Greg Simmons

[seriously]

I saw Greg Simmons mentioned in another post and remembered the name. I googled him and recognized him from my time at RSE Inc. Check out Q & A with Greg. It's amusing, sad and pathetic all at once. Amazing. It sounds like Dr. Greg is a self proclaimed authority on a variety of RSE Inc topics. Just curious: does he have a doctorate from an accredited university?

Gold: Greg suggests where to buy and sell gold in his Q & A. So, he's probably teaching purchasing gold. I know JZ and her alter ego have been teaching purchasing gold since the mid 80s. According to her, the whole financial system was going to collapse in the 80s. JZ, thanks for freaking out my parents and in turn me during the my high school years.

Here's my take on gold: Gold is a commodity. However, much like stamped green pieces of paper with a denomination on it, its worth is based on perceived value. Gold is used for making jewelery. I'm not aware of any industrial application requiring significant amounts of gold. When Ramsters are purchasing gold, they're doing so because the 30K year old warrior God and people like Greg, tell them its a good idea. The reasoning behind this is because they think the civilized and financial world as we know it is going to collapse. If that happens, why would gold retain value? What is its intrinsic value? You can't eat it. You can't shoot people with it to protect your underground. Where would you sell/exchange it? Who would set the price/value? Why would gold retain value in this uncivilized world? Unless I'm incorrect, gold has no significant industrial applications. Why would people really want it?

Greg's job seeking advice is also very Ramstereque. A person asks Greg what they should change or focus on so they can get a job that really fits. The brilliant answer is to say to yourself "I have always had a job that really fits." Greg is essentially telling the person to follow the George Costanza rule. Do nothing and see what happens. Greg's answer is JZ's answer to creating your day. In reality (yes, everyone's reality), it does little. I've given my opinion on this line of thinking in previous posts but to reiterate; thinking/focusing on your goals is not enough. You actually have to DO WORK. Thinking about it is fine and an essential part of the process but it's the beginning of the process and not the sole component of the process. Ok, take a 3AM stroll in your cloak on prozak while eating twinkies, chugging wine and smoking a pipe and inform your God of your plans/desires. Watch out for the aliens and black helicopters. Yes, they're watching you but don't worry too much. A 30K year old warrior god is protecting you because you paid $1500 to stay current at your last retreat. Now, stop hyperventilating in your cross legged position, blow out the focus candles, stop dancing and freaking do some real work. Study, write a business plan, do whatever you need to do to reach your goals but DO SOMETHING. In other words, don't be like George Costanza and don't follow Greg's advice.

My advice is free. You're welcome. So be it.

http://www.physicsofchange.com/newsletter.html

[Sad Grandfather]

I am writing this as an outsider, with only the experience of having lived for many years. Most of you are probably already aware of these things.

Gold has traditionally had value because there is a limited supply, it is pretty to look at, and it does not rust or corrode. It was used as a medium of exchange before governments thought about printing paper money and saying it had value. You are quite right, that you can't eat it. Until 1929, the value of gold was pegged at 30 USD per ounce. Then they printed more money than they had gold, so they replaced the words "Gold Certificate" with the words "Silver Certificate" and a paper dollar could be traded for a silver dollar coin. As more paper was printed, the value decreased until the silver in the coin was worth more than the paper dollar, so the coins were discontinued, or the silver removed from them, and the wording on the paper was changed to read "Federal Reserve Note" and it had a worth of whatever people believed it did, and can be printed in unlimited supply, until the paper and ink cost more than a dollar. Then, they will stop printing the smaller bills.

The value of the gold does not increase. It is still worth what it was when it was worth $30, but the value of the dollar has decreased about 50 times, so that now the gold is valued at about $1500/ounce in today's dollars. The value of houses, land and other useful things have also not increased in value. The value of the dollar has just decreased. At least, if you have a house, you are out of the weather, and if you have land, you can plant a garden and produce food for yourself. What good is a dollar, if it takes $500 to get a burger at McDonald's?

The big industrialists say inflation is the fault of the unions. The unions say it is the fault of greedy capitalists. The truth is, it is caused totally by government, since they are the only ones who can print more and more money, and make it more and more worthless.

This is not a doomsday scenario but a gradual decline in the value of the dollar.

[Robair]

Hello everyone

Seriously. Greg do not have any Dr, if he does it some kind of internet Dr I have been asking for 5 years what kind of Dr he is and no one really know and he want tell either it look like. Greg is a Crook like JZ is a Crook, the are all in to make money.
I sill have gold that I bought in 1986 under Scamtha recommendation, at that time Gold was around $500. per once, now it it around $1700, if I would have taken that Money and invested it at 5% for 27 years I would have made about $2000. per $500 So did not gain anything, Under the advice of the Scam artist.So Scamtha is the right Name for JZ imaginary friend
One question I keep asking my self. If Gold is so valuable why Gold Dealers are trying to sell all they have for Money,why they don;t keep it for them self, so that mean they prefer Green back over Gold

Anyway just a thought

Robair

[Rooster]

Seriously, I love your post. I have asked that question for years. My parents of course said buy gold, because scamtha says so. I have pondered, if all really did fall apart, who would want a coin? If we were to start over in a new life of sovernty, why would we want stashed gold? To start over the same exact system?
I have watched to many live in la la land for too long. Exactely! They never do anything to really get things done. They spend too much time (knowing) they have what they need. So back to (know) you already have it and they (know) nothing at all.
What I know about Greg. Someone called him Dr. One day and it stuck. Kind of a knickname. In his mind he may be a Doctor. I am sure he says, I have always been Doctor. Funny he may have achieved a name, but still is not a doctor.

[Virginia]

Well many economists have recommended gold as a hedge against inflation and the dollar being devalued. If a true collapse is to take place however then it is as useless in my opinion as money. If you can't eat it and you can't sell it then it becomes fairly worthless. I think barter goods are always good to have in an economic crisis. I have bought shoes and clothes for my daughter up until she could wear mine, just in case of economic collapse and food and some barter goods but gold in itself will not be something anyone will be trading in if things get really bad. I keep telling people I know who are holding onto it to dump it and buy stuff they may need for the next few years. Of course that is just my opinion, I am NOT an economist.

[Ockham]

Greg Simmons is a self-appointed doctor of scamology. Simmons does not as far as anybody knows have a doctorate degree from a university.

Simmons appears to have an association with a company named Colonial near Minneapolis that supposedly sells investment grade coins. Several people I know in RSE got suckered by Colonial, who sold them boxes of cull grade junk Morgan dollar coins at prices higher than new bullion grade American Eagle dollar coins. The only thing the cull grade silver coins from Colonial is good for is melting to make jewelry. The unfortunate ramsters basically lost nearly half the value of their retirement money by foolishly purchasing junk coins from Colonial without getting an expert opinion on the coins' value first. If you purchase bullion, you will lose about 7% to sales commissiom. When you sell bullion back, you will lose a similar amount off the top again because the dealer wants to keep a profit margin. Unless you hang on to your bullion long enough, it will be a net money losing, "investment." If you have a lot of bullion, you will also incure ongoing expenses securing and storing your metal.

If you aren't an expert, you will lose your shirt and be taken to the cleaners dabbling in collector coins.

You could do worse than investing in bullion grade metals are. In general over the last 100 years, an initial investment in a securities portfolio and a same price alloment of bullion both would still be worth about the same in today's dollars. The problem with the bullion is that is must be stored and secured.

In a post apocalyptic world, which do you think would be more valuable? Packages of seeds and hand tools or bags of coins? Your post doomsday RSE neighbors will laugh at you as you sit there starving with your bags of coins, having created your day.

[freemind]

Did you guys read the last greg's newsletter ?.
Some student ask him that nothing happend on december 21, and many students are dissapointed.
I dont know how to download it on EMF?, somebody have it ?.

[Ockham]

Hi Freemind!

Absolutely! That's quite a hoot that that there it is in print (or at least in digital Internet bits) from Mr. Simmons himself an admission that he does not have a post baccalaureate degree from an accredited university. So, basically Simmons just likes to call himself, "doctor," because it sounds neat. Now that Judy Knight is more openly trying to dabble in politics, maybe she can start calling herself, "Senator Knight." How cool for a city council candidate to receive an endorsement from a Senator [of Lumeria?]. My my, even her lap dog, Nisqually Valley News, would have a field day writing articles about that.

I presume Simmons and crew don't do anything without running the calculus fist, so you can bet there was some heat brewing somewhere regarding Simmons' self imposed doctorate title. Like practicing medicine without a license, perhaps? The Beyond the Ordinary audio streams give out medical-like advice at times. There was the incident about a year ago where other was the tearful back peddling of alkaline water generators as quack devices about a year ago. It is speculation on my part, but I have a suspicion these items could be related and possibly part of a settlement. So be it!

[tree]

http://www.physicsofchange.com/newsletter1012.html

I notice the book is credited as written by Greg Simmons. On your website, you have an Ask Dr. Greg section. Do you have a doctorate? If so, I would suggest using your title on any future books or republications of this one. If you haven't earned your doctorate from a legitimate accredited university, you should drop the Dr. as you have not earned it and it is a misrepresentation.

I do not have a doctorate- the name was given to me by the hosts of the show. I have never claimed to have a doctorate degree NOR do I use the title as a professional reference. I do however, have a Bachelor's of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh and graduated from the Burklyn Business School, East Burke, VT.

[Ockham]

For years, Simmons never bothered to correct anybody even when Simmons was well within earshot of where it was being said of in sight of the keyboard where it was being typed. Maybe Simmons didn't say, "doctor," himself, but Simmons was quite instrumental in assuring the persistence of the misrepresentation.

The self-deprecation act on the "Physics of Change" web page is quite obnoxious. Simmons sure didn't spare any pixels quoting the reader who talked up how Simmons should make sure he let people know he is a doctor. Yawn!