Jim, with all due respect, you're just wrong here.

You're assuming that all the players in the commodities market are investors, and that's simply not the case.

Let's say I'm a farmer. I grow corn. I know pretty well what my costs are for next year: I know that I'll pay $X for seed, $X in real estate taxes and $X on fertilizer and water. But because corn prices are so volatile, I have no idea what price I'll receive for my crop.

Now suppose I can use a commodity futures contract to lock in a price of $5/bushel. At $5/bushel, I can meet my costs, pay my employees, and have enough left over to go on vacation for a week in Florida. I'm happy with $5/bushel. That futures contract acts like "price insurance" for my business. And like any insurance, I'm willing to pay a premium to buy it.

The existence of these players and

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With all the talk about “The Middle Class” in this past election, I thought it might be useful to take a look at the tax situation of the middle class, to see how we folks have been faring.

There have been seven different presidents since I entered the work force in 1971. I have no idea how many times control of congress has changed. What I do know is that my taxes have never gone down, except under Reagan. I did notice a little dip for a few years when his tax reform package made it into law. That didn’t last long.

There has been non-stop political rhetoric for 30+ years from the professional money spenders in Washington about giving the average guy a break. That’s what they really do you know, spend other people’s money as a career. But, except for the temporary relief under Reagan, no matter who has been

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Amid the real estate market woes, reverse mortgages are a hot product says David Fessler. He says they offer older investors a chance to earn monthly income while they wait for the housing market to stabilize. Just don’t be fooled into thinking this isn’t another form of debt…

More from Investment U:

A reverse mortgage is essentially a home equity loan that’s paid out over time. Banks long ago recognized that some seniors approaching retirement were coming up short on monthly income, and the reverse mortgage was born:

It’s a way to tap into a home’s equity and receive a monthly check instead of making monthly payments.

The loan is paid back when the house is sold due to the owner moving or if the owner dies.

Most reverse mortgages have a minimum age requirement. In the case of Bank of America, it’s 62 and older.

The upside to a reverse mortgage is ...