A

As you can see, they don't give everyone an A. Which of course raises a few questions: * Isn't the FDIC (US bank guaranty agency) worried about the banks that get a D? * On what criteria are these ratings based? A post at The Oil Drum blog by Gail the Actuary paints a pessimistic picture of what might lie ahead: http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2984 I hope this helps-- I'd be interested in hearing other folks' thoughts. -- Jim *************************** At 7:05 PM -0700 10/6/07, Udan Farm wrote:

>Hello,
> My partner and I are considering investing in the Permaculture >Credit Union as we are taking over finances for his ill father. We >have been talking to a local financial adviser, but we keep in mind >that his and our values are very different, ours being straight >along Permaculture Ethics lines and very simple.
>
> My question is this:
> Does anyone have any input on investing in things from a Perm. >Ethics point of view, but that would also save us from having to pay >a lot of federal income tax (we are in the US)?
> Our financial adviser seems to think that his company is perfect >for us, since they try to avoid for us to pay taxes (by finding tax >deferred things to put our money in) and they invest in things other >than the stock market. But a lot of what the co. invests in is not >simple and is questionable ethically or at least convoluted.
>
> We simply would rather put it in a PCU or a jar in the ground, or buy
land,
> or some other ethical investment but those things incur tax >payments yearly....(except the jar)
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> We appreciate this input as we are wading into this unfamiliar territory.
> Thanks,
> Isabel Crabtree




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