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Elon Musk’s SpaceX is hiring: Take a look at some of the positions

2020s are starting as the Elon Musk decade: Investor

Point Bridge Capital founder and CEO Hal Lambert discusses the rapid rise in value of Tesla and argues that Elon Musk is the Thomas Edison of our generation.

On Wednesday, Elon Musk’s SpaceX will launch its Crew Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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The historic launch will be the first time astronauts launch into orbit on a private company’s spacecraft and the first time American astronauts launch in an American-made spacecraft since 2011 when the Space Shuttle program ended.

Vice President Mike Pence has said he plans to attend the launch and officials said President Trump will likely also attend.

SPACEX MAY WELCOME TRUMP AND PENCE AT HISTORIC LAUNCH

Leading up to the launch, SpaceX has been focused on hiring. In early February, Elon Musk tweeted about a career fair in Texas for SpaceX

“This is mainly for staffing up 4 production shifts for 24/7 operations, but engineers, supervisors & support personnel are certainly needed too,” Musk tweeted on Feb. 4. “A super hardcore work ethic, talent for building things, common sense & trustworthiness are required, the rest we can train.”

Even as the company prepares for the launch on Wednesday, SpaceX still has a long list of job openings — more than 500 — with the promise of “competitive salaries, comprehensive health benefits and equity packages,” according to the website.

HOW ELON MUSK WAS INSPIRED TO FOUND TESLA, SPACEX AFTER BEING FIRED FROM PAYPAL

The available jobs are primarily located in Texas and California, but there are also postings in Washington state, Washington, D.C., and Florida.

Here’s a look at 10 open positions.

Real Estate Coordinator

SpaceX is looking for a real estate coordinator in Hawthorne, Calif., who will “support the Facilities team with corporate real estate matters such as identifying prospective properties of interest, negotiating lease and own acquisitions, dispositions (terminations and subleases/assignments), exercising options and any related matters,” the job posting said.

For applicants with a bachelor’s degree in business or real estate, at least three years of experience is required, but for applicants without a degree, at least eight years of experience is required, according to the posting.

Financial Analyst

According to the job posting, the SpaceX financial analyst will work with company business partners and provide “analysis and reporting” to management.

The position is listed for Hawthorne, Calif., and requires a bachelor’s degree in finance, engineering or a similar subject as well as “experience in the finance function,” the posting said.

Environmental Health & Safety Engineer

There are several openings for environmental health and safety engineers at SpaceX, including in Brownsville, Texas, Cape Canaveral, Fla., Vandenberg, Calif., Hawthorne, Calif., and Redmond, Wash.

The position entails creating and managing “site specific safety policies and programs,” and requires a bachelor’s degree and at least three years of experience developing “environmental, health and safety disciplines,” the posting said.

Electrical Design Engineer (Satellites)

At SpaceX’s Hawthorne, Calif., location, the company is looking for an electrical design engineer to work on flight hardware specifically on satellites, the posting said.

According to the posting, the engineer will “rapidly design, develop and test highly reliable electronics for satellites,” among other responsibilities.

“We’re looking for people who want to dive in and get their hands dirty and those who are not afraid to make important decisions and work to provide a data driven rationale,” the posting said.

The position requires a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering or a similar degree and at least two years of professional experience, among other qualifications.

Launch Build Reliability Engineer

The launch build reliability engineer, located in Cape Canaveral, Fla., will “reliably launch astronauts and other payloads by ensuring vehicle, payload and spacecraft processing is efficiently designed and executed,” the posting said.

At least two years of professional or internship experience and an engineering-related bachelor’s degree are among the requirements for the position.

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Barista

SpaceX is also hiring a barista for its corporate offices in Hawthorne, Calif. According to the job posting, a high school diploma, GED, or at least six months of barista experience is required.

Cook

Several of SpaceX’s locations are looking to hire cooks, including in Brownsville, Texas, McGregor, Texas, and Hawthorne, Calif.

The position requires at least two years of experience “in kitchen preparation and cooking” and a high school diploma or GED, the posting said.

Modeling and Simulation Engineer (Top Secret Clearance)

According to the job posting, the Hawthorne, Calif.-based modeling and simulation engineer “will be instrumental to the design, optimization and execution of SpaceX developed satellite constellations and payload missions.”

The position requires an engineering-related bachelor’s degree, and experiences with “orbital design and analysis,” “constellation design,” and tools for software modeling.

The modeling and simulation engineer will also need top secret clearance, the posting said.

Internal Fleet Driver

SpaceX is hiring an internal fleet driver who will transport “aerospace production, test, and flight components between SpaceX and vendors within an approximate 100-mile radius of Cape Canaveral,” the posting said.

The driver will use LTL vans and flatbeds and the position requires a high school diploma or GED and at least three years of experience driving in a professional delivery vehicle, the posting said.

Welder, Stainless

In McGregor, Texas, SpaceX is hiring a “structural, stainless welder,” according to the posting.

“This position requires skill in a specialized trade in order to complete welding requirements and operational needs,” the posting said. “The position is responsible for welding piping, structural steel and other facility equipment/infrastructure.”

Some of the requirements for the position include a high school diploma or equivalency certificate, at least three years of professional experience with TIG welding and at least three years of professional experience “working in a process piping environment,” the posting said.

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Netflix is automatically cancelling 'inactive' accounts even if you're still paying for it – how to avoid being deleted

NETFLIX is going to start automatically cancelling "inactive" accounts – even if you're still paying for it.

It means forgetful users who didn't end their subscriptions won't be charged forevermore.

A forgotten Netflix subscription can quickly rack up, too.

The top plan costs £12/$16 a month, which comes to £144/$192 over the course of a year.

So from this week, Netflix will send out alerts asking users if they want to keep subscribing.

The notifications will appear over email or through the app for any paying subscribers who haven't watched in a year or more.

If you don't confirm that you want to keep subscribing, your plan will be automatically cancelled.

"At Netflix, the last thing we want is people paying for something they're not using," said Netflix's Eddy Wu.

"So we're asking everyone who has not watched anything on Netflix for a year since they joined to confirm they want to keep their membership.

"And we'll do the same for anyone who has stopped watching for more than two years."

Netflix recommended TVs

These are the TV models that Netflix official recommends for a "superior experience"…

Panasonic HX750

  • HX800
  • HX810
  • HX820
  • HX830
  • HX850
  • HX880
  • HX900
  • HX940
  • HX970 series

Samsung QLED 8K / QLED 4K / Lifestyle TVs

  • Q950TS
  • Q900TS
  • Q800T
  • Q90T
  • Q80T
  • Q70T
  • The Frame
  • The Serif

Sony BRAVIA

  • X80H(XH80)
  • XH81
  • X95H(XH95)
  • Z8H(ZH8)
  • Z9H series
  • A8H(A8) / A9S(A9) series

The good news is that signing back up is easier next time around.

If you cancel your account and then rejoin within 10 months, your account will still "remember" its own details.

That means you'll have the same favourites, profiles, viewing preferences and account details.

Netflix says that these inactive accounts represent "less than half of 1%" of its overall member base – around a few hundred thousand users.

And it says the loss has already been factored into its financial guidance, so investors don't need to panic.

"In the meantime, we hope this new approach saves people some hard-earned cash," Eddy added.

In other news, the Netflix Party app lets you watch movies in real-time with pals.

Netflix has vowed a crackdown on users who share logins with pals.

And here's a simple guide to Netflix parental controls.

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Fortnite is coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X later this year – with huge graphics update promised

FORTNITE will launch on the PS5 and Xbox Series X later this year.

And the hit game will be getting a major graphics update, too.

That's according to creator Epic Games, who confirmed that Fortnite will be adapted to support both next-gen consoles.

The pair of high-spec gaming machines are expected to launch in October or November this year.

And Epic Games says Fortnite Battle Royale will be available from day one – and for free, no less.

The game maker said it's not a new version of Fortnite, but that the console will be "optimised" for the more powerful consoles.

"While we can't share specifics at the moment, more powerful hardware will allow us to improve performance and visuals," Epic Games said.

"At launch, the version of Fortnite we release on next-gen consoles will be built with Unreal Engine 4.

"We will migrate Fortnite to Unreal Engine 5 in mid-2021."

Epic Games also confirmed that it would continue to support current-gen consoles.

Fortnite supported platforms

Here's the full list…

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PlayStation 4
  • PlayStation 5
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X
  • iOS
  • Android

This week, Epic Games revealed some "first look" footage of Unreal Engine 5 gameplay being rendered in real-time on a PlayStation 5.

The video clip was taken from a "demo" game called Lumen In The Land Of Nanite.

The demo shows incredible dynamic lighting effects, and a new "nanite" geometry system.

"One of our goals in this next generation is to achieve photorealism on par with movie CG and real life," said Epic Games.

"And put it within practical reach of development teams of all sizes, through highly productive tools and content libraries.

"Nanite virtualised geometry means that film-quality source art – comprising hundreds of millions or billions of polygons – can be imported directly into Unreal Engine and it just works."

It's unlikely that the next-gen version of Fortnite will look anything like this demo.

But we expect the cartoony graphic style to get some enhancements – possibly including more realistic lighting effects and more detailed textures.

In other news, the Xbox Series X will be significantly cheaper than the PS5according to expert insiders.

You can check your Xbox addiction over the past 10 years with the new 'My Decade on Xbox' tool.

And take a look at this incredible Xbox Project Oris concept console.

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Who is Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari?

Economic challenge is left to Congress, not the Fed: Neel Kashkari

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis president Neel Kashkari says while the Federal Reserve is providing liquidity to the economy, the ultimate challenge is left to Congress because they have the spending and taxing authority during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Neel Kashkari is a voting member of the Federal Reserve's rate-setting committee this year, and he has helped play a pivotal role in the central bank's fast and furious response to the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing economic slowdown.

Kashkari serves as the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, which is one of the 12 district reserve banks. He took office in January 2016.

WHO IS JEROME POWELL?

The 46-year-old, who's from a suburb of Akron, Ohio, began his career as an aerospace engineer at TRW in Redondo Beach, Calif., where he developed technology for NASA space science missions. He then left for graduate school at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, after which he joined Goldman Sachs in San Francisco. 

Kashkari followed Goldman Sach's CEO Hank Paulson, who was named secretary of the U.S. Treasury, to Washington. From 2006 to 2009, Kashkari, a Republican, served in several senior roles at the Treasury Department.

FED'S POWELL SAYS US ECONOMY MAY NEED MORE SUPPORT FOR RECOVERY TO BE 'ROBUST'

In 2008, he was confirmed as assistant secretary of the Treasury, where he oversaw the Trouble Assets Relief Program (TARP), the bailout of the banking industry during the 2008 financial crisis.

He was dubbed the "$700 billion man," and was skewered by Congress during public testimonies when he was forced to defend multibillion-dollar cash injections.

"Overnight, Kashkari became the face of the biggest, and one of the most controversial, market interventions in American history," The Washington Post reported about Kashkari in 2009. "Even he questioned their chances of success."

CONSUMER DEBT SURGED TO $14.3T BEFORE WORST OF CORONAVIRUS CRISIS, FED SAYS

After serving seven months under presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, Kashkari returned to California. He joined PIMCO as managing director and member of the executive office.

He unsuccessfully ran for governor of California against Jerry Brown  in 2014, running on a platform focused on economic opportunity.

He lives with his wife, daughter and three Newfoundland dogs in Minnesota.

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Who is Jerome Powell?

Jerome Powell: The economy is well on its way to recovery

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says the Fed’s current stance on interest rates is appropriate for the U.S. economy.

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Jerome Powell is the chairman of the Federal Reserve, and he will be remembered for the role he played in trying to insulate the United States from an economic catastrophe triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Powell took office as head of the U.S. central bank in 2018 after he was nominated for the position by President Trump at the end of 2017. His term as chairman will expire in 2022, although a chair may be reappointed for several consecutive terms.

FED'S POWELL SAYS US ECONOMY MAY NEED MORE SUPPORT FOR RECOVERY TO BE 'ROBUST'

The 67-year-old stands out from recent incumbent Fed chairs: He's the first with no formal economics training, and, according to The Washington Post, the richest since the 1940s.

Powell, a lawyer-turned-banker, served as an assistant secretary and undersecretary of the Treasury Department under President George H.W. Bush. In that role, he was responsible for policy on financial institutions, the Treasury debt market and related areas.

FED PLEDGES AGGRESSIVE ACTION TO SUPPORT US ECONOMY

When he left the government, Powell joined the Carlyle Group, a private-equity firm, where he worked from 1997 through 2005 before eventually starting his own business. After that, worked for the Bipartisan Policy Centre, a centrist think-tank where he focused on federal and state fiscal issues.

He's a registered Republican, and he has served on the Fed’s Board of Governors since 2012.

In his capacity as chairman of the world's most powerful central bank, Powell is tasked with trying to ensure that, once the virus outbreak subsides, the American economy can return to pre-crisis levels.

CONSUMER DEBT SURGED TO $14.3T BEFORE WORST OF CORONAVIRUS CRISIS, FED SAYS

Since the crisis began, the Fed slashed interest rates to zero during two emergency meetings; relaunched crisis-era programs to support lending of all entities; and relaunched its program to purchase massive quantities of bonds.

Powell is married with three children.

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Microsoft Surface Go 2 is a new iPad rival that doubles up as a laptop with fold-out keyboard

 MICROSOFT has launched its highly anticipated Surface Go 2 tablet.

Set to take on the iPad, the device can imitate a budget laptop and has some interesting new features.

Prospective buyers should be aware that the Type Cover keyboard needs to be bought separately.

New features include the device's big 10.5 inch screen.

This improved size means it should be better than its predecessor for video watching.

The tablet has also had a processor upgrade, which is supposed to make it 60% faster than the first Surface Go.

When can I buy the Surface Go 2?

The tablet will be available to buy from May 12.

If you can't wait to get it then you can pre-order the device today.

How much is the Microsoft Surface Go 2?

The tablet starting price is £399 ($399).

This will get you 4GB RAM and 64GB eMMC storage.

The most expensive version appears to cost £719 ($719) and this is the one that includes LTE support so you don't need WiFi to go on the internet.

The priciest tablet has 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage.

There are several other price points in between depending on how much storage you want, the processor and if you want a WiFi-only tablet.

What are the best features?

The tablet's bigger screen and faster processor aren't the only features to get excited about.

The option to have LTE support will help you step away from your router and still stay connected to the internet.

The 5MP front facing camera is also a standout feature given that the world is relying more on virtual chats.

It also only weighs 544g so will be light to carry around, although this doesn't include the weight of the Type Cover.

You can pair the Surface Go 2 with the Surface Pen fro drawing and sketching.

There is also said to be a new rear camera scanning app that makes scanning documents easier.

The dual microphone solution Studio Mics should reduce background noise for when you're trying to enjoy a group chat.

Improved battery life is also promised.

Overall, it looks pretty similar to the original Surface Go.

Users of the first device may notice the new one has a smaller bezel and a HD display.

Fans of traditional headphones will be pleased to see the 3.5mm jack.

Other ports include MicroSDXC card reader, USB-C and Surface Connect.

Perhaps the hardest decision before you buy will be what colour to choose.

The Surface Go 2 comes in a range of colours including Platinum, Black, Poppy Red and Ice Blue.

The history of the iPad

Here's a list of past iPads and when they launched

  • iPad – April 3, 2010
  • iPad 2 – March 11, 2011
  • iPad (3rd gen) – March 16, 2012
  • iPad mini – November 2, 2012
  • iPad (4th gen) – November 12, 2012
  • iPad Air – November 1, 2013
  • iPad mini 2 – November 12, 2013
  • iPad Air 2 – October 22, 2014
  • iPad mini 3 – October 22, 2014
  • iPad mini 4 – September 9, 2015
  • iPad Pro (12.9 inch) – November 11, 2015
  • iPad Pro (9.7 inch) – March 31, 2016
  • New iPad – March 24, 2017
  • iPad Pro (12.9 inch, 2nd gen) – June 13, 2017
  • iPad Pro (10.5 inch) – June 13, 2017
  • New iPad – March 27, 2018
  • iPad Pro (3rd gen) – October 30, 2018
  • iPad mini 5 – March 18, 2019
  • iPad Air 3 – March 18, 2019
  • 2019 iPad – September 25, 2019

In other news, Apple will host its annual WWDC event virtually for the first time ever on June 22.

The tech giant appears to be working on a new feature that lets you edit your texts after you've sent them.

And, controversial gaming star PewDiePie has signed an exclusive live-streaming deal with YouTube.

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Disney+ is adding Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker for ALL subscribers next week

STAR Wars fans will be able to watch the latest movie on Disney+ from May 4.

The new streaming service will be adding Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker for all subscribers.

It's in celebration of Star Wars day: May 4, as in "May the fourth be with you".

The Rise of Skywalker is the latest entry to the Star Wars movie franchise.

It's being added free of charge – so you can avoid buying a DVD or Blu-ray simply by signing up to Disney+.

A Disney+ subscription costs £5.99 a month, or £72 per year.

You'll be able to enjoy the new movie in 4K Ultra HD quality, if you've got a capable TV.

And it's also available in High Dynamic Range for anyone with a HDR telly too.

In a tweet, the official Star Wars account on Twitter said: "The complete Skywalker Saga, all in one place.

"Start streaming all 9 films, including Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, on May the 4th, only on #DisneyPlus."

The new addition will come just three days after the final episode of The Mandalorian is released in the UK.

Americans have been able to watch the entire run of the Star Wars spin-off TV series for months – but the UK launch was delayed.

Both the UK and USA will also be able to watch a The Mandalorian docu-series on May 4 too.

This will be a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show with director Jon Favreau.

Disney+ launched in the USA in late 2019, and at the end of March in the UK.

It's a new streaming service designed to rival Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+ and others.

As well as core Disney content, the app also serves up TV shows, movies, documentaries and shorts from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and National Geographic.

Disney says nearly all major mobile and connected TVs are supported – including smart TVs from Samsung.

Gaming consoles including the Xbox One and PS4 offer Disney+ access.

And Apple TV+ set-top boxes also support the Disney+ app.

You can have up to seven profiles, streaming across up to four devices at the same time.

  • Disney+ for £5.99 a month or £49.99 a year – buy here

 

In other news, Disney+ features more than 600 episodes of The Simpsons.

Netflix was forced to remove nine movies after "government objections".

And Netflix is finally giving you the option to stop TV show or movie trailers from automatically playing.

What's your favourite Star Wars movie? Let us know in the comments!

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New coronavirus loan money is likely to dry up quickly, bankers say

New money for loans to small businesses battered by the coronavirus crisis could reportedly dry up almost as soon as it arrives.

The US Senate approved $310 billion in extra funds this week for the feds’ Paycheck Protection Program, which exhausted its initial $349 billion budget in two weeks. But banking groups say so many businesses sought help that most or all of the new funding will likely be eaten up by those that have already applied, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

“The majority if not all of the funding Congress is considering right now is already exhausted,” Nick Simpson, a spokesman for the Consumer Bankers Association trade group, told the outlet.

The US Small Business Administration had approved more than 1.6 million loans through the program as of April 16, when the money ran out.

The low-interest PPP loans are guaranteed by the federal government and can be forgiven if the recipients retain workers and meet other criteria.

But big chunks of the money were eaten up by publicly traded companies such as the Ruth’s Chris Steak House restaurant chain and Ashford Hospitality Trust, a hotel firm whose subsidiaries were granted about $30.1 million in loans. That reportedly left droves of small businesses waiting for help when the the first round of funding dried up.

Merchants who have yet to apply may be able to get in the queue at small banks, which will get about a third of the new funding should the House of Representatives approve it, according to the AP. But the money may not last long because those banks have been dealing with a deluge of applications, the AP reported.

“I know one bank that got roughly 5,000 applications and was able to get 2,000 approved, so it already has 3,000 PPP applications in hand and ready to go when and if there’s additional funding,” Paul Merski of the Independent Community Bankers of America, a trade group for small banks, told Inc.com this week.

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Is Amazon doing enough to protect workers and customers?

New York (CNN Business)Amazon has started to develop a test for the novel coronavirus in order to help restart the battered economy.

CEO Jeff Bezos in his annual letter to shareholders that regular testing for every industry is needed to “both help keep people safe and help get the economy back up and running.” He said for that to happen, society needs “vastly more testing capacity” than is currently available. He’s assembled a team of Amazon employees from various units to create new tools to test for Covid-19.
Bezos said Amazon (AMZN) will begin testing “small numbers” of employees soon. “We are not sure how far we will get in the relevant time frame, but we think it’s worth trying, and we stand ready to share anything we learn,” he wrote.

    Bezos said in his letter that he’s focused on the safety of Amazon’s global workforce, despite ongoing criticism that the company isn’t doing enough and has fired outspoken critics.
    The company has made 150 “significant process changes” in both its operations network and Whole Foods, he said. That includes temperature checks, increased sanitation of facilities and offering personal protection equipment, like masks, to employees.

    Coronavirus cases have been reported at Amazon facilities in Washington, California and New York among others, prompting calls for fulfillment centers to be closed for deep cleaning. Employees have also staged walkouts to protest Amazon’s decision to keep warehouses open. Amazon has recently hired roughly 200,000 new workers to meet increased demand for household essentials and other goods spurred by demand.

      Scammers have also found Amazon’s website to be a ripe playground. Bezos said that it has suspended more than 6,000 seller accounts on its platform from around the world for price gouging on essential items during the pandemic. It has also removed more than 500,000 listings from Amazon’s website for price gouging and increased reporting of price gougers to the authorities.
      “To accelerate our response to price-gouging incidents, we created a special communication channel for state attorneys general to quickly and easily escalate consumer complaints to us,” Bezos said.
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      ‘Whatever it takes’: Money is losing its meaning during the pandemic

      Doing "whatever it takes" to save the global economy from the coronavirus pandemic is going to cost a lot of money. The US government alone is spending a few trillion dollars, and the Federal Reserve is creating another few trillion dollars to keep the financial system from collapsing.

      A custom Bloomberg index measuring M2 figures for 12 major economies including the US, China, euro zone and Japan shows their aggregate money supply had already more than doubled to $US80 trillion from before the 2008-2009 financial crisis.

      The US Fed is creating trillions to keep the financial system from collapsing.Credit:AP

      These numbers are so large that they no longer have any meaning; they are simply abstractions. It's been some time since people thought about the concept of money and its purpose. The broad idea is that money has value, but that value is not arbitrary. Former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker once said in an interview that "it is a governmental responsibility to maintain the value of the currency they issue. And when they fail to do that, it is something that undermines an essential trust in government."

      The dollar has no real intrinsic value, backed only by the full faith and credit of the US government. Under a fiat currency system, the government says that a dollar is a dollar. Its value relative to things such as other currencies and gold is determined on global markets.

      Gold is considered to be an objective store of value, and the metal's rise in dollar terms can be expressed another way, which is that the dollar fell in gold terms. That implies the market has rendered a decision on the value, or rather, the purchasing power of the dollar.

      The three main functions of a currency are as a unit of account, a medium of exchange and a store of value. It is that last function that is most important. Ideally, a central bank would want its currency to retain its value over time. The era of flexible monetary standards, however, allow central banks to manipulate a currency's value to help fight recessions as well as smooth out and lengthen business cycles at the expense of inflation. But even low inflation, say on the order of 2 per cent, will greatly erode the purchasing power of a currency over time.

      During Venezuela’s economic crisis, their currency was declared worthless and money littered the streets. Credit:AP

      The counter-example to all this is Japan, which historically has had the most debt relative to the size of its economy and the most radical monetary policy, and yet has a peaceful, productive society with scant inflation. Demographics explain a lot about inflation and inflation expectations, and Japan's steadily declining and ageing population has put downward pressure on prices for years in spite of all the printing. Economists and central banks generally fear deflation more than inflation because it can hinder investment. History has shown that persistently high inflation rips societies apart; in deflation, people band together.

      Throughout Venezuela's economic crisis, we saw images of ordinary Venezuelans tossing their useless bolivars in the streets. That is what happens when money has lost all meaning; it is in jeopardy of becoming a commodity when it is supposed to be a scarce resource. There are a million reasons why the US will never meet the same fate as Venezuela, but you still don't want to tamper with people's perception of the value of money. After you throw a few trillion dollars around, people start to believe that it's all a big joke.

      Dillian is the editor and publisher of The Daily Dirtnap, investment strategist at Mauldin Economics, and the author of "Street Freak" and "All the Evil of This World." He may have a stake in the areas he writes about.

      Bloomberg

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