http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speculation

I thought I'd post a source Veta is familiar with...

"Let's consider some of the principles that explain the causes of shortages and surpluses and the role of speculators. When a harvest is too small to satisfy consumption at its normal rate, speculators come in, hoping to profit from the scarcity by buying. Their purchases raise the price, thereby checking consumption so that the smaller supply will last longer. Producers encouraged by the high price further lessen the shortage by growing or importing to reduce the shortage. On the other side, when the price is higher than the speculators think the facts warrant, they sell. This reduces prices, encouraging consumption and exports and helping to reduce the surplus."

@BO;

Your knowledge of finance is very shallow. I suggest picking a different career. Even Thraxle is able to understand the basic premise of speculation and it's value. I mean this is Adam Smith 101. What an embarrassment.

Secondly; thanks for dodging my questions and others questions the whole thread. I'm done arguing with you. This thread is a constant reminder of the lack of substance of your arguments and your intellectual dishonesty when defending them.

In your eyes, Obama is saving the world by printing money and causing inflation. Some poor guy buying silver or gold, trying to protect his wealth from inflation, is hurting the world and stealing money from producers. The fact that you believe the this is absolutely beyond comprehension and therefore I'm forced to believe either you are unable to grasp the basics of this field; or you are unwilling. Either way; it's a waste of my time.

PS. Companies can start without investors including some I'm involved with now. So once again; opening your mouth when you know nothing about the topic.

Go to class. Read a book. Educate yourself.

Thanks for the backhanded compliment dead.

Lol yeah sorry; I realized it afterwards. What I meant was "Even Thraxle (who isn't a finance major) can understand this."

"The Evils of buying Baseball Cards." by Boner Oiler

"How to make your own Baseball Cards." by Boner Oiler

i agree about speculation BO. like the oil futures, i hate that shit and all it does is jack up our prices. we suffer, and the rich buffoons make money

Back to the original post, the image is not true. Fed/State employees definitely get paid time off for both Federal Holidays and personal time.

Das; like all of BO's charts; he never provides the underlying data or assumptions. In his world; anything can be proved using a few pie charts and bright colors.

greekboy; futures do more to keep prices lower then higher. Companies purchase futures to ensure that prices changes don't effect their businesses. Futures are insurance against price changes; nothing more.

It is true. There is no mandatory paid timeoff/holidays for private employees in this country. Dead: get your panties out of their knot, I'm not letting you constantly derail my topics with your stupid shit. Post a new thread if you want ne to addresss some inane fringe issues you have a problem with (what obama pays his cabinet... Really?)

Rob: how do you not see that as complete and utter stealing. "by profiting from the scarcity & driving up the price" sOunds like a fucking parasite/vulture and it's exactly what scampers do. One of the reasons I still haven't gone to a texans game. The ticket prices are artificially high because of shit like that. Yes inflation is bad (but necessary) dead - I'd love to see you argue how we could have a 0% inflation currency and why the fuck we'd even want to do that.

Inflation is a hidden tax sure, but speculation is literally profiting off of other people's hard work. You produce nothing when you speculate yet you expect a profit? What kind of twisted fucking system allows that?