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The new year is off to an interesting start. With inflation dove Janet Yellen helming the Fed, another recession possibly imminent and Wall Street still making a killing, it's as good a time as any to review some of the best sources of independent financial and economic thought out there.

Besides, of course, our own numerous free publications and some of the bigger blogs like Zero Hedge and Seeking Alpha, there is a broad selection of outstanding investing blogs that cover everything from ETFs to metals to disaster prepping. We decided to put together a list of some of our favorites. Enjoy!

1. Investment Contrarians: These guys called the housing crisis in 2006 and pushed gold back in 2002 when it hit $300 an ounce. A great contrarian resource, they also publish a newsletter.

2. Vitaliy http://www.realestate.com.au/invest#! Katsenelson's Contrarian Edge: Forbes called him "the new Benjamin Graham." This Russian-born university professor and author of two books on value investing has a popular blog on investing, music and life as well.

3. A True Contrarian: Steven Jon Kaplan has been publishing a daily newsletter and blogging since 1996. He also holds conferences every year and has appeared on Market Watch.

4. Alt-Market: This website exists to facilitate networking, local community action, and the exchange of knowledge and ideas. They "promote decentralization, localism, and the de-globalization of human economic systems" according to their website. They're also one of the blogs read by Zero Hedge.

5. Gonzalo Lira. Despite being a low-tech blogspot.com site, Gonzalo Lira's blog boasts over 5.5 million views in just the last three years of its existence. Great insights in economics and finance. Be warned: He believes Bitcoins are tulip bulbs.

6. Hedge Accordingly: This site has a forum and a premium service and has been published continuously since January 2008. It is thorough as it is comprehensive and offers up pithy witticisms.

7. Marc to Market: This blog by financial analyst, NYU professor, head of currency strategy at Brown Bros. Harriman and author Marc Chandler is known for its great graphics and insightful Fed analysis. He's also been featured on everywhere from Foreign Affairs to CNBC and NPR.

8. Maxkeiser.com: Max Keiser, a well-known finance guru, is the host of RT's The Keiser Report, as well as a radio show out of London. He is known for his biting satire and contrarian perspective.

9. Capitalist Exploits: This blog seeks to "educate and enlighten capitalists around the world to the exciting opportunities available in frontier markets."Proud of their controversial contrarian opinions and track http://www.fool.com/how-to-invest/personal-finance/2014/08/03/the-best-way-to-invest-in-real-estate.aspx record of finding lucrative investments in little-known parts of the world.

10. Of Two Minds: No. 7 in CNBC's top alternative financial sites, this blog covers a wide range of topics such as Asia, the global financial crisis, social issues and much more.

11. TF Metals Report: TF stands for Turd Ferguson, which should ring with any fan of Norm MacDonald or SNL. Turd claims to be a former financial planner turned serial entrepreneur and writes his popular metals blog about the "end of the Great Keynesian Experiment."

12. Liberty Blitzkrieg: Written by a "recovering Wall Street employee," former Lehman Bros. analyst Michael Krieger, this one has been focusing a lot on the Bitcoin phenomenon.

13. Market Folly: Folly publishes a blog regularly since 2008 and also sells a newsletter called "Hedge Fund Wisdom." The blog features a great blend of both high-level insights http://www.opamail.com/2016/06/page/2