John T. Reed’s news blog

I m not going to criticize McCain today. But I must correct the record on POW rules about getting released early by the enemy.1. The U.S. military chain of command is in effect among POWs. McCain was not the highest ranking POW in North Vietnam. The guy who was ordered him not to accept the NV offer to release him if he denounced U.S. policy in Vietnam and his father who was a top commander in that war at the time.2. All U.S. military personnel are required to memorize and abide by the Code of Conduct for POWs. It says...

More coin questions for my coin-expert readers:I have three U.S. five-dollar gold pieces:• very fine 1913 Indian head• 1881 almost uncirculated Liberty• 1895 almost uncirculated Libertyand two Cuban gold coins:• 1916 four pesos uncirculated• 1915 five pesos uncirculatedAny help on value or best way to sell would be appreciated. Because of the higher value, I can afford to take time to shop around for buyers.I also have two 2.5 dollar U.S. gold Indians but my wife wants no make earrings out of them.

We had a Fibber McGee close until yesterday. That is, a walk-in closet, with shelves on three sides with all the shelves filled as well as the space you used to be able to walk into. If you opened this closet, you almost need to stand back to avoid the avalanche. . My wife cleaned it out finally—mostly her stuff. That turned up some stuff vaguely remembered to be there, but not seen in years. Some were savings bonds in the names of our kids and my wife. Her family was big on those. And one each from my mom...

My book How to Protect Your Life Savings from Hyperinflation & Depression, 2nd edition says to acquire sound foreign currencies as a hedge against possible US hyperinflation. It also says you need to leave the U.S. in the event of U.S. hyperinflation so you should scout other nations as possible refuges during U.S. hyperinflation—which I expect would last 6 to 24 months..My recent trip to the Baltic nations was a bit of that. As always. I took my Schwab ATM card. I use that because it does not charge 3% or some such when you withdraw from a non-U.S. ATM..As...

Lot of kids although it was not as bad as you might fear. The usual casino is replaced by day-care facilities. Things to do were very heavily watching current and past Disney films and cartoons. But there is a sort of hole in the Disney past on the cruise. In the 1950s and 1960s, they were big on Davy Crockett, nature specials, science like outer space and nuclear power. That was great stuff. Now they do Black Panther and super heroes, not to mention The View and liberal politics ESPN.   The food was okay to my taste. Three restaurants—Rapunzel...