Jeff Siegel - Angel PublishingLatest Articles by Jeff Siegel of Angel Publishing2015-07-14T15:56:34ZLegal Marijuana InvestingIf this new legislation goes through, the marijuana industry is going to soar.<p>It's not often that I support new legislation in Washington.</p>
<p>Truth is, I'd rather see less new legislation and more gutting of current legislation.</p>
<p>But that's a philosophical issue that serves few purposes on these pages.</p>
<p>Instead, I want to tell you about a piece of legislation that was just introduced by a bipartisan group of senators. Because if this particular piece of legislation were to ultimately make it to Obama's desk — and he signs it into law — we could see two wonderful things happen...</p>
<p>First, a huge score for liberty, and second, a huge opportunity to make a boatload of cash.</p>
<p><strong>The Schedule 1 Blues</strong></p>
<p>Last Thursday, five U.S. senators, including presidential hopeful Rand Paul, introduced the Marijuana Business Access to Banking Act in an effort to allow legitimate marijuana businesses to conduct legal financial operations.</p>
<p>Right now, legitimate cannabis-related businesses operating in the United States can only operate in cash because the banks won't hold their money or help facilitate financial transactions.</p>
<p>You see, <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/why-wal-mart-nyse-wmt-is-getting-into-banking/5366" target="_blank">banking services</a> fall under federal law, which also identifies marijuana as a schedule 1 substance, meaning it's illegal to manufacture, distribute, or posses marijuana.</p>
<p>No bank wants to go toe-to-toe with the feds over this. So as a result, most marijuana dispensaries have to hire expensive private security firms to protect all their cash, not to mention their buildings and customers.</p>
<p>It's hard enough to run a profitable business these days; try doing it without being allowed to work with a bank to help you with sales transactions, loans, and safe storage for your profits.</p>
<p>The folks over at Law Enforcement Against Prohibition put out a statement on this very issue, writing:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>Right now, it’s the Wild West for marijuana businesses. Criminals know where the dispensaries are. They know the businesses are making thousands of dollars a day and that all of those transactions are in cash. It’s led to some horrific incidents, all courtesy of the federal government. They’re setting these businesses up to fail and, worse, they’re endangering people’s lives.</em></p>
</blockquote>
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<p><strong>The Threat of Federal Thuggery</strong></p>
<p>With the threat of federal thuggery still very much a reality for legal marijuana businesses, it's also very difficult to raise capital.</p>
<p>The risk of federal raids makes it very difficult to court investors. Who wants to invest in a company that could be shut down in a matter of hours because some overzealous bureaucrat wants to make a point?</p>
<p>This is why I tend to stick to marijuana investments in companies operating outside of the United States.</p>
<p>More and more, Canada is becoming a safe haven for marijuana investors, and one of my best marijuana plays thus far is GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: GWPH), which is developing cannabis-based prescription drugs. It's based in the UK, and we're up nearly 80% for the year. Check it out:</p>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/28/32037/gwphchart.png" border="0" alt="gwphchart" width="600" height="454" /></p>
<p>When played right, the cannabis industry can make you a ton of money. But until the federal government stops treating state-approved marijuana operations as criminal enterprises, only marijuana companies operating outside of the U.S. are worth your time. This is one of the reasons I'm so hopeful this new legislation gets some traction.</p>
<p>That being said, this is still a very young industry shackled to a lot of uncertainty. And to be honest, outside of <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/marijuana-stocks-for-2015/5482" target="_blank">GWPH</a>, there are really only another three or four stocks — out of about 100 — that can actually make you money.</p>
<p><p>To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth...</p>
<p><img style="margin: 10px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/25/9080/jeff-siegel-signature.gif" border="0" alt="Jeff Siegel Signature" /></p>
<p>Jeff Siegel<br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/jeffsiegel" target="_blank"><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/50/11971/follow-basic.jpg" border="0" alt="follow basic" />@JeffSiegel on Twitter</a></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #333333;">Jeff is the managing editor of Energy and Capital and contributing analyst for the <a href="http://www.angelpub.com/pubs/ttr">Energy Investor</a>, an independent investment research service focusing primarily on stocks in the oil & gas, modern energy and infrastructure markets. He has been a featured guest on Fox, CNBC, and Bloomberg Asia, and is the author of the best-selling book, <a href="http://www.greenchipstocks.com/investing-in-renewable-energy"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks</span></a>. For more on Jeff, go to his editor's <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/editors/jeff-siegel">page</a>.</span></em></p></p>2015-07-14T15:56:34Z2015-07-14T15:56:34Z6173Jeff SiegelDenmark Crushes it with Wind PowerDon't fear the future of energy. Embrace it, with wind, solar, geothermal, and energy efficiency. <p>Remember when they told us renewables “just aren’t there yet?”</p>
<p>Yeah, me too.</p>
<p>Then last week, there was this, from the Guardian …</p>
<blockquote>
<p>So much power was produced by Denmark’s wind farms on Thursday that the country was able to meet its domestic electricity demand and export power to Norway, Germany and Sweden.</p>
<p>On an unusually windy day, Denmark found itself producing 116% of its national electricity needs from wind turbines yesterday evening. By 3am on Friday, when electricity demand dropped, that figure had risen to 140%.</p>
<p>Interconnectors allowed 80% of the power surplus to be shared equally between Germany and Norway, which can store it in hydropower systems for use later. Sweden took the remaining fifth of excess power.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/29/32089/denmarkchart.png" border="0" alt="denmarkchart" width="570" height="484" /></p>
<p>So, this is for every asshole who keeps diffusing the lie that renewable energy isn’t ready for prime time.</p>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/29/32090/middle.jpg" border="0" alt="middle" width="414" height="378" /></p>
<p>And for those who know that the transition of our global energy economy - which is now underway - will be facilitated primarily by renewable energy, here’s a list of the most important wind energy-related companies of which investors should be aware:</p>
<p>1.) General Electric (NYSE: GE)<br />2.) Vestas (OTCBB: VWDRY)<br />3.) Gamesa (OTCBB: GCTAF)<br />4.) Siemens (OTCBB: SIEGY)<br />5.) ABB (NYSE: ABB)</p>
<p>And don’t forget these renewable energy Yieldcos …</p>
<p>1.) Pattern Energy (NASDAQ: PEGI)<br />2.) Brookfield Energy Partners (NYSE: BEP)<br />3.) TerraForm Power (NASDAQ: TERP)</p>
<p>I’ve been investing in renewable energy since 2005, and have made a boatload of cash along the way. But hearing news like this just further proves that it’s entirely possible to power an entire nation on renewable energy.</p>
<p>Some places are easier than others, but make no mistake, only a fool would bet against renewable energy at this point.</p>2015-07-13T19:35:32Z2015-07-13T19:35:32Z2361Jeff SiegelBernie Sanders' Solar Plan: A Libertarian PerspectiveHis intentions may be honorable, but Bernie Sanders' plan to encourage solar development is a really bad idea. <p><img style="float: right;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/28/32016/bernies.jpg" border="0" alt="bernies" width="237" height="157" />Poor Bernie Sanders …</p>
<p>He means well. I truly believe this. But his good intentions could lay the foundation for a road to hell.</p>
<p>Yesterday afternoon, I read a piece published at thinkprogress.org entitled, <em>“Bernie Sanders' Plan to Make Solar Power More Accessible.”</em> Here's a snippet …</p>
<blockquote>
<p>On Tuesday, Vermont Senator and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders introduced legislation aimed at making it easier for low-income families to take advantage of solar power. The bill, called the “Low Income Solar Act,” came the same day that the Obama Administration announced a similar program aimed at installing 300 megawatts of renewable energy in federally subsidized housing by 2020.</p>
<p>The Sanders bill would aid in this effort by providing $200 million in Department of Energy loans and grants to help offset the upfront costs associated with installing solar panels on community facilities, public housing and low-income family homes, according a press release. The projects would also have to prioritize loans for female- and minority-owned businesses, as well as target specific regions including Appalachia, Indian tribal lands, and Alaskan native communities.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm probably a bigger fan of solar than Senator Sanders, and I couldn't possibly back such a plan.</p>
<p><strong>Public Housing<br /></strong></p>
<p>First, I'm not really a fan of public housing to begin with. Quite frankly, the private sector could provide better housing for lower-income folks than the government. The only thing the government would really have to do to enable this is to get out of the way.</p>
<p>In the absence of burdensome taxes and fees, private companies could not only build quality housing for the poor, but do so in a profitable manner. I would add that because solar is now so affordable, it's likely many of these companies would utilize solar anyway, as to do so would be little more than a smart business decision.</p>
<p>But OK, if we concede that the government will continue to provide public housing instead of letting the private sector do it, then why would a $200 million loan guarantee even be necessary? Again, the economics of integrating solar into such a building already make sense. There's no need to subsidize it. In fact, by doing so you actually slow the price reduction curve. What solar provider wants to cut costs if the government's willing to pick up the price premium?</p>
<p><strong>The Government will Save you</strong></p>
<p>Also worth noting is Sanders' desire to prioritize loans for female- and minority-owned businesses.</p>
<p>While I will not deny that white men in this country tend to enjoy certain benefits not often shared by women and minorities, giving them discounted solar isn't going to level the playing field. In fact, it actually suggests that women and minorities are so ill-suited to run successful businesses that they need the government to save them.</p>
<p>This has been a long-running agenda of Democrats for decades, and look how far women and minorities have come. Women are still paid far less than their male counterparts, and black folks are still getting lynched for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.</p>
<p>Truth is, I've always questioned why more minorities don't embrace the libertarian party, as it's far more supportive of empowerment for minorities than anything offered by the jackass or the elephant.</p>
<p>In any event, I still maintain that Bernie Sanders is a good guy with intentions that are a hell of a lot more honorable than anyone else running for president. Unfortunately, his policy agenda is severely flawed in that it relies too much on government intervention and too little on individual responsibility. This “Low Income Solar Act,” is the perfect example.</p>
<p>I do love Bernie, and I do love solar, but that love cannot withstand my contempt for statism.</p>
<p></p>2015-07-09T11:51:42Z2015-07-09T11:51:42Z6171Jeff SiegelSolar Investing and the Quest to Save GreeceGreece has an opportunity to create jobs and bolster its floundering economy by embracing solar. <p>State-owned utilities are, for lack of a better word, stupid.</p>
<p>The only folks that really benefit are the politicians and insiders who forge the deals. Consumers, on the other hand, are often left to fund these systems through special subsidies and utility bills that never correlate with the real cost of what it takes to source, generate, and distribute electricity.</p>
<p>A perfect example would be the welfare state of Greece, which loves its handouts but hates ponying up when it’s time to pay the fiddler.</p>
<p>We know this to be true when it comes to the current crisis in Greece, but it’s also true in the case of energy.</p>
<p>You see, the Greeks are shackled to a state-owned public power corporation (PPC) that controls 96% of the market.</p>
<p>The result: The Greek government won't allow the PPC to adjust electricity bills to reflect actual production costs. The price is actually set by the government, not the market. And that has resulted in the inability to invest in new, superior energy technologies.</p>
<p>Instead, the beautiful country of Greece continues to rely heavily on old, outdated <a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/the-death-of-coal-plants/4441" target="_blank">coal-fired power plants</a> for the mainland and oil for its islands — which, by the way, must be imported.</p>
<p>To make matters worse, the government allows the PPC to use lignite coal and water reserves for free. Of course, it’s not really free. Nothing is free; someone ultimately pays. And in this case, it’s the citizens of Greece that I would guess — for the most part — are completely clueless to the fact that their natural capital is being depleted faster than their bank accounts.</p>
<p>It should also be noted that the state financially backs fossil fuel production with a somewhat confusing basket of subsidies that run more than $2 billion a year. That’s more than the $1.7 billion Greece was supposed to pay back to the IMF last week.</p>
<p>What a train wreck!</p>
<p><strong>Here’s where it gets good</strong></p>
<p>As reported in <em>The Ecologist</em>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>Energy poverty in Greece has since developed into a humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 6 out of 10 households falling below the energy poverty line.</em></p>
<p><em>According to official statistics, 3 million people — nearly a quarter of the population — cannot afford proper heating during winter, with many not actually using heating at all. Meanwhile Syriza's energy minister clearly doesn't believe energy efficiency can tackle energy poverty.</em></p>
<p><em>He is also committed to completing the construction of new lignite and oil power plants, including Ptolemaida 5. However the project is turning out to be a disaster. No private stakeholder is interested in buying old PPC units, and so the government is short €1.4 billion needed for its construction.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Greece is blessed with one of the best solar resources on the planet, and when it comes to installed solar PV per capita, Greece ranks sixth in the world. But it's hard to sell solar when no one's got any money!</p>
<p>Of course, last month we heard Greece installed 7 megawatts of new solar PV from January through April. What most of these reports didn't include, however, was the fact that all of those new installations came in January and February. March and April delivered a big fat goose egg.</p>
<p>The earlier part of the year saw those installations as a result of older licensed projects that were already completed but only recently connected to the grid.</p>
<p>Look, the bottom line is that the good people of Greece would be wise to put the same amount of effort they put into strong-arming the EU and the IMF into strong-arming the state-run utility.</p>
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<p><strong>Keynesian Demons</strong></p>
<p>Quite frankly, the only thing that could possibly re-invigorate the energy economy of Greece is the real privatization of its energy market. A new life line on solar would certainly be thrown by private solar companies that have the capital to operate solar leasing systems similar to those used by SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY) and Vivint Solar (NYSE: VSLR).</p>
<p>Roof-mounted solar and smaller micro-grids would not only ensure more reliability, but they would also serve as huge job creators.</p>
<p>Now, I don't know exactly how things work in Greece, but if the regulatory environment is too burdensome for <a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/investing-in-the-solar-bull-market/4489" target="_blank">solar</a> companies to operate, perhaps some should just start a black market for solar. It's not like much would happen to them.</p>
<p>After all, the government can't even get people to pay their taxes that go to cover all the extravagances and trappings of a welfare state. I highly doubt it has the time or inclination to go after a dozen or so solar installers.</p>
<p>I wish the people of Greece the best of luck in the coming months as they struggle with poverty, government corruption, and the lack of free market fundamentals.</p>
<p>The truth is, I do believe that if you owe someone money — regardless of how horrendous that lender may seem — you should pay it back according the terms agreed upon. After all, it's not as if Greece entered into the euro kicking and screaming.</p>
<p>However, if Greece cuts loose, I hope its citizens use the opportunity to conquer their Keynesian demons, kick the bureaucrats to the curb, and allow a free market phoenix to rise from the ashes of this failed experiment.</p>
<p><p>To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth...</p>
<p><img style="margin: 10px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/25/9080/jeff-siegel-signature.gif" border="0" alt="Jeff Siegel Signature" /></p>
<p>Jeff Siegel<br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/jeffsiegel" target="_blank"><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/50/11971/follow-basic.jpg" border="0" alt="follow basic" />@JeffSiegel on Twitter</a></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #333333;">Jeff is the managing editor of Energy and Capital and contributing analyst for the <a href="http://www.angelpub.com/pubs/ttr">Energy Investor</a>, an independent investment research service focusing primarily on stocks in the oil & gas, modern energy and infrastructure markets. He has been a featured guest on Fox, CNBC, and Bloomberg Asia, and is the author of the best-selling book, <a href="http://www.greenchipstocks.com/investing-in-renewable-energy"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks</span></a>. For more on Jeff, go to his editor's <a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/editors/jeff-siegel">page</a>.</span></em></p></p>2015-07-08T15:42:50Z2015-07-08T15:42:50Z4925Jeff SiegelBetting on China's Market CollapseIf you shorted China two months ago, you've doubled your money.<p><img style="float: right;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/28/31986/mkmkt.jpg" border="0" alt="mkmkt" width="227" height="150" />Betting on China's market collapse has been a good bet over the past couple of months.</p>
<p>Since late May, the Shanghai Composite has fallen by nearly 30%, about 25% of the companies trading on the Shanghai and the Shenzhen have ceased trading, and according to the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the current mood of panic and large increase in selling is causing a strain of liquidity in the stock market.</p>
<p>For those with exposure to China, this past month has been especially painful. But those who knew China's irrationally exuberant stock market was teetering on the edge of collapse – and invested accordingly – are now sitting on some pretty fat gains. Especially those who bought shares of the Direxion China Bear ETF (NYSE: YANG).</p>
<p>Back in May, you could've bought YANG for less than $50 a share. This morning, YANG hit $101.54.</p>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/28/31985/chinamkt.png" border="0" alt="chinamkt" width="700" height="530" /></p>
<p>Nothing like a fat double in less than two months!</p>
<p>Of course, betting on the failure of anything is always a risky bet. And quite frankly, I hate the idea of hoping for anyone to fail. But the truth is, if you see a crisis coming, there's no reason not to capitalize on it.</p>
<p>Now how long this market massacre in China will last is still up for debate. China's stock markets have now lost well over $3 trillion, and there could easily be more to come. The bottom line is that China's economy has long been overvalued, and after many years of denial, it looks like the obligatory volatility that comes with irrational market behavior has now arrived with all the subtlety of a brick to the face.</p>
<p>For me, I'm out of China completely right now, and will wait on the sidelines before dipping my toes back in the waters of the Middle Kingdom's casino. It's just too invested with sharks at the moment, and I don't have the stones to risk becoming chum.</p>
<p></p>2015-07-08T14:55:33Z2015-07-08T14:55:33Z6169Jeff SiegelIs Shake Shack (NYSE: SHAK) Overpriced?I like Shake Shack (NYSE: SHAK), but not at these levels. <p><img style="float: right;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/28/31982/sahki.jpg" border="0" alt="sahki" width="203" height="152" />Morgan Stanley analysts gave a big thumbs-down to Shake Shack in a recent client note, saying that the stock is simply overpriced.</p>
<p>While a powerful emerging brand executing on all its early commitments to its investors, [the] stock is overpriced, in our view, potentially reflecting both technical market dynamics as well as 'brand'-related optimism that is not supported by fundamentals.</p>
<p>Morgan Stanley noted three warning factors …</p>
<p>1.) Only 5.75 million shares are trading out of a share count of 37 million.<br />2.) More than 2.5 million are being sold short<br />3.) Media hype over the IPO has died down. And this was definitely a high-profile IPO. It was marketed brilliantly.</p>
<p>Last week, I told you that if SHAK kept falling, the next level to watch would be $54. It has broken below $54. With continued broader market pressure, SHAK could be well on it’s way to breaking below $50.</p>
<p>Bottom line: The stock continues to be overvalued, but at the right price, I’m definitely a buyer.</p>
<p>As a side note, there was a piece this morning in Business Insider entitled: <em>Shake Shack just launched a Chick-fil-A killer — and it looks amazing</em></p>
<p><strong>Huh?</strong></p>
<p>First of all, this was a pretty sad attempt at taking the focus off the Morgan Stanley downgrade. Second, this simply isn't true.</p>
<p>Chick-fil-A is very much like a cult company. The food isn’t particularly mind-blowing, and certainly the restaurant isn’t bending over backwards to find high-quality sourcing for its ingredients. But its customers are some of the most loyal you’ll ever find.</p>
<p><img style="float: right;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/28/31981/chicki.jpg" border="0" alt="chicki" width="254" height="162" />One reason is that a lot of folks actually like the food. There are a bunch of people in my office that come back to their desks at least once a week with a Chick-fil-A sandwich and a side of waffle fries.</p>
<p>The second reason is more the result of social identity, which was put on full display a few years back after the restaurant battled a major PR headache.</p>
<p>While Shake Shack does have a loyal following, it’s nowhere close to what Chick-fil-A has.</p>
<p>And as far as how amazing it looks, I don’t care if this is organic, free-range chicken served in a golden clamshell. Chick-fil-A customers are not going to abandon their favorite fast food chicken joint for a Shake Shack chicken sandwich. And if anyone did an ounce of research into fast food culture, this would be a very obvious observation.</p>
<p>The reason I’m pointing this out is not to opine fast food trends, but rather to point out what is obviously an attempt to distract investors from the bigger picture: That Shake Shack is overpriced. And it is.</p>
<p>That doesn't mean I don't like the stock. It just means I don't like it at these levels.</p>2015-07-08T13:52:19Z2015-07-08T13:52:19Z2360Jeff SiegelBitcoin and the Collapse of GreeceNational currencies will always fail, but this one does not. <p>There’s a silver lining to every crisis...</p>
<p>While the global economy shuttered and shook after Greece gave the proverbial middle finger to its lenders, Bitcoin got a very nice boost.</p>
<p>The cryptocurrency that offers an alternative to centrally planned corruption hit a four-month high after Greece voted against the terms of its bailout agreement. In fact, in just the past 30 days, the price of Bitcoin has risen by about $50.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/28/31926/bitcoin.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/28/31926/bitcoin.jpg" border="0" alt="bitcoin" width="600" height="205" /></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><em>Click Chart to Enlarge</em></span></p>
<p>Fears of Greece getting the boot from the euro have sparked the climb in Bitcoin, and certainly Bitcoin owners and advocates couldn’t be happier.</p>
<p>But it’s not just about the price of Bitcoin; in fact, the recent run on Bitcoin is really just icing on the cake.</p>
<p><strong>The Plague of Central Planning</strong></p>
<p>While Greek citizens recently found themselves in a situation where they could only access 60 euros per day from their bank accounts, I made an interesting observation...</p>
<p>Greek citizens that owned <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/the-winklevoss-twins-and-the-bitcoin-revolution/5568" target="_blank">Bitcoin</a> had access to <em>all</em> their Bitcoin — not just 60 euros’ worth.</p>
<p>Sure, it’s not as if most stores in Greece accept Bitcoin as payment, but consider this for a moment...</p>
<p>Imagine having an option of two forms of currency: one that’s tied to the whims and reactions of central planners, and one that is safe from their pilfering hands.</p>
<p>Although most folks still don’t even know what Bitcoin is, the advantages of Bitcoin remain overwhelmingly positive, as more and more of our wealth is exposed to the plague of central planning.</p>
<p><strong>3 Benefits of Bitcoin</strong></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">1.) <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Fear of Currency Collapse</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">While the fear of currency collapse remains very real in many economies, Bitcoin doesn’t have this problem, as it’s not dependent upon governments — which can, and do, fail.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">2.) <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Inflation</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Bitcoin expert Ivan Raszl did an excellent job explaining this, writing, “One of the biggest problems with our current dollars and other currencies used around the world is inflation. Over time all currencies lose purchasing power at a rate of few percents per year mainly because governments keep printing more money. This process is basically a small tax on your accumulated wealth. With Bitcoin you don't have this problem because the system is designed to make Bitcoins to be finite. Only about 21 million Bitcoins will ever be released.”</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">3.) <span style="text-decoration: underline;">No middleman</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">One of the things I love about Bitcoin is that you can transfer it without an intermediary and without any kind of transaction fee. It’s essentially the digital equivalent of exchanging items or services of value in person.</p>
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<p><strong>But wait...</strong></p>
<p>Of course, despite the benefits of Bitcoin, one major hurdle remains...</p>
<p>It’s very hard to use Bitcoin to buy and sell things — although we are starting to see more and more companies moving to accept the cryptocurrency, including Expedia, Dish Network, and Overstock.com.</p>
<p>There’s also a company called eGifter, which allows you to buy gift cards with Bitcoin. Basically this allows you to use Bitcoin to buy things from some of the biggest stores on the planet, including Amazon, Target, and Home Depot.</p>
<p>Sure, it’s not a direct way to use Bitcoin at these major outlets, but it’s yet one more option in a world that is becoming less and less enthusiastic about traditional currencies tied to insecure, centrally planned systems.</p>
<p>Now, I’m not saying rush out and buy Bitcoin — although I do believe owning some Bitcoin isn’t a bad idea, just as I think it’s always a good idea to own some physical gold and silver.</p>
<p>However, it’s hard to contain my enthusiasm over any event that chips away at the illusion that <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/is-america-losing/6045" target="_blank">traditional currencies</a> are safe and secure. They’re not. And what’s going on in Greece now just further proves this point.</p>
<p>Economist, speaker, and all-around Libertarian superstar Jeffrey Tucker opined this in a recent article, writing:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>There is no government anywhere that would decline to shut the banks if the ruling class fears financial meltdown. That’s what’s happening in Greece. That could happen in any European country. And it could happen in the U.S. too. In the end, the government regards itself as the owner of all a nation’s currency and the wealth it carries.</em></p>
<p><em>It’s wise to have another option, and people have long known that. The question is: what is that option? Bitcoin is here to save the day.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>I love Tucker’s enthusiasm, and I hope he’s onto something here.</p>
<p><p>To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth...</p>
<p><img style="margin: 10px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/25/9080/jeff-siegel-signature.gif" border="0" alt="Jeff Siegel Signature" /></p>
<p>Jeff Siegel<br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/jeffsiegel" target="_blank"><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/50/11971/follow-basic.jpg" border="0" alt="follow basic" />@JeffSiegel on Twitter</a></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #333333;">Jeff is the managing editor of Energy and Capital and contributing analyst for the <a href="http://www.angelpub.com/pubs/ttr">Energy Investor</a>, an independent investment research service focusing primarily on stocks in the oil & gas, modern energy and infrastructure markets. He has been a featured guest on Fox, CNBC, and Bloomberg Asia, and is the author of the best-selling book, <a href="http://www.greenchipstocks.com/investing-in-renewable-energy"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks</span></a>. For more on Jeff, go to his editor's <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/editors/jeff-siegel">page</a>.</span></em></p></p>2015-07-07T18:56:33Z2015-07-07T18:56:33Z6166Jeff SiegelIs Donald Trump just a Dick?In case you were looking for the exact opposite of a socially responsible investment opportunity. <p><img style="float: right;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/27/31889/trumpgolf.jpg" border="0" alt="trumpgolf" width="246" height="164" />He’s portrayed as a villain …</p>
<p>An evil billionaire with no respect for history, culture or the will of the people, Donald Trump makes good on this image in his reluctant appearance in the movie, <em>A Dangerous Game.</em></p>
<p>Directed by investigative journalist Anthony Baxter, <em>A Dangerous Game</em> explores Donald Trump’s hard-on to build “world-class” golf courses on some of the most beautiful and culturally significant sites in the world.</p>
<p>From the pristine shores of Aberdeen, Scotland to the mountain tops of Dubrovnik, Croatia, overlooking the Adriatic Sea, Trump battles local residents as he uses his wealth and influence to bully those who dare oppose his plans to turn their backyards into tacky resort complexes.</p>
<p>After watching the movie, it’s easy to see how folks would be quick to condemn Trump for his actions, but I’m going to play devil’s advocate here. Kind of …</p>
<p>As a libertarian, I found myself quite fascinated by how local politicians helped facilitate Trump’s wants and needs.</p>
<p>Interviews with local politicians and eager developers clearly show how those who were elected to protect and serve the interests of “the people,” were instead protecting and serving the interests of foreigners who likely came bearing generous and expensive gifts.</p>
<p>It’s a classic tale, and one that often illustrates how politicians tend to be the worst guardians of liberty, freedom, and personal sovereignty.</p>
<p>In the case of Trump’s golf course in Aberdeen, Scotland, locals claim they were met with loss of road access, disruptions in water supplies, and crop disruption. If such claims were valid - and I’m going to assume they were - then clearly this would be a violation of their property rights.</p>
<p>Although Trump has the right to develop his property as he sees fit, in the presence of strong property rights laws (or as some would suggest, natural law), he would still have to answer to and compensate those whose property rights have been violated by his development. But that wasn’t the case.</p>
<p>Instead, local politicians chose to only protect the property rights of the highest bidder. And that, dear reader, is a tragedy that tends to play out over and over again.</p>
<p>So the question is, is Donald Trump responsible for violating the property rights of locals, or is the government responsible? Or better yet, are the people themselves to blame? After all, they were the ones who voted these folks into office under the assumption that, as lawmakers, they would be the guardians of the will of the people.</p>
<p>I don’t pose this question to offer you an answer. Instead, I pose this question to initiate a conversation about the role of government as it pertains to the protection of property.</p>
<p>I also don’t pose this question to excuse Trump’s behavior.</p>
<p>I honestly don’t understand how some folks can be so dismissive about bulldozing cultural sites and ecological treasures. Sure, I get that the quest to create wealth can sometimes overshadow the quest to just be a decent human being. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not criticizing anyone who seeks to create wealth.</p>
<p>Truth is, the one thing about this documentary that bothered me was how often “the rich” were vilified. Mocking and blindly criticizing a group of billionaires because they like to golf or spend ridiculous amounts of money on golf outings and resort vacations does a disservice to those who seek to protect their land from robber barons.</p>
<p>The fight should never be against the rich, it should be against the unethical and illegal actions of individuals - rich or poor.</p>
<p>It would also be in the best interests of those who seek to protect the environment from overzealous golf course developers to pool their capital, purchase environmentally, historically, and culturally-sensitive land, and place it in a land trust. This serves as a much more reliable mechanism of protection than a politician.</p>
<p>Still, overall, I did like the movie.</p>
<p>It was inspiring to see “the people” rise up against injustice. It was inspiring to see that even against one of the most influential billionaires in the world, “the people” still do have some power. I just hope the folks in Scotland and Croatia are now able to use that power to rid themselves of the forked-tongued politicians who were so eager to service Trump like truckstop hookers along a deserted highway.</p>
<p>So here’s my takeaway …</p>
<ol>
<li>Trump is kind of a dick. But I’d sooner criticize him for his lack of ethics and compassion than for his wealth.</li>
<li>Injustice is not the result of wealth, it is the result of relying on government to protect you and your property.</li>
<li>Turning culturally and historically-significant land into environmentally destructive golf courses is in poor taste, and really, just a shitty thing to do.</li>
<li>Libertarians should applaud the actions of the folks who fought to protect their land, as they did so in a fearless, yet non-violent fashion.</li>
<li>Watching this movie provided a strong reminder as to why I embrace socially responsible investing. There is no honor in investing in a project that trivializes the importance of nature, culture, and the will of the people.</li>
</ol>
<p>If you have any interest in the cause for liberty, property rights and the ability of sovereign individuals to protect their culture, I strongly suggest checking out <em>A Dangerous Game</em>. You can <a href="http://www.adangerousgamemovie.com/#watch-now"><strong>download it here</strong></a>. </p>2015-07-01T19:31:14Z2015-07-01T19:31:14Z2359Jeff Siegel2017 Electric Car Investment GuideElectric vehicle technology is killing internal combustion, and Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is leading the way.<p>The car world is obsessed with Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA)...</p>
<p>And for good reason.</p>
<p>After all, in the world of vehicle design and alternative fuels, no one has taken this disruptive technology further than Elon Musk and Tesla Motors.</p>
<p>The days of glorified golf carts are long gone. And although few can actually afford an $80,000 Model S, Tesla isn’t the only game in town.</p>
<p>In fact, Nissan (OTCBB: NSANY), which makes the all-electric LEAF, recently announced that after four years, its alliance with Renault has officially sold 250,000 electric cars.</p>
<p>That may not sound like much, especially when you compare that to the Ford Fusion, which sold about the same number of cars in a single year in 2014. But in the scheme of things, this is a very big deal.</p>
<p>After all, five years ago, only 17,000 electric cars were sold in the U.S. Nissan’s cut came in at 9,674 units.</p>
<p>Today, the Nissan-Renault alliance has sold a quarter of a million electric cars worldwide.</p>
<p>To put that in perspective, the very first hybrid vehicle to hit the market was the Honda Insight. To date, it hasn’t even broken 100,000 units.</p>
<p>Of course, the real superstar in the world of conventional hybrids is the Toyota Prius.</p>
<p>Folks, it took six years for Toyota to sell 228,000 units of the Prius.</p>
<p>If you combine Honda Insight sales and Toyota Prius sales, it took both manufacturers six years to sell what the Nissan-Renault has sold in electric cars in just four years.</p>
<p>So when we speak about growth, this is what we’re talking about.</p>
<p>In the passenger vehicle space, you will find no greater growth story than the electric car. And that, dear reader, is why smart investors have a keen interest in the electric car trend.</p>
<p><strong>The Front-Runners</strong></p>
<p>In the world of conventional hybrids, it didn’t take long for Toyota to lead the pack with the Prius.</p>
<p>Bottom line: The Prius has always delivered better fuel economy and a better all-around ride than its competitors. Priced competitively, it’s no wonder <a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/toyota-nyse-tm-hybrid-car-investing/3882" target="_blank">Toyota</a> continues to run this show</p>
<p>But when it comes to electric cars, the jury’s still out as to which manufacturer will become the mainstay of electrics.</p>
<p>The most common electric cars on the road today are the Tesla Model S, the Chevy Volt, and the Nissan LEAF. But between small production levels of compliance cars and new entries designed to compete with the front-runners, there are now more than a dozen electric vehicles from which to choose.</p>
<p>Which will reign supreme is still anyone’s guess.</p>
<p>However, we do know that a number of these manufacturers are upping the ante in major way for future releases. And the two main sticking points for consumers are range and price.</p>
<p>So let’s take a look at the specs of what’ll soon be hitting the showrooms...</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Tesla Model 3</span></p>
<ul>
<li>All-electric range: 250 miles</li>
<li>Retail cost: $35,000 <em>without</em> federal tax incentive/$27,500 <em>with</em> federal tax incentive</li>
<li>Launch date: 2017</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chevy Bolt</span></p>
<ul>
<li>All-electric range: 200 miles</li>
<li>Retail cost: $37,500 <em>without</em> federal tax incentive/$30,000 <em>with</em> federal tax incentive</li>
<li>Launch date: 2017</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Nissan LEAF</span></p>
<ul>
<li>All-electric range: 250 miles (estimated)</li>
<li>Retail cost: $30,000 (est.) <em>without</em> federal tax incentive/$22,500 (est.) <em>with</em> federal tax incentive</li>
<li>Launch date: 2017</li>
</ul>
<p>Both BMW and Audi have new electric offerings coming too, yet specs on these models are still somewhat under wraps.</p>
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<p>I’m not sure how many more Fiat 500es will be made either, but Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has criticized the vehicle from day one, actually telling customers not to buy it. Apparently it continues to have software problems, too.</p>
<p>This will really never be more than a compliance car, and quite frankly, it’s not even worth considering in terms of the big technological disruptions in the coming years. As far as I know, there are no future plans to offer a better version.</p>
<p>Also not coming soon are newer versions of the Chevy Spark EV — which is actually a cool little car that comes with a pretty decent price tag. Sure, it’ll only give you about 70 miles on a charge, but for a city car or a car that’ll take you to and from work every day, it’s not a bad deal.</p>
<p>Charge times are as little as 20 minutes (for an 80% charge), and with the federal tax credit, you can get one for about $18,500. And if you live in a state that offers its own incentives, you could pay even less.</p>
<p>In Maryland, with both state and federal tax incentives, I could pick one up for about $16,000. Not bad for a car that’ll never need a drop of gasoline, a single oil change, or a pricey emissions test.</p>
<p>Admittedly, it’s not quite as comfortable or as stylish as a Tesla Model S — but for the price, you can’t beat it.</p>
<p>In any event, from an investor’s point of view, the three manufacturers to watch are Tesla, Nissan, and GM (NYSE: GM).</p>
<p>Obviously <a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/tesla-nasdaq-tsla-mimics-the-industrial-revolution/4464" target="_blank">Tesla</a> is the pure play here. Whether or not you want to take a position in Tesla is really based on how much faith you have in Elon Musk and his ability sell the company’s next-generation Model 3. And don’t forget the energy storage business Musk is running as well.</p>
<p>Certainly I wouldn’t invest in GM or Nissan to get a piece of the electric vehicle market. But continue to watch for new developments in battery chemistries, software designs, and next-generation, lightweight materials that could offer a backdoor way to play the booming electric vehicle market.</p>
<p>Because rest assured, the age of electric transportation is here to stay. And getting a piece of this action today is like getting a piece of Ford (NYSE: F) right before the first Model T rolled off the line.</p>
<p>We’re definitely off to the races, my friend. And electric cars are in the pole position.</p>
<p><p>To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth...</p>
<p><img style="margin: 10px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/25/9080/jeff-siegel-signature.gif" border="0" alt="Jeff Siegel Signature" /></p>
<p>Jeff Siegel<br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/jeffsiegel" target="_blank"><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/50/11971/follow-basic.jpg" border="0" alt="follow basic" />@JeffSiegel on Twitter</a></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #333333;">Jeff is the managing editor of Energy and Capital and contributing analyst for the <a href="http://www.angelpub.com/pubs/ttr">Energy Investor</a>, an independent investment research service focusing primarily on stocks in the oil & gas, modern energy and infrastructure markets. He has been a featured guest on Fox, CNBC, and Bloomberg Asia, and is the author of the best-selling book, <a href="http://www.greenchipstocks.com/investing-in-renewable-energy"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks</span></a>. For more on Jeff, go to his editor's <a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/editors/jeff-siegel">page</a>.</span></em></p></p>2015-07-01T13:57:43Z2015-07-01T13:57:43Z4906Jeff SiegelGreece is Screwed!Don't let central planners steal your wealth and prosperity. <p>He showed up to collect his wife’s pension...</p>
<p>While waiting in line, this unnamed man from Athens told a reporter that he had worked all his life only to wake up one morning to a disaster like this.</p>
<p><img style="float: right; margin: 5px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/27/31827/greekman.jpg" border="0" alt="Greekman" width="263" height="173" />The disaster, as you probably already know, was the crisis into which Greece has now plunged.</p>
<p>By order of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Greek banks have been shut down until July 6 and withdrawals from ATMs limited to no more than 60 euros per day.</p>
<p>Here in the U.S., most folks can’t ever imagine such a thing happening. And in all fairness, I don’t expect such a thing to happen, either. But that’s not to say it never will.</p>
<p>As Athens resident Eygenia Gekou told a reporter, <em>“I can’t believe it. I keep thinking we will wake up tomorrow and everything will be OK. I’m trying hard not to worry.”</em></p>
<p>While I agree that worrying doesn’t solve anything, the last thing that’ll save Greece now is a good night’s sleep.</p>
<p>Gekou will not wake up tomorrow with everything OK.</p>
<p>The new reality for Greece is not stability. It’s crisis. It’s panic. It’s poverty.</p>
<p><strong>Don’t Worry</strong></p>
<p>Over the years, anytime I speak about the dangers of central planning, fiat currencies, and the need to protect your wealth, I’m often met with blank stares and sarcastic grins.</p>
<p>I’m told that I need to relax and not worry so much. But the thing is, I am relaxed, and I’m definitely not worried.</p>
<p>You see, the bottom line is that I simply don’t have a lot of faith in <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/russia-and-china-join-forces-to-kill-the-us-dollar/5093" target="_blank">fiat currencies</a> and central planning. To do so would be to accept the fact that my wealth and very comfortable way of life rests in the hands of a group of people who often get into their positions of authority through hard work, backdoor deals, and lots of bribes.</p>
<p>Therefore, instead of putting my trust in central planners, I put trust in myself.</p>
<p>I know better than any central planner how to secure my wealth and my lifestyle. And so do you. To be honest, I suspect I’m preaching to the choir here, anyway.</p>
<p>But in case you’re new to these pages, let me share with you 10 things you must have in order to protect yourself against the incompetence and questionable motives of central planners.</p>
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<p><strong>10 Necessities</strong></p>
<ol>
<li><strong>A home:</strong> A place to sleep, eat, and protect you and your family from bad weather and bad people. If you don’t currently own your home, make every effort to do so. As long as you own your own home, you always have the safety and security of a home base.</li>
<li><strong>Land:</strong> Not to grow a pretty lawn, but to grow food. These days, most folks grow food as a hobby. But before there was a supermarket on every street corner, folks grew food to live. Ensuring that you have enough land to grow food and even raise chickens will insulate you from any disruptions in food supplies. Also learn how to freeze, can, and dehydrate your bounty to ensure you have plenty of calories and nutrition during the winter months.</li>
<li><strong>Seeds:</strong> You can’t grow food without seeds. Make sure you have a healthy supply of seeds on hand, and when you harvest your fruits and vegetables, be sure to let a few go to seed so you can collect and store them for future plantings.</li>
<li><strong>Electricity:</strong> Although you don’t need electricity to survive, I’m not talking about just “surviving;” I’m talking about living the kind of life you enjoy today. And most would be hard-pressed to enjoy many of the comforts we now take for granted without a steady supply of electricity. Therefore, I suggest ensuring you have one — absent access to the grid. The most secure form of electricity is solar with backup battery storage. Done right, you can generate power during the day while storing excess power that can be used at night. Even in times of economic crisis, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to grab a cold beer out of the fridge and sit in front of your computer watching YouTube videos. Of course, that electricity will also help with heat, air conditioning, water pumps, power tools, and anything else you rely on today to say warm, dry, and comfortable.</li>
<li><strong>Firearms:</strong> While I’m not the kind of guy that walks around cities and towns with an AK hanging off my shoulder, one thing is certain: In crisis situations, you have to protect yourself. In the United States, you have the right to purchase and utilize a variety of different firearms to protect yourself from those who wish to do you harm. As long as you know how to use it properly, a firearm is your best protection in uncertain times. As well, if there are ever any disruptions in meat supplies, you can also use your firearm to hunt. Vegetables are delicious, but you need your protein!</li>
<li><strong>Water:</strong> Without a doubt, it’s more important than anything else. Without water, you die. It’s pretty simple, really. So make sure you have a robust supply of clean water that isn’t reliant upon a public water system. Whether it's well water or the ability to collect, clean, and store rainwater, make sure that you and your family never have to go without some high-quality H<sub>2</sub>0.</li>
<li><strong>A good set of tools:</strong> Economic crises can last for months, or they can last for years. If it’s the latter, you may find yourself in a situation where it is simply too cost prohibitive to hire someone to fix things for you. Learn how to do basic home repairs, and make sure you have all the tools you’ll need for even the most unusual repair.</li>
<li><strong>Gold:</strong> Yeah, yeah, I know. A lot of folks these days think gold is a terrible investment. But the bottom line is that there’s always a certain amount of safety with gold. I’m not saying run out and trade all your dollars for it. But to have some stored away in a safe place is always a good idea.</li>
<li><strong>Small bills:</strong> In the event that banks are shuttered and ATMs stop working, it’s always a good idea to have plenty of small bills around in case you need to buy something. If you go out to by some bread and all you have is a twenty-dollar bill, chances are the cashier is not going to be able to give you change. Small bills and even plenty of coins could serve you well if things get sketchy.</li>
<li><strong>Family and friends:</strong> Although these are things you don’t typically buy or store for a rainy day, if a severe economic crisis were to ever hit, the only people you’ll really be able to trust are your friends and family. Keep them close, and work together with them to ensure everyone is safe, well fed, and happy.</li>
</ol>
<p>This list is something I’ve adhered to for years. And while it certainly can be amended and edited based on your own personal needs and desires, these 10 items really do serve as a basis for protection from <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/the-global-financial-crisis-is-still-going-on/5280" target="_blank">economic crisis</a>.</p>
<p>Sure, some folks may look at this list and assume I’m some crazy person who spends his days prepping in the mountains of West Virginia. But the truth is, I’m just a regular guy who simply prefers to adhere to the precautionary principle instead of walking around assuming a group of people with an extraordinary amount of authority can provide for me better than I can provide for myself.</p>
<p>No reason to worry, but no reason to let blind faith control my destiny.</p>
<p><p>To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth...</p>
<p><img style="margin: 10px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/25/9080/jeff-siegel-signature.gif" border="0" alt="Jeff Siegel Signature" /></p>
<p>Jeff Siegel<br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/jeffsiegel" target="_blank"><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/50/11971/follow-basic.jpg" border="0" alt="follow basic" />@JeffSiegel on Twitter</a></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #333333;">Jeff is the managing editor of Energy and Capital and contributing analyst for the <a href="http://www.angelpub.com/pubs/ttr">Energy Investor</a>, an independent investment research service focusing primarily on stocks in the oil & gas, modern energy and infrastructure markets. He has been a featured guest on Fox, CNBC, and Bloomberg Asia, and is the author of the best-selling book, <a href="http://www.greenchipstocks.com/investing-in-renewable-energy"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks</span></a>. For more on Jeff, go to his editor's <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/editors/jeff-siegel">page</a>.</span></em></p></p>2015-06-30T16:00:02Z2015-06-30T16:00:02Z6156Jeff SiegelUber IPO RumorAmidst mindless violence in France, investors still crave an Uber IPO.<p><img style="float: right;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/27/31848/ubertop.jpg" border="0" alt="ubertop" width="292" height="146" />Is Uber going public?</p>
<p>Investors have been giddy about the possibilities for years.</p>
<p>After all, when it comes to disruptive technologies and business models, Uber’s right up there with Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG).</p>
<p>Well, IPO-wishers are once again getting excited after a rumor that Chinese investment management firm Hillhouse Capital could be looking to plow as much as a billion dollars into the ride-hailing app.</p>
<p>Some analysts have suggested this could be a sign that the company could soon be going public.</p>
<p>Certainly it’s not out of the question, as the company does require a steady flow of capital. In fact, according to a bond prospectus, Uber is operating at a loss of nearly a half billion dollars.</p>
<p>A Bloomberg report has showed $470 million in operating losses with $415 million in revenue. Although Uber reps told reporters that those are “substantially old numbers that do not reflect business activities today.”</p>
<p>Either way, Uber is not a company that has the freedom to ignore large capital raises. And certainly a successful IPO could make that happen.</p>
<p>In the meantime, the company is dealing with a massive headache in France, where a taxi strike turned violent as 3,000 licensed cab drivers blocked the entrance to Charles de Gaulle airport. Apparently 70 vehicles were damaged (some torched), seven police officers were injured and about a dozen people were arrested. Over a freaking ride-hailing app!</p>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/27/31847/fireuber.jpg" border="0" alt="fireuber" width="460" height="259" /></p>
<p><strong>Uber under attack!</strong></p>
<p>Yesterday afternoon we learned that two Uber bosses were arrested and charged with misleading commercial practices, complicity in the illegal exercise of the taxi profession and illegal use of private data.</p>
<p>Man, I do love France. It’s an absolutely beautiful country populated by lovely people who have a healthy relationship with food and sex. Two of my favorite things. But damn, when it comes to the basic fundamentals of a free market, my French brothers and sisters get tripped up.</p>
<p>The crazy thing is, it was the licensed cab drivers that incited the violence, yet it’s Uber that’s the “problem.”</p>
<p>There have even been reports of taxi drivers posing as customers so that they could lure the Uber drivers to isolated locations then assault them. Unreal.</p>
<p>Still, despite a gaggle of angry socialists in Europe, Uber’s not going gently into that good night. The app is incredibly popular all across the globe. And here in the U.S., you’d be hard-pressed to find many working folks who haven’t used Uber at least once.</p>
<p>I’ve actually given up regular taxi cabs altogether. Uber simply provides better service at a competitive price. What’s not to love? Unless, of course, you run an antiquated taxi cab company.</p>
<p>In any event, I certainly would love nothing more than to see an Uber IPO this year. And mark my words, if such a thing happens, it’ll be the biggest IPO of 2015.</p>2015-06-30T14:36:03Z2015-06-30T14:36:03Z6158Jeff SiegelChina's Quest for Organic FoodThe recent meat scare in China has Chinese consumers searching high and low for safe, organic food. <p><img style="float: right;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/26/31777/keegan.jpg" border="0" alt="keegan" width="221" height="166" />We laid Keegan to rest in late 2010.</p>
<p>She was very healthy throughout most of her life, and only fell ill after eating tainted dog food that was sourced in China.</p>
<p>You may remember the news reports back in 2007 when the FDA found melamine in vegetable proteins that were imported from China and used as ingredients in pet food. That’s what our dog ate.</p>
<p>Sadly, our beloved Icelandic Sheepdog (mix), which my wife rescued from the pound while living in Los Angeles, was one of the many victims of that Chinese dog food scare.</p>
<p>I actually remember Keegan cowering in the corner one morning after urinating in our bed - something she had never done before. Something was clearly wrong, and after a quick visit to the vet, we found out that her kidneys were failing.</p>
<p>Fortunately, we were able to save Keegan in the short-term. With a cocktail of medications and a flushing of her system, Keegan survived a few more years. But she was no longer that vivacious friend we came to love.</p>
<p>To be honest, I felt a little guilty. After all, we rarely ate any food that was not grown or produced in the United States. Except for certain tropical fruits and imported meats and cheese from Europe, most food items cooked and consumed in our house have been sourced from U.S. farms.</p>
<p>Yet when it came to our dog, we never thought twice about imported dog food.</p>
<p>Of course, since that episode, any dog that calls our house a home isn’t fed anything from China. Just as we don’t feed ourselves anything from China.</p>
<p>Now understand, I don’t say this to be critical of China in general. It’s really just a matter of trust. When it comes to the food we put in our bodies, I prefer to know exactly where my food came from and who touched it. This is why I’m so adamant about going directly to our local farms for most of our food.</p>
<p>That being said, I know I’m in the minority. Truth is, most folks in this country don’t think twice about where their food comes from. But I do believe this is starting to change.</p>
<p><strong>Unfit for Human Consumption</strong></p>
<p>It’s one thing when dog food from China is unfit for consumption. It’s another entirely when our food is unfit for consumption.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence in China. And it’s why more and more wealthier Chinese are looking to source their food from outside the Middle Kingdom.</p>
<p>Last week, there was a piece in the New York Times that described the latest Chinese food scandal. Here’s a snippet from that article:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>From rat meat masquerading as lamb to tainted milk to exploding watermelons, Chinese consumers have become inured to stomach-churning food scandals. But on Tuesday, countless people were forced to ponder the benefits of vegetarianism after news reports emerged that unscrupulous meat traders had been peddling tons of beef, pork and chicken wings that in some cases had been frozen for 40 years.</p>
<p>The Chinese news media announced that the authorities had seized nearly half a billion dollars’ worth of smuggled frozen meat this month across China, some of it dating to the 1970s. The caches of beef, pork and chicken wings, worth up to 3 billion renminbi, or $483 million, were discovered in a nationwide crackdown that spanned 14 provinces and regions, the state news agency Xinhua reported.</p>
<p>Typically, the meat was shipped from abroad to Hong Kong and then brought to Vietnam, where traders would smuggle the product across the Chinese border without declaring it to customs officials or going through required inspection and quarantine procedures. From there, criminals would often transport the meat in unrefrigerated trucks to save costs and refreeze it several times before it reached customers.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/27/31830/chinameat.jpg" border="0" alt="chinameat" width="630" height="419" /></p>
<p>According to a close contact of mine, who brokers deals with dozens of high-net worth Chinese, many of his clients come to the U.S. for three reasons:</p>
<p>1.) To get their money out of China<br />2.) Clean air<br />3.) Access to better food</p>
<p>Better schools are often included in this list, but I did find #3 to be particularly interesting.</p>
<p>It’s no secret that Chinese folks with money want to park it outside of China’s borders. And certainly clean air is a luxury not afforded to many living in China’s most populated cities. But “safer and better food” - something that many of us take for granted - was never something I gave much thought to until a few years ago when I started hearing about organic farms on the west coast of the U.S. and Canada being offered top dollar to ship their bounty to distributors in Hong Kong.</p>
<p>Truth is, the Chinese are so desperate for quality food, they’re searching out every possible lead they find. From small Canadian organic farms to larger organic beef producers in California and New Zealand, nothing is off the table.</p>
<p>From the perspective of overall sustainability, it would make more sense for the Chinese to focus on building up their own reputable organic food network. However, that’s not what they’re doing right now. At least not to any great degree. Instead, they’re looking to import, and this will create continued opportunity for organic growers in other parts of the world - in particular the U.S., Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia.</p>
<p>As this trend continues, expect to see more demand for quality, organic farmland in North America, where some is still available.</p>
<p>Now there are two ways to play this …</p>
<p>1.) Buy into an active, revenue-generating organic farm.<br />2.) Buy organic farmland and either work it (or have it worked, organically so as to maintain the credibility of the soil) or sit on it and wait for bigger organic farmland developers to come calling. And mark my words, they will.</p>
<p></p>2015-06-29T17:03:31Z2015-06-29T17:03:31Z2358Jeff SiegelInvesting in Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI)Don't underestimate Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI), especially now that the company is pursuing a new REIT plan. <p><img style="float: right;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/26/31742/dardeneats.jpg" border="0" alt="dardeneats" width="253" height="173" />Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) recently announced that it was separating a portion of its real estate assets to transfer into a new REIT.</p>
<p>CEO Gene Lee noted that the REIT plan was the result of a comprehensive review of alternatives to best take advantage of the company’s real estate portfolio.</p>
<p>This is a good move. Management is wise to leverage its real estate assets, because quite frankly, its food sucks.</p>
<p>Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze - it’s all garbage.</p>
<p>Crappy ingredients equals crappy food - both in terms of taste and nutrition.</p>
<p>That being said, crappy ingredients are also very cheap, particularly when bought in bulk. But these days, a burgeoning interest in quality over “cheap food” is emerging.</p>
<p>Companies like Chipotle (NYSE: CMG), Shake Shack (NYSE: SHAK), and Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFM) thrive because of their attention to detail. That is, their customer base tends to champion quality and ethics over cheap calories. And that’s exactly what these companies deliver.</p>
<p>Of course, this customer base is still the minority. If it weren’t, Darden would be out of business.</p>
<p>But Darden <strong><em>is</em></strong> in business because there are a lot of folks that can’t afford quality. And I suspect that when you’re hungry, the last thing on your mind is where your beef was sourced. It is because of this crowd that Darden’s business model works. However, Darden, as well as plenty of other analysts didn’t take the emerging trend of conscientious eaters seriously. And, although only slightly, this has reality has muscled in on Darden’s territory.</p>
<p><strong>The Next Generation</strong></p>
<p>Little by little, the old guard of restaurants that embraced toxic slop and fast “service,” is being replaced by a new generation of restauranteurs that know the real money is in next-generation food service - quality ingredients, social responsibility, and efficiency. With Chipotle especially, consumers now know that they can get a quality meal, at a fair price an in a timely fashion. And it’s what they’re demanding.</p>
<p>That’s not to say Darden-style restaurants are out. However, the next generation of Darden-style restaurants will embrace the basic concept of places like Olive Garden and Bahama Breeze, but take it to the next level by using better ingredients (as well as more local ingredients). Ethical sourcing and social responsibility will also climb higher on the ladder of necessity,</p>
<p>Although Darden has the muscle, capital and expertise to make this happen, I don’t think management has any interest in going down this road.</p>
<p>The company does boast a similar version of what I’ve described as “next generation” with its Seasons 52 restaurant, which offers meals built around seasonal ingredients, as well as vegan and gluten-free options.</p>
<p>But I think that’s as far as they’ll take it.</p>
<p>In the meantime, the decision to pursue this new REIT option, does free the company up to pursue other revenue-generating avenues. Let’s face it, Darden restaurants isn’t really a restaurant company, it’s a service company.</p>
<p>Just as farm animals are serviced with feed, Darden services its customers with “calories.”</p>
<p>Does this make it less-than-desirable for consumers? More and more so, the answer to that question is yes. But does it make it less-than-desirable for investors? Not at all.</p>
<p>Don’t underestimate Darden. It’s food sucks, but it’s management isn’t stupid. And shareholders know this. Especially those who loaded up last summer when the stock was trading at around $44 a share. On Tuesday, Darden hit a high of $73.40.</p>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/26/31741/dri-chart.png" border="0" alt="dri chart" width="700" height="530" /></p>
<p>Believe me when I tell you that a 66% gain can quickly make you forget about overhyped breadsticks and jalapeño shooters.</p>
<p>And with this new REIT, Darden could still have some very bright days ahead.</p>2015-06-25T12:09:40Z2015-06-25T12:09:40Z6149Jeff Siegel2020 Solar Investment OutlookJust in case you needed another reason to investing in the fastest growing energy sector on the planet ...<p>It took the solar industry forty years to reach a cumulative global capacity of 100 gigawatts …</p>
<p><img style="float: right;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/26/31711/solaria.jpg" border="0" alt="solaria" width="231" height="130" />By 2020, more than 100 gigawatts will be installed in a single year!</p>
<p>According to a new report from the good folks over at Greentech Media, the solar industry will install a mind-blowing 135 gigawatts of solar PV projects all across the globe in less than five years. This will push the cumulative market to nearly 700 gigawatts - or about the size of all the electrical generating capacity in Europe today.</p>
<p>And consider the following estimates:</p>
<ul>
<li>55 gigawatts in 2015. This represents 36% y/y growth.</li>
<li>Emerging markets will account for 17% of growth of the next 5 years. Historically, they’ve accounted for only about one percent.</li>
<li>By 2020, 45% of total solar PV demand will come from just three countries - China, Japan and the U.S.<br />
Admittedly, I still see China as a potential wild card based on the fact that if China’s economy implodes - which is not only possible, but probable - there will be significant solar market contraction as China is not only a major producer, but consumer, too.</li>
</ul>
<p>This is why, as I’ve explained before, I’m trying to limit our exposure to China solar stocks.</p>
<p>On the flip side, however, U.S. solar manufacturers and developers can only continue to get stronger. If you want exposure to the solar space, Sunpower (NASDAQ: SPWR), First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR), or SunEdison (NYSE: SUNE) should definitely be a part of your portfolio.</p>
<p>All three, by the way, should also get a very nice bump if a select group of lawmakers in California get their way.</p>
<p><strong>No Subsidies Needed</strong></p>
<p>The California Senate recently passed a new bill that, if signed into law, would require the Golden State to get 50 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030.</p>
<p>It wasn’t long ago when California upped its renewable energy mandate from 20 percent by 2020 to 33% by 2020. Now here we are today looking at the possibility of a 50% renewable energy portfolio.</p>
<p>On the surface, it seems quite aggressive. And in all fairness, right now, it is. But in another few years, costs will fall so low, solar will actually be the most cost competitive source of electricity in California. And that’s without subsidies.</p>
<p>Of course, it seems like every day the need for additional subsidies dwindles, anyway.</p>
<p>Solar superstar and founder of SunEdison, Jigar Shah, has been quite vocal on this issue, insisting that if we phase out the solar tax credits and other solar subsidies in mature markets, the result will be more robust growth.</p>
<p>Check it out …</p>
<blockquote>
<p>As the Founder of the largest solar services provider, SunEdison, I had a hand in putting in place subsidies so that we could reduce costs through scale in local markets. This strategy has resulted in an average system cost reduction of over 50% since 2008.</p>
<p>But today, solar subsidies in maturing markets like the United States are actually holding us back, not propelling us forward. In fact, Germany has hit an all time high for solar capacity with 30-gigawatts peak (GWp) of solar power installed. Germany has done this by installing solar at far cheaper prices than we are in the United States. That is because solar subsidies are manipulated by investors like me to maximize our returns. The truth is that installers in the United States can, and do, install solar at roughly the same cost as German installers – save for some increased soft costs. If we want to reach higher growth, we need to phase out the solar tax credits and other solar subsidies in mature markets and watch the price of solar fall.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And just the other day, First Solar CEO, Jim Hughes, actually called the expiration of the solar investment tax credit “irrelevant,” saying …</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Within 18 months, we will overcome the cost delta resulting from the drop [of the ITC] from 30 percent to 10 percent. It actually opens up new markets, in our opinion, because you'll see an increased interest in utility generation once the distortion of the ITC is behind us.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Hughes also made an important point that I’ve been making for years …</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The growth in corporates interested in direct acquisition of photovoltaic power is not driven by climate change concerns -- it's driven by economics. When you look at data centers, when you look at electricity-intensive industries, they are all interested in locking in a significant cost as a fixed cost rather than a commodity-priced variable cost -- and that's driving a whole lot of procurement on a global basis.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Indeed!</p>
<p>So here we are, looking at a global market that’s growing incredibly rapidly, and even in the absence of direct subsidies, will continue to break records.</p>
<p>When it comes to energy investing, there is simply no greater growth opportunity than solar.</p>2015-06-24T13:55:24Z2015-06-24T13:55:24Z2357Jeff SiegelElectric Car InvestmentsOnly a fool would turn down a Tesla for $13,500.<p>“My next car will definitely be a Tesla,” my Uber driver said with great enthusiasm.</p>
<p>As he was driving me from the Hyatt in Newport Beach to John Wayne Airport, a Tesla P85D quietly flew passed us.</p>
<p>It was black, shiny, and clearly driven by an individual that was in a hurry. He must've been doing at least 90, and this 20-something part-time Uber drive could barely control his excitement.</p>
<p>While I certainly shared his enthusiasm, I was unsure of how a part-time Uber driver (I believe he was a college student driving for Uber to make some extra cash) would be able to afford an $80,000 car. But then I realized that by the time this guy gets a new car, he won't need $80,000 to buy a Tesla. He won't even need half that.</p>
<p>You see, Elon Musk's next big rollout — following the Model X all-electric SUV — will be the Tesla Model 3, which is set to debut next year with a $35,000 price tag. And rest assured, it won't lack much more than space compared to the Model S. In fact, I've heard it's basically just a smaller version of the Model S.</p>
<p>In any event, the $35,000 price tag on the Model 3 is the actual price — without any incentives included. Throw in the $7,500 federal tax credit, along with California's state tax credit of $2,500, and my Uber driver will be able to pick up a shiny new Tesla for $25,000.</p>
<p>Not a bad deal considering he'll save at least another $10,000 on gasoline during the first three years of ownership (and all Tesla Superchargers are free to Tesla owners). Figure that into the equation, and you're looking at a price tag of $15,000.</p>
<p>Of course, we can't forget that with a Tesla, there are no oil changes or smog checks either. And because it uses regenerative braking, the brake pads can last between three to five years longer than those on a typical internal combustion engine vehicle. Overall, over the course of three years, you're probably looking at another $1,500 in savings on maintenance.</p>
<p>That brings us down to $13,500 for a Tesla!</p>
<p>I believe the cheapest internal combustion vehicle you can buy today is the Nissan Versa, which will cost you about $12,800. But of course, when you figure in <a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/are-low-oil-prices-the-new-normal/4704" target="_blank">gas</a> and maintenance costs, it quickly becomes much more expensive.</p>
<p><strong>Just Kidding!</strong></p>
<p>Okay, so admittedly, I went a bit over the top just now.</p>
<p>Yes, the new Tesla Model 3 will be priced very competitively. But when looking at pricing, I actually try to exclude any special tax incentives. If you figure those into the equation, you're not really getting an accurate read on pricing.</p>
<p>So if we take that same Model 3 and <em>exclude</em> the tax incentives but still include gas and maintenance savings (which are absolutely relevant), that puts us back up to $23,500.</p>
<p>Now, let me ask you this...</p>
<p>Would you pay $23,500 for what is basically a smaller version of the car in the image below?</p>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/24/31517/teslamodelsk.jpg" border="0" alt="teslamodelsk" width="578" height="337" /></p>
<p>Before you answer, keep in mind that you will still be limited in driving range.</p>
<p>Right now, I can drive my Prius from Washington, D.C. to Boston on a single tank of gas. In a Tesla Model 3, however, which will deliver 250 miles per charge, I'd only get as far as New York City.</p>
<p>I say “only” because I'm being a bit sarcastic.</p>
<p>Being able to drive from Washington, D.C. to New York City in an electric car — without having to stop to recharge — is pretty damn impressive. Especially if you get to do it in a Tesla.</p>
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<p><strong>Change is upon us</strong></p>
<p>The reason I did these quick calculations was to illustrate that the two biggest obstacles to electric vehicle integration — price and range — are quickly being overcome. Hell, they're being torched!</p>
<p>Next year, we're going to see an electric car that will be competitively priced against similarly styled internal combustion vehicles and will provide nearly every daily commuter with enough “fuel” (i.e. battery power) to get to and from work or school.</p>
<p>Now imagine where we'll be by the end of the decade!</p>
<p>My engineering contacts tell me 300 miles per charge should be the standard by 2020, and according to UBS, electric car sales should soar after an “expected rapid decline in battery cost by more than 50%.”</p>
<p>With the dual threat of cost reductions and increased range, the highly disruptive breakthrough of electric vehicles is now in place where a major ramp-up is inevitable.</p>
<p>In fact, consider what was recently written at Oilprice.com in an article entitled, "Electric Vehicles to Become Mainstream in Short Period of Time."</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Consider the ramping up of some of the most basic items that have conquered the American market over the past century. Refrigerators went from a luxury item to 60 percent household penetration during the Depression and World War II. Technologies we used to live without including PCs, the Internet, and cell phones have become an integral part of daily life.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/24/31518/specialev.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/24/31518/specialev.jpg" border="0" alt="specialev" width="550" height="240" /></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><em>Click Image to Enlarge</em></span></p>
<p>We are about to find out if electric vehicles can make their mark and become mainstream. The launch sequence and liftoff phase (now barely underway) will soon reveal the extent of their fuel supply, i.e. How much interest will consumers have in EVs when a 200-mile-per-charge car costs less than $25,000? When a 60 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery costs $9,000, there will be plenty of room in the budget to build a lightweight car around it.</p>
<p>At any price, the cost of ownership falls by 75 percent (not including cheaper insurance and maintenance); gasoline miles costing 12 cents each (at the current mileage standard with $3 per gallon) cannot compete with electric miles costing 3 cents or less.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>My friend, if you're a regular reader of these pages, you know I've been bullish on electric vehicles since 2005 — back when hardly anyone knew a company called <a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/investing-in-the-tesla-nasdaq-tsla-powerwall/4821" target="_blank">Tesla</a> even existed.</p>
<p>And here we are today, with electric vehicles being nearly ubiquitous in terms of any discussion regarding the auto market. These days, Tesla models, Volts, LEAFs, and a handful of compliant electric cars are just as easy to find on a highway as roadkill — an ironic foreshadowing of what lies ahead for internal combustion.</p>
<p>There is no doubt that we are at the dawn of one of the biggest transitions we'll ever see in personal transportation. Ten years from now, I'll be surprised to see many internal combustion vehicles even being manufactured.</p>
<p>Hell, most kids born today will probably never even know what it's like to fill a gas tank, get an oil change, or smell exhaust.</p>
<p>Change is upon us, dear reader. Embrace it, enjoy the benefits of it, and — by all means — profit from it!</p>
<p><p>To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth...</p>
<p><img style="margin: 10px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/25/9080/jeff-siegel-signature.gif" border="0" alt="Jeff Siegel Signature" /></p>
<p>Jeff Siegel<br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/jeffsiegel" target="_blank"><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/50/11971/follow-basic.jpg" border="0" alt="follow basic" />@JeffSiegel on Twitter</a></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #333333;">Jeff is the managing editor of Energy and Capital and contributing analyst for the <a href="http://www.angelpub.com/pubs/ttr">Energy Investor</a>, an independent investment research service focusing primarily on stocks in the oil & gas, modern energy and infrastructure markets. He has been a featured guest on Fox, CNBC, and Bloomberg Asia, and is the author of the best-selling book, <a href="http://www.greenchipstocks.com/investing-in-renewable-energy"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks</span></a>. For more on Jeff, go to his editor's <a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/editors/jeff-siegel">page</a>.</span></em></p></p>2015-06-17T17:55:13Z2015-06-17T17:55:13Z4863Jeff SiegelInvesting in HafniumOnly a fool would ignore the opportunity to own some of this strategic metal. <p>If there were only two gold mining companies in the world, would they be in your portfolio?</p>
<p>What if there were only two silver mining companies in the world? Would those be in your portfolio?</p>
<p>How about copper, lithium, or rhenium? (The latter, by the way, is one of the most expensive metals on the planet because it is extremely rare. Right now, rhenium goes for about $2,755 per kg.)</p>
<p>My point is that there are just some metals that are so valuable, only a fool would ignore the opportunity to own some. But in some cases, there are only a few options.</p>
<p>This is the case with hafnium — a rare and strategic metal that both the aerospace industry and the nuclear industry can't live without. It's actually produced out of zirconium, but it takes an entire ton of zirconium to get between 10 to 50 kg. of hafnium!</p>
<p>And here's the kicker... Right now, there's not enough supply to keep up with demand. Some have actually estimated a 50% increase in hafnium prices over the next 12 months.</p>
<p><strong>Get more bang for your buck!</strong></p>
<p>The increased demand for hafnium seems to be coming primarily from the <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/2015-nuclear-energy-stock-predictions/5473" target="_blank">nuclear</a> industry.</p>
<p>Although nuclear is dead in the water in the U.S., globally, nuclear remains strong. In fact, the International Atomic Energy Agency has predicted more than 800 gigawatts of nuclear will be in place by 2030. Today, it's less than 400 gigawatts.</p>
<p>Most of this growth is coming from China, Russia, and India, although Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Poland are also getting aggressive on building and expanding nuclear capacity.</p>
<p>While Fukushima did put a temporary kibosh on nuclear investing for a few years, the industry is back with a vengeance, and as a result, the demand for nuclear rods is increasing dramatically. Now guess what metal is required for nuclear rods?</p>
<p>That's right, hafnium. And while the coming boom in nuclear is certainly going to push uranium prices north, if you're going to play this growth story, you'll get more bang for your buck with hafnium.</p>
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<p><strong>Wet your beak</strong></p>
<p>In the hafnium space, there's really only a handful of players, with the two largest being Areva SA (OTCBB: ARVCF) and Allegheny Technologies (NYSE: ATI).</p>
<p>These two companies alone produce more than 60% of the world's hafnium supplies.</p>
<p>Of course, these aren't pure plays, but certainly both can get you some exposure to hafnium.</p>
<p>There are some smaller operations out there, too, but they're just too risky to mention here. That being said, we have uncovered one company that can not only provide us with direct exposure to the hafnium space but actually do so with guaranteed supply.</p>
<p>In other words, instead of investing in a company that's producing hafnium, you actually buy your own supply from a company that's already got it stored away in a vault.</p>
<p>It's right there, right now. And I know the guy who can get us access to it.</p>
<p>Of course, because hafnium is in such short supply, there's only a small amount available. So I asked this guy to set some aside for us when he gets his next delivery.</p>
<p>If you want wet your beak on this deal along with me, <a href="http://subscribe.wealthdaily.com/78646">click here now,</a> and I'll make sure someone gets in touch with you as soon as we get confirmation that the hafnium has arrived safely.</p>
<p><p>To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth...</p>
<p><img style="margin: 10px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/25/9080/jeff-siegel-signature.gif" border="0" alt="Jeff Siegel Signature" /></p>
<p>Jeff Siegel<br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/jeffsiegel" target="_blank"><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/50/11971/follow-basic.jpg" border="0" alt="follow basic" />@JeffSiegel on Twitter</a></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #333333;">Jeff is the managing editor of Energy and Capital and contributing analyst for the <a href="http://www.angelpub.com/pubs/ttr">Energy Investor</a>, an independent investment research service focusing primarily on stocks in the oil & gas, modern energy and infrastructure markets. He has been a featured guest on Fox, CNBC, and Bloomberg Asia, and is the author of the best-selling book, <a href="http://www.greenchipstocks.com/investing-in-renewable-energy"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks</span></a>. For more on Jeff, go to his editor's <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/editors/jeff-siegel">page</a>.</span></em></p></p>2015-06-16T14:52:52Z2015-06-16T14:52:52Z6136Jeff SiegelMarijuana Bank InvestingMarijuana stocks could soon get a huge shot of steroids thanks to a new law in the state of Nevada. <p>It's the largest cash crop in the United States...</p>
<p>Bigger than corn, bigger than wheat, and bigger than cotton.</p>
<p>From 2013 to 2014, it experienced a growth rate of 77%, and an estimated 700% growth rate is anticipated by 2018.</p>
<p>I'm talking about cannabis, and if you're a regular reader of these pages, you know I'm extremely bullish on the potential of this burgeoning market.</p>
<p>That being said, we're still in the earliest stages, and right now there are a lot more pitfalls than profits — one of which is the direct result of the federal government's labeling of marijuana as a schedule 1 substance.</p>
<p>As a schedule 1 substance, it is illegal for any person to manufacture, distribute, or dispense marijuana. As a result, almost every bank in the nation refuses to do business with the cannabis industry due to fear of being shut down by the feds.</p>
<p>So because of the federal government's insistence on continuing the drug war and denying citizens the right to medicate and recreate as they wish, marijuana dispensaries and growers are unable to conduct business with commercial banks. All transactions must be done in cash, and security companies must be used to move and store this cash.</p>
<p>This impediment alone is one of the biggest hurdles for the industry. But if and when that hurdle can be crossed, prepare to see the <a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/growing-marijuana-stocks/3491" target="_blank">cannabis market</a> get a major shot of steroids.</p>
<p><strong>Sin is in!</strong></p>
<p><img style="float: right; margin: 5px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/23/31373/sinisin.jpg" border="0" alt="sinisin" width="246" height="145" />A few months back, while attending a cannabis investment summit, groups of lawyers, accountants, and entrepreneurs devoted hours upon hours to discussing possible solutions to this problem. There was a lot of head scratching and a lot of frustration.</p>
<p>To be honest, after conducting a few interviews, I was at a loss as to how this problem could be rectified in the absence of the federal government re-scheduling marijuana.</p>
<p>But then, last week, a potential solution was found. And it was found in a place where out-of-the-box thinking spawned an oasis of wealth creation and greed.</p>
<p>I'm talking about Nevada, home of legalized gambling and legalized prostitution — two “sin” industries that have turned risk-taking entrepreneurs into multimillionaires. And now, it looks like the Silver State may be ready to facilitate the growth of the marijuana industry by creating new banks that could solve a lot of the banking issues dispensaries and growers face today.</p>
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<p><strong>Change the rules</strong></p>
<p>Right now there's an amendment to a mortgage lending bill that, according to <em>Marijuana Business Daily</em>, would change the rules so savings and loan companies wouldn’t have to obtain insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.</p>
<p>The legislation would also remove a provision from state law that limits the operation of savings and loan companies (called “thrifts” in the banking world) to those that received a license prior to 1997:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>Thrifts could potentially become the go-to financial institutions for cannabis companies – and if the experiment works in Nevada, other states might adopt similar legislation.</em></p>
<p><em>Under the amendment, thrifts would be allowed to seek deposit insurance from private insurers rather than the FDIC, and more closely resemble credit unions than traditional banks.</em></p>
<p><em>To be sure, non-traditional banking hasn’t exactly been the savior for cannabis companies, as some credit unions have failed at attempts to work within the industry. They must also have in place agreements with the U.S. Federal Reserve to take their cash, which can prove problematic.</em></p>
<p><em>Still, if they work as well as the amendment’s co-sponsors hope, savings and loan companies could potentially alleviate a very large problem for cannabis businesses that are about to open in the state since banks aren’t openly taking deposits from marijuana companies.</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Mark my words: If this works out, other states will follow. And so, too, will savvy investors.</p>
<p><p>To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth...</p>
<p><img style="margin: 10px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/25/9080/jeff-siegel-signature.gif" border="0" alt="Jeff Siegel Signature" /></p>
<p>Jeff Siegel<br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/jeffsiegel" target="_blank"><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/50/11971/follow-basic.jpg" border="0" alt="follow basic" />@JeffSiegel on Twitter</a></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #333333;">Jeff is the managing editor of Energy and Capital and contributing analyst for the <a href="http://www.angelpub.com/pubs/ttr">Energy Investor</a>, an independent investment research service focusing primarily on stocks in the oil & gas, modern energy and infrastructure markets. He has been a featured guest on Fox, CNBC, and Bloomberg Asia, and is the author of the best-selling book, <a href="http://www.greenchipstocks.com/investing-in-renewable-energy"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks</span></a>. For more on Jeff, go to his editor's <a href="http://www.energyandcapital.com/editors/jeff-siegel">page</a>.</span></em></p></p>2015-06-10T15:28:38Z2015-06-10T15:28:38Z4850Jeff SiegelInvesting in RheniumIt's one of the rarest and most expensive metals on the planet. And smart investors own it. <p><img style="float: right; margin: 5px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/24/31404/hayekbombshell.jpg" border="0" alt="hayekbombshell" width="169" height="169" />Rhenium is sexier than Salma Hayek...</p>
<p>What is rhenium and how can anything be sexier than one of the greatest gifts God ever delivered upon mortal humans?</p>
<p>Simple...</p>
<p>While there's no denying the exquisite beauty of this Mexican bombshell, rhenium can make you filthy, stinking rich. And I'm not sure there's anything quite as desirable as making a boatload of cash.</p>
<p>So feel free to ogle this picture of Salma Hayek, but keep reading to see why I'm a bit more head over heels these days for rhenium.</p>
<p><strong>Rare and Expensive</strong></p>
<p>Back in 2008, GE (NYSE: GE) announced it was going to start testing a new nickel superalloy designed to reduce the company's reliance on rhenium.</p>
<p>The folks over at GE were smart to do so, as rhenium demand has continued to grow while supplies have remained relatively flat.</p>
<p>You see, rhenium is a metal that's required for everything from military and <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/buy-a-new-airline-for-two-cents/5477" target="_blank">aviation</a> applications to oil and gas production. It's used in all kinds of various tech devices and is becoming more and more of a necessity for advancements in digital health applications.</p>
<p>But here's the problem...</p>
<p>Rhenium, the byproduct of copper production, is extremely rare.</p>
<p>According to the folks over at GE, its occurrence in the Earth's crust is two parts per billion. In association with copper, it reaches hundreds of parts per billion, but on average, it takes about 3,732 grams of copper to produce 30 grams of rhenium.</p>
<p>Rhenium is actually one of the most expensive metals on the planet, currently coming in at around $2,755 per kg.</p>
<p>Now, the natural occurrence of rhenium is still uncertain. However, we do know that it's one of the rarest elements on Earth, and we likely have only about a 50-year supply remaining — most of which is in Chile, although there is some production in the U.S. as well.</p>
<p>Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO), through its Kennecott Utah Copper subsidiary, actually operates a mining operation in Utah. Molycorp (NYSE: MCP) is also a U.S. producer of rhenium.</p>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/24/31403/rheniumchart.jpg" border="0" alt="rheniumchart" width="500" height="279" /></p>
<p>Of course, even with continued production, companies that rely on this incredibly rare metal are constantly looking for new ways to either replace the metal or recycle it.</p>
<p>GE has actually been recycling scrap turbine blades in an effort to reclaim hundreds of pounds of superalloys. Interestingly, according to a piece in <em>FlightGlobal</em>, scrapped blades used to be sold and recycled for use by the stainless steel industry, while the rare metals were lost to aerospace. But now the material is cleaned and melted for reuse in manufacturing.</p>
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<p><strong>Supply and Demand</strong></p>
<p>When investing in commodities, the name of the game is supply and demand. It's pretty simple, really.</p>
<p>And when it comes to the basic fundamentals of supply and demand, there are few metals more coveted by investors, particularly due to the fact that so many of the largest corporations on the planet today rely on a steady supply of rhenium to stay in business. These companies include, but are not limited to...</p>
<ul>
<li>GE (NYSE: GE)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/military-tech-bull-market/5092" target="_blank">Lockheed Martin</a> (NYSE: LMT)</li>
<li>Siemens (OTCBB: SIEGY)</li>
<li>Boeing (NYSE: BA)</li>
<li>Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC)</li>
<li>Raytheon (NYSE: RTN)</li>
<li>Airbus (OTCBB: EADSF)</li>
</ul>
<p>These aren't small players, yet interestingly, a good chunk of their revenue is reliant upon rhenium — thus, in my eyes, making rhenium much sexier than Salma Hayek.</p>
<p>Invest accordingly.</p>
<p><p>To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth...</p>
<p><img style="margin: 10px;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/25/9080/jeff-siegel-signature.gif" border="0" alt="Jeff Siegel Signature" /></p>
<p>Jeff Siegel<br /><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/jeffsiegel" target="_blank"><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2011/50/11971/follow-basic.jpg" border="0" alt="follow basic" />@JeffSiegel on Twitter</a></p>
<p><em><span style="color: #333333;">Jeff is the managing editor of Energy and Capital and contributing analyst for the <a href="http://www.angelpub.com/pubs/ttr">Energy Investor</a>, an independent investment research service focusing primarily on stocks in the oil & gas, modern energy and infrastructure markets. He has been a featured guest on Fox, CNBC, and Bloomberg Asia, and is the author of the best-selling book, <a href="http://www.greenchipstocks.com/investing-in-renewable-energy"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks</span></a>. For more on Jeff, go to his editor's <a href="http://www.wealthdaily.com/editors/jeff-siegel">page</a>.</span></em></p></p>2015-06-09T17:51:39Z2015-06-09T17:51:39Z6129Jeff SiegelThe G-7 and the End of Fossil FuelsWhy the G-7's Call to End Fossil Fuels is Irrelevant.
<p><strong><em><img style="float: right;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/24/31435/eoff.jpg" border="0" alt="eoff" width="236" height="168" />The world should move away from using fossil fuels by the end of this century.</em></strong></p>
<p>This is what G-7 leaders told the media on Monday.</p>
<p>As reported in the Associated Press …</p>
<blockquote>
<p>German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose turn it was to host the annual gathering, pressed for a commitment to "decarbonize" the global economy — that is, to eliminate most carbon dioxide emissions from burning oil, gas and coal. While the goal was set for the end of the century, the seven leaders also asserted that "urgent and concrete action is needed to address climate change."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It's interesting that the leaders of the seven wealthiest democracies would call for something that's going to happen regardless of what they say today.</p>
<p>Truth is, the end of fossil fuels is inevitable.</p>
<p>Because of the rapid depletion of oil and gas, by the end of the century, oil and gas will simply be too economically burdensome to pursue as a viable form of power production or transportation fuel. And don't let the fracking revolution dissuade you from reality.</p>
<p>While the fracking boom in the U.S. has changed the game completely, it won't last forever. In fact, because decline rates are so steep and so rapid with fracking, this “revolution,” will likely come to an abrupt end within the next twenty years.</p>
<p>Sure, they'll still chase down every last drop. But in doing so, the price to produce it will be too high to compete against burgeoning alternative energy and transportation technologies. Don't think for a second that they'll even be selling internal combustion engine vehicles by the end of the century. That's just not going to happen.</p>
<p>And with the development of storage technology, energy intelligence, energy efficiency and conservation measures, and renewable energy technologies, natural gas will be as valuable to the world in 2100 as the typewriter is today. And you can forget about coal, altogether.</p>
<p><strong>The Future is Now</strong></p>
<p>Although it's unlikely I'll be around by 2100, I certainly don't mind investing in (and profiting from) tomorrow's technologies today. This is why I'm so bullish on alternative energy and transportation fuels. It's the future, plain and simple. And there's no better time to invest in the future than right now.</p>
<p>Some of the biggest players in the alternative energy space right now include:</p>
<ul>
<li>GE – (NYSE: GE)</li>
<li>SunPower Corp. - (NASDAQ: SPWR)</li>
<li>SunEdison – (NYSE: SUNE)</li>
<li>Vestas Wind Systems – (OTCBB: VWDRY)</li>
<li>First Solar – (NASDAQ: FSLR)</li>
<li>Tesla Motors – (NASDAQ: TSLA)</li>
<li>Siemens – (OTCBB: SIEGY)</li>
</ul>
<p>There are also a number of smaller companies in this space today that could, one day, be the big dogs of energy technology tomorrow. I write about these regularly at Green Chip Stocks.</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting the days of fossil fuels will coming to an end anytime soon. The Big Oil machine still has a lot of life left, and it will continue to offer excellent investment opportunities for energy investors in the years to come.</p>
<p>But mark my words, the future of energy is not fossil fuels. And to accept such a think would be extremely foolish.</p>
<p>Invest accordingly.</p>
<p></p>2015-06-09T15:38:28Z2015-06-09T15:38:28Z6130Jeff SiegelBob Lutz is Wrong about Tesla Batteries When it comes to Tesla and battery backup, Bob Lutz just doesn't get it. <p><img style="float: right;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/24/31416/tbl.jpg" border="0" alt="tbl" width="223" height="149" />Does Bob Lutz like Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) or not?</p>
<p>The bigwig car exec who probably knows more about the car industry than practically anyone else, has certainly tipped his hat to the electric car-maker and to Elon Musk, but when it comes to the stock, he's perpetually bearish.</p>
<p>Of course, I've yet to find anyone who can really make sense of the stock.</p>
<p>On a technical basis, it's pretty much always been valued at levels that never really coincided with the reality. But the Tesla story has never been about just the technicals.</p>
<p>Tesla's valuation has always been attached to two things: A necessary disruption in the auto manufacturing space, and Elon Musk.</p>
<p>Some folks seem to think it's ridiculous to base the value of a company on its CEO. I disagree.</p>
<p>The way I see it, when you invest in a company, you're investing in its people.</p>
<p>Elon Musk has the intelligence, the charm and the “take-no-prisoners” attitude you want in a CEO.</p>
<p><strong>Building an Empire</strong></p>
<p>In my line of work, I come across dozens of new companies every month. Companies that are run by folks that have great ideas and great enthusiasm. But even if those folks had the greatest product on earth, if they don't know how to run a successful company – particularly in the alternative energy space – then the company will fail miserably. It's pretty simple, really.</p>
<p>So when people say, “Oh, Tesla's only been so successful because of Elon Musk,” my response is, “well, yeah.”</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong. It takes more than a great leader to build an empire. Like-minded individuals are necessary as well. Employees, investors, customers – all are paramount.</p>
<p>But getting back to Bob Lutz …</p>
<p>Apparently, in a recent interview with Squawk Box, Lutz said …</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I think [the battery] is greatly overvalued because having batteries as backup storage has been around for hundreds of years. I can't understand the fascination with this.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>He said those words before Elon Musk gave a speech at the Edison Electric Institute convention in New Orleans.</p>
<p>I suspect this was a swipe at Tesla and its recently unveiled backup battery system, the Powerwall.</p>
<p>While I have no illusions about the knowledge this man possesses when it comes to cars, I think Lutz is dead wrong about batteries.</p>
<p>He said that he thinks batteries are overvalued because having them as backup storage has been around for hundreds of years.</p>
<p>While it's true that backup storage has been around for hundreds of years, the battery chemistries utilized today are far superior than anything that was developed hundreds of years ago. Hell they're far superior than anything that was developed just twenty years ago.</p>
<p>Take a look at this …</p>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/24/31414/oldbatt.jpg" border="0" alt="oldbatt" width="480" height="360" /></p>
<p>This is what a “modern” backup battery system looks like for an off-grid home that's powered primarily by roof-mounted solar panels.</p>
<p>Now look at Tesla's backup battery …</p>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://images.angelpub.com/2015/24/31415/tpw.jpg" border="0" alt="tpw" width="565" height="375" /></p>
<p>Beyond just the aesthetics, the power-to-weight ratio and energy densities make the old backup systems nearly superfluous. And don't forget, this is the very first version.</p>
<p>As technologies continue to develop rapidly, and as costs continue to plummet, backup batteries will become ubiquitous, and Lutz will be right – why the fascination with batteries?</p>
<p>Do we have a fascination with microwave ovens?</p>
<p>Do we have a fascination with indoor plumbing?</p>
<p>Do we have a fascination with email?</p>
<p>Of course not. Because these days, this stuff is just part of our everyday lives.</p>
<p>Mark my words, the same will happen with battery backup systems. And Tesla will lead the way.</p>
<p></p>2015-06-09T13:22:54Z2015-06-09T13:22:54Z2356Jeff Siegel