Did a piece on SmallCap Digest with our Gold thoughts as it approaches $500.

Noticed that Placer Dome is getting p/o’d by Barrick takeover attempt, so that should be interesting. If ABX gets to $26 or below, I’d suggest taking a good look. Not that many ways to play gold other than through the stocks.

Anyway, I’m sure y’all have thoughts. So prior–and post– to the tryptophan kicking in, leave me your thoughts, predictions, analysis etc. Will gold exceed the old high? Will it crash? Do you care?

I know there’s lots of sentiment out there. And it’s not like you’re busy for the next few days…

Trade (and tryptophan) Safely.

As mentioned below, SmallCap Digest has made available a report on 5 beaten up stocks we feel represent superior gains potential over the long-term. All you have to do is sign up here and access the report. Your email address will never be compromised or divulged. Promise.

Apparently, billionaire hedge fund guru George Soros might have taken a stock or three from our report. In his latest filing, there are some names included that are, coincidently, three of our picks. We’ll never know for sure, but hey, it could happen. And maybe it did.

Have you got your copy of the report yet? And all your friends? Don’t let Soros get the drop on you, again…

From Bloomberg:

“Soros Fund, which has about $8 billion under management, more than doubled its stake in Microsoft to 1.85 million shares, according to the filing. It raised its stake in Time Warner Inc. to 3.49 million shares from 2.92 million….The New York-based fund also acquired 5.23 million shares of phone-equipment maker Lucent Technologies Inc”.

Trade Safely. You too, George…

Americans pay $4 billion a year to take their own money out of an ATM. That’s disgusting enough.

Now, and this is a beauty, if you are a Bank of America customer and you try to take your money from a non-BofA ATM and for whatever reason the transaction is declined, you’ll be charged $1.50 for the inconvenience–to the BofA, not to you.

I remember back in the late 60’s ATM’s were the Holy Grail of convenience. They would keep costs down, be more convenient and give 24/7/365 access to banking services.

40 years later, it’s easier and cheaper just to go to a teller since you need a degree to figure out if your bank, another bank, or both are going to charge you to access your own money. If you take out $50 bucks, the privilege can cost you up to 10 percent if you choose wrongly.

It’s a shameful, usurious practice and should be reversed. For details of this obscenity, the details are here.

Enjoy. Unbelievable.