On the surface, the United States is currently one of the stronger global economies.
But lurking beneath that may be an ‘impending crisis’ that threatens to drag everyone down with it.
That’s according to the Financial Times, who say that falling oil prices combined with a strong dollar (hence reduced trade in exports) and a likely increase in U.S. interest rates could contribute to the “familiar pattern” of economic slowdown. As Satyajit Das writes, “bankruptcies, defaults, banking problems and reduction in credit availability drive contagion.”
Weak growth, high debt levels, disinflation or deflation, policy driven destructive competitive devaluations, inflated financial risk taking and mispricing compounds the problems. The impending crisis may develop as follows.First, US equity prices come under pressure from a stronger dollar.
[…]
Decreased funding availability and higher interest costs create a toxic spiral of reduced borrowing, production, cash flow and earnings.
Finally, a combination of low growth, low inflation and political considerations destabilise sovereign debt markets, especially in Europe.
These triangulated risk factors will be worsened by the timing: the Federal Reserve is scheduled to reign in its quantitative easing program, which will pose liquidity problems for the global market.
Additional injections from Europe, Japan and China cannot adequately offset reduced US dollar availability from the end of the Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing programme.
In turn, this reduces the flow to U.S. markets of petrodollars, given the falling oil prices. American investment dollars are quite exposed here, with about a fourth of total investments in the energy sector:
The US economy — one of the best performing developed economies — is exposed. The energy sector accounts for roughly 25 per cent of S&P 500 capital expenditure and R&D spending. […] The energy sector is about 15 per cent of the Barclays US Corporate High-Yield Bond Index — up from less than 5 per cent in 2005.
[…]
Lower oil prices reduce available surplus petrodollars that help finance budget and trade deficits, keep interest rates low and support asset prices worldwide.
Moreover, foreign debt is heavily tied to the U.S. dollar, with high dollar prices making debt harder to service. Currency battles are already in the air:
Perhaps 75 per cent of emerging market foreign debt is denominated in US dollars. Falling oil and commodity revenues reduce the US dollar cash flow available to service this debt, creating a currency mismatch.
Meanwhile, Europe’s problems with debt multiply these problems across the global market. Ditto for the problems of Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Iran and other socialized countries heavily dependent on the oil price and gas sales.
FT’s Das warns that the lower price of oil will be no where near enough to compensate for slowdowns in other variables. Shorfalls in “investment, employment and consumption” will likely be enough to undermine American economy momentum and some of the baby steps to “re-shore” jobs on U.S. shores.
As NPR reports, the “reshoring” effort, while perhaps a positive step, is hardly enough to put a dent in the trade deficit, much less to account for the global tide:
A report on the phenomenon known as “reshoring” — the opposite of offshoring — shows that while a growing number of companies are returning to the United States to do their manufacturing, the trend is smaller and less significant to the economy than it appears.
“You see more manufacturing activity within the U.S.,” said Van den Bossche, “but relatively speaking you’re actually seeing even more in Asia for products coming to the U.S.”
“There’s a trend here that says that, ‘Yes, we are starting to manufacture more, we are getting more and more competitive,’ but it’s not quite yet showing in the economic data,” Van den Bossche says.
The looming calculus of falling oil’s impact on the economy is likely to setback any of that progress, anyway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzef43gdupk
Dow Jones closed today at 18,209.
Headline: “Yellen Pushes Major Averages to New Record Highs”
If I’m the stock market kool-aid drinking boys, I just keep rooting for all the doom-and-gloom prepper bears to keep writing articles about how bad it all is.
Because the stock market just keeps climbing in spite of all the prepper bears!
The Dow Jones just keeps pushing its middle finger up the nose of the nay-sayers.
And I’m a nay-sayer.
Freeslave –
Unfortunately, these fools – especially the clueless ones who are buying into this charade. The numbers do not match up with the “true” economy. Anybody, with a set of eyes, and has the ability to use common sense will notice that this game is manipulated / rigged for the big boys.
The little guys, such as ourselves will be the ones taking the blunt hit when they decide for these cards to come tumbling down.
Record breaking Stock numbers, yet we are experiencing the lowest economic growth(manufacturing) ever in history?
Let them keep drinking the kool-aid, sooner or later it has to come out and it’ll be running down their leg when it does.
Tony;
People who have been in the market since approx. 7000 after the last big slide have made huge amounts of money over the last eight or so years. Sure, if one simply lets it ride they will eventually lose there arse. Many have pulled profits and dividends the whole time and what better investments have there been?
I read one time that even Bernie Maddoff’s clients, at least some of the earlier ones made big money overall, but just spent it thinking it would never end. I see your point about how it would be really risky to get in now, it’s been the place to be for quite a while.
Skeptic –
It’s a Digital World, and these numbers can easily vanish.
I like tangible assets that I can personally hold in my hands.
That is real, looking at a computer screen with numbers scrolling by is not.
Sure, people have made some good money in the Stock Market. This is how they keep the suckers playing the game, until an “uh oh” moment decides to show up unexpectedly and ruins everyone’s day.
Hello again Tony;
I appreciate your response and can see from the one thumbs up of my comment and the 6 thumbs up to yours what the consensus about investments is on the forum. It surprises me that the general mind set is all equities are evil and those that have them are losers and that is all they have. In my opinion all profits are to be used to improve quality of life. I get the impression that if one admits to investing is assumed that they live in their car and simply waiting to lose all of their holdings.
I try to keep an open mind as much as possible and will continue to live like it is just possible that there will not be an end to the world as we know it in my lifetime. Probably I should state that we are self sufficient as well.
So true! When the markets crashed in 2007-2008 the stock markets just kept going up and up and up to over 15000….the highest point ever up until that time and it crashed! Same thing today….higher and higher based on what? Nothing! Look at the Baltic Dry Index! It’s in the toilet. Sorry folks there is a crash coming and this time there will be no bail outs!
@FreeSlave: Are you really that ignorant or are you just playing a troll?
And once again a way is found to blame “big oil”
More previews of coming attractions.
Remaining comfortably numb in middle America.
Years ago, the Depression was pretty much in your face and it was the lifestyle of most. Now though our country has gotten so complex that failure is kept hidden through illusions. Its near impossible to see the new Depression. Its coming but it all keeps being covered up. The economy aint just the US problem now. Its a world problem and none of us can keep up w/ the hows and whys.
The NWO has made sure that everything is so interconnected that no one can unravel any of it.
Corruption is the game played on us. Corruption and domination of a very small group of powerful evil SOBs.
Probably about time to hang up the internet connection. Between the spying and the cost to have a sat connection at home, probably best to shit-can it to use the $$ on some more preps. Sucks that So many regulars here left. One by one they leave, kinda like the houses in default and cars that get repo’d one by one. The sound of the slow suckdown is spiraling now.
It went down below zero this morning. Only good thing about the deep freeze is it aint global warming. The NWO thought they had that one sealed and ready for market. Only way that bs will work is through more EPA regs I guess.
Cant wait for the thaw.
Cal, I have my phone connected as a hotspot. If you get decent cell service, check it out. If a guy just needs some juice to just do a few searches and check the blogs 2 or 3 gigs @ 10 bux a month will be plenty. I am running 10 gigs for 80 a month but can cut it back anytime i want. BEST part, it is mobile as I can have the net, movies, chat everything on the go in my stealth van. I know they track me, but with that knowledge I can “use” it as a decoy as well. You can also go to wal mart and get a straight talk hotspot hockey puck thing that works good enough for causal browsing. I have 4 G here and it is as fast as cable internet connection. The hockey puck is 3 G and I had that until I upgraded my phone, (Samsung 4 fablet). Don’t let the bastards win as there are work arounds.
02, thanks for the input. Worth looking into since the cell service is good here. Got an old flip phone, never got the i-spy gadgets, dont want ’em, wont use em either. Aint never texted either since I have fat thumbs. Took a while to get used to a new laptop earlier this year. Even now the thumbs go over the mouse pad and then I cant figure out what I did. Punched the screen on day 2 of this laptop and have a deep mark dead center. I tell the family I ordered a dot reticle for my laptop. Everyone wants one now. Go figure.
CAL-
I still use a flip phone too.
It just cannot be destroyed at work !
I use an “aircard” setup from verison.
I get 5 gigs for 40 bucks.
4g service , not bad , but i dont watch much video as it eats data fast .
get a wireless mouse. $15 at wal mart. then have someone more techi lock out the tap function on your laptop mouse pad.
I’ll keep my DSL connection as long as I can keep downloading books and good websites. If that ever dries up, I’ll just continue backing up and cataloging my electronic library.
Or “not so big oil” ?
Just returned from the Bakken and big oil is slashing and burning that place. The small guys have already cut and run and the big guys are laying down the drill rigs as we type. The only trucks left are water/oil tankers and as I was driving out of there on a Monday, MAYBE 1 out of every 10 pieces of heavy equipment was moving. Probably closer to 1 out of 15. Texas is getting hit really hard and are expecting 100,000 layoffs state wide. Over 150,000 are already gone world wide as the more expensive oil (offshore tar-sands fracking) are idled. Now, if oil doesn’t rebound to 100+ the rigs that are being lain on the ground will rust in about a year or 2, according to people I have talked to, and they will be cut up and recycled, making for more expense to restart. It looks like WTI is stuck @ $50 and the oil companies are searching for more tanks to stockpile the oversupply that $100 has caused. THIS is what happens when speculators and oil companies ignore true market values.
Thanks .02 for that boots on the ground report. Betcha I don’t see that on my local news tonight.
When the cost to mine a gallon equals the price a gallon sells for- the operation ceases. No Profit, No more junk bond financed bank loans, No more jobs. I guess Uncle Sugar will subsidize next to save face. Immutable EROI physics.
I shudder to think of all the 401Ks that are going to disappear along with the few jobs that were actually creating value out there.
Yea, it’s a bit of a pickle we find ourselves in.
The economy can’t afford high priced oil and the drillers can’t make a profit on cheap oil. Like you said, it can’t be spun up real quick, so I think we may see some shortages in the future as supply gets used up.
Could take a couple years.
Indeed JRS, just like the Mississippi River: To thick too drink and too thin to plow.
.02,
Here’s a bit of confirmation to what you observed.
http://peakoilbarrel.com/bakken-data-tells-us/
The future problem will be restarting the US industrial and financial machinery once everybody goes bankrupt and walks away from the Bakken. House of Saud has deeper pockets and can wait it out.
Rebel in Idaho, Sorry to butt in here with a reply for you but heres a book on solar that is excellent, It’s 60 buck and worth 10X that..
http://www.solarenergy.org/shop/publication/photovoltaics-design-installation-manual-previous-edition/
As for solar well pumping the cheapest way to do it is a direct solar panel to pump system. You will have to have a storage tank though as it will not operate at night. Depending on the depth of your well you can get a 24 volt pump and have a solar panel to battery bank to pump system that will work 24/7 just use a pressure tank with switch to operate the pump. DC well pumps are cheap on ebay.
I recommend that you not use low wattage wind turbines (500 or less watts). If you have a stream or good spring nearby you might look into a hydraulic ram pump as it needs no power.
A snmall solar setup (400 watts) with 4 golf cart batteries is about 1000 bux. Add a modified sine wave inverter to get AC for about 200 more.
A medium system (1000 watts) with 10 golf cart batteries and 2500 watt inverter is about 2500 bux.
The sky is the limit on how large a system you want. With direct DC well pumps you eliminate the need for batteries but like I said, it only pumps during the daylight.
Good luck 🙂
Reb, be sure to go back to the debt slavery article. I left more info for you there too.
Sweet thanks.
Genius;I have been trying to get in touch but have lost your #. If you still have mine could you give me a call? I am trying to get some solar storage batteries ,and was looking into the new Aquis hybrid battery and was wondering if you have heard of them? Seems like you told me about some lead acid ones from Flagstaff that were more economical? Thanks for the info!
One call coming up!
@genius
I have been meaning to ask you about solar, if I use approx. 900 KWH a month, approx. 30KWH a day, does that mean I’m using 30KW divided by 24H equals 1250 watts of energy on average all the time? and if so, if I wanted to have solar (grid tied) but wanted to just about break even with solar production verse usage, would I need about too double that to about a 2500 watt panel system? the sun is only shining half the day, give or take the season.
this is the system I am considering
1. 3600 outback inverter flexpower1
2. 9 ML solar panels 250W each (2250W total)
3. 4 12v MK DEKA solar gel batteries. model 8G27 99amp hrs.
with shipping, would be about $8000
does this seem like a good package for someone looking to have emergency backup, but also break even on electric bill considering my usage?
would take about 8 years, but would pay for itself, plus nice automatic backup for those unexpected disruptions.
would like your thoughts on this, cause I’m getting ready to pull the plug, so to say.
db427, I am out of town for a bit and don’t have access to my home computer or my solar radiation charts so I will have to wait till I get back for a good answer. You will need more solar than 2250 watts I can tell you now. Also I would advise against gel batteries, they are expensive, easily damaged from overdischarging, short lived. Can you give me a price for each component you are looking at? Panels, inverter, batteries. Also the brand of panels.
There are many factors when sizing a system such as shading, prime sunlight hours, wire loss, temperature extremes, module soiling, inverter and battery efficiency, etc.
Will you have the batteries stored indoors or outdoors? Do you have a full sun area to mount the panels? Also can you please tell me a nearby city so I can find the average solar radiation in your area.
With this info I can get you pretty dang close to what you will need to offset your power usage and probably save you some fed notes on equipment too.
(PS I drink Sam Adams 🙂 )
Thanks for the “Visual” report.
Much Appreciated.
B
Absolutely EVERYTHING that happens, puts more of us in the poor house. It doesn’t seem to matter whether it happens here or not.
I think it’s all part of the original plan. TPTB need to disrupt more people than just the very poor and middle class, they need to start tearing down the upper middle class…this is the way to do it. They’re just working their way up the ladder.
Remember that to the real powers that be, even multimillionaires are considered “poor”.
They’re just taking their plan to the next level.
Six…they cant leave anyone/anything undamaged…they kill all they touch whilst they twist the blade and tell us its for our own good…youre right on that! REB
I thought it was George Bush’s fault?
Fellow citizens , you should read this
Yes , I know it’s long , please don’t be impatient or expect it to be spoon fed to you
I know this is the era of instant gratification but this mans work needs to be backed up
And we all need to have his back
Mac , I would never tell you what to post on your site
But think you should also get behind what this man and all his followers stand for
We all know that at some point were going to be knee deep in shit
http://www.fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/defiance-the-armed-civil-disobedience-movement-how-many-of-us-are-they-willing-to-see-dead/123748#more-123748
Thanks – I just pulled this up in the browser and will give it a read and get in touch with the folks at FTTWR for republishing permission.
Thanks Mac , I kinda f’ed up
It’s on mike’s site sipsey street irregulars
I thought that’s where I was when reading and surfing
I get around all these sites quite regularly and participate in all of them including yours
If FTTWWR says they arnt sure about the repost I’m sure Mike V will be cool with it
We the people need to stand up against this tyranny and the more better informed we are with sites such as his and yours it can be done
Wow! Wow!
Oh my goodness! What an incredible speech. Just blows the scale of 1-10 off the charts.
Part (A): “It seems — and it’s a funny thing — – but it seems that people who like to put people on lists don’t like to BE on lists themselves.”
Then Part (B): “One day, the ATF will count coup on you & take your head. I promise to take One hundred heads for yours.”
Bingo! The Lib Fascists have been duly forewarned.
Enemy,
Thanks for that read, brother. Took the glum right out of my heart.
Still amazed at this one- “require that any shell casing for ammunition sold or possessed in CT have a serial number laser etched on it for tracing purposes.”
Govt cant even keep track of illegals, how they going to track serialized cartridges?
I’ll give them a serialized case!
“Govt cant even keep track of illegals, how they going to track serialized cartridges?”
The answer is simple, they choose NOT to keep track of illegals.
100 heads
Read his piece on 4th generation warfare if you havent yet,
Google
Sipsey street irregulars fourth generation warfare
Thatll take you there,
Mikes the standard we need to measure stuff by, old bro is not afraid of shit,
People just dont get what is going on
I keep getting asked for $ for the NrAssholes
If they hadnt been so busy compromising and being apologist about stuff and stuck to their guns as it were, we wouldnt be dealing with half of this crap.
Glad you commented KFarmer
I’ve seen you on FTTWWR and possibly on SSI
Mike V’s site
I’m not always who I am here , when I’m there , but sometimes depending on the computer or phone I’m using
I’ve always liked what you’ve had to say
Thanks Bro,
Fogs getting thick, almost as thick as the BS from TPTB, not like thats something we all dont know though
Hey Mac
Hope you are doing great. Did you ever get a chance to read the story I wrote. Once again I want to thank you for what you do. I wonder how many people you have caused to wake up? You have saved lives in the end of all this for sure.
Its actually Mike V you need to get ahold of, its his speech
Real good read,
People need to wake up and smell the cordite
Correct
I was surfing and found it also on FTTWWR
Accidentally copied it from there when I posted
Sometimes these I phones are hard to navigate and post from
Totally my bad
I’m not even in country at this time , so I have to use what I got
Thats my excuse for the fart finger!
Damn Iphone,,,,
Hah
Lol
Big thumbs , small keys
Half blind , hell as we grow older ain’t it boss ?
!00 heads, I LOVE that.. time for a new hat I think.
damn good line, aint it?
Tee shirt, hat, and a tat.
You can order 3% items from Amazon. Hats, patches, etc.
Enemy of the State:
Than you for the link. What a gift… Mike Vanderbaegn, of Sipsey Street Regulars.
Anyone wondering how a true patriot Walks the Walk and Talks the Talk you will know you have actually found one.
I will be supporting his cause with my $$$$.
Thanks again, Enemy.
BTW: You will LOVE Mikes’ explanation of how Obama “LOVES his country”.
The only change I would’ve made to his speech is, he should’ve said:
“It is better to be despised by the despicable, than to be admired by them”
Thanks. Damned good article, and why I’m about to blow this taco stand…
Great read, I appreciate your effort; but Mike, Rancher Bundy is the WRONG fight at the WRONG place, for the WRONG reason.
Three WRONGS do not make a Constitutional Right.
Bundy is not a Patriot. He is criminally trespassing on Taxpayer land and profiting illegally from it. For 20 years!
No Constitutional rights were violated in the Bundy case. NONE. Please someone explain to me what Constitutional right was denied Rancher Bundy.
Patriots must take and hold the moral and legal high ground as defined by the US Constitution; our actions must be supported by the Constitution and be Constitutional actions.
Rancher Bundy undermines the Liberty Movement efforts to reclaim our heritage and the right to keep and bear arms. His criminal action justifies Federal intervention in Nevada.
Bundyville is a fool’s errand. There are other issues that support armed resistance to the FEDS like leaving the Border open. Where is your Militia 🙁
DK….you are full of shit.
Anon2: Make your case for Rancher Bundy. 🙂
@Enemy of the State…
Awesome article. Thanks for posting it.
Interest rates aren’t moving up any time soon.
SSDD
Do what you can do today to get ahead fopr the future. Seek Yahwey and live/enjoy your life with lovd ons.
Gas isn’t falling here in eastern NC any more. It’s back up to $2.25. And the government is talking about raising gas taxes.
Archivist.
There was talk about a gas tax added on to todays gas prices. The Sons of Bitches can’t wait to tax people to replace the revenue lost in other areas. Figure people would not mind at all since they were paying high gas prices in the first place. Have to pay for their stupid pet projects. Yes $300,000 for a dog park so the dogs can shit in it. Your tax money at work, My Ass!
yup
the Republicans took over NC
and pulled a real bait and switch
token decrease in income tax
but raised dozens of other taxes
NC already has one of the highest gas taxes in the country
but its not high enough apparently
tax and spend Democrats
tax and spend Republicans
Just another example of why the problem can’t be fixed by voting. Corporate fascist republicans vs. Socialist democrats . . . bigger government will win every time.
That is the plan of the government because people will never realize that it is the government getting more money. Just not enough people awake.
Has anyone noticed that grocery prices for example have not come down. They went up when oil went up but they don’t come down. The smaller portions in the same size packaging does not change either.
It’s called greed. It’s money in the corps pockets when transportation costs go down.
Arc
A prime example of a current bait and switch, after tax, tax.
NC gas was 2 bucks a gal, Uncle Sugar subsidizes big oil a quarter a gallon off their taxes, which lets it sell for the $2.25 a gallon you see now, then adds another quarter a gallon to bump your price up to $2.50 a gallon. 25 cents for big oil now ( their 2016 election “contribution” you just financed) and 25 cents for the NSA surveillance budget. All while we get patted on the back and told how cheap we’re still getting over compared to two years ago when we were paying $3.50. Ain’t life grand.
What is the word on the dock yard worker’s strike. Now I hear the refineries are work stop also.
Don’t you just love it.
The dockworkers are back to work.
And gettin lots of OT .
and yup, lovin it.
According to Jim Willie the dockworkers strike was a plan by CHINA to shut America down and crash our economy. Talk about a Jackass …..
LMAO! Willie rants again! 🙂
wELL , DK-
that only says that the socialist collective bargaining unit had a plan.
And socialism has failed yet again .
I heard message from Ben Fulford. Sounds like China was working with Pentagon to end strike of west coast. I’m not sure how accurate his information is. The information came from this website:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Qtpoofsfg
It would serve Chinese financial interests for the dock strike to end and it was over in a couple of days. I was just pointing out…
More bullshit from Jim Willie. 🙂
I have reasonably and can afford set myself up prep wise.I will admit do not believe will be in post collapse for long haul,will see something going on wrong and likely die in process of fighting it,so,prepped but not for the 10 year plan excepting a few metals ect.I will try and enjoy life as we have it for as long as possible but can’t dwell too much on why things will go badly wrong.I am hopefully going to be able to afford a WEMT course this late summer,trying to better myself to help others no matter how things end up,but really,at this point fuck it,when things go south as have no wife or kids will be take a few with me useful cannon fodder.
WD-
I volunteered for the local fire dept years ago.
Got that EMT training free.
And lets not forget all the FEMA crap we got to learn about.
Just a thought.
I had to go through FEMA training online courses to be certified to participate in Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES). I’ve taken a lot of continuing ed in my life, but nothing, and I mean NOTHING, was as dry, dull, and boring as that. Basically 12 hours of learning the “chain of command”. Almost couldn’t bear to finish it, and it was ONLY 12 hours.
Warchild
I got the class free through work. If you need any help with the class just contact me. I will try to help in anyway I can.
Thanks Mike & Hammer,am aware of some CERT training for free thru fema(don’t have to play their game to get your tax monies training),our smaller fire depts. my ways mostly cannot afford the free hoping you would volunteer training.For those who don’t know the WEMT course deals with med issues in far to get to places even at times by helo ect.I figure might be good to have that extra knowledge as I do enjoy the outdoors and would like to be able to help hurt folks or perhaps just save my own sorry ass.The course looking at in NH,2 week crash course,actually affordable but when money tight few things are affordable.I have a paramedic friend who did some research thru his channels for me and said from what he learned a very good course.I will when possible also take up free govt. courses,doesn’t mean I have to play nicely with them unless all on same page of just helping folks,a little inside info. also never a bad thing.
Falling oil prices is deflationary.
This -deflation- destroys the entire world’s economic system since it requires inflation to pay for itself and deflation makes it unable to do so.
This is the final stage of fiat money that is based on promissory labor to give it value (that is what borrowing is) instead of labor performed in producing things of real value (anything from gold coins to Grade 8 bolts) before money is issued to represent it’s trade value as currency.
If you want a true picture of our debt -which is future labor promised to produce real goods and services that are to be given to the lender- try figuring it in man hours at current wage rates (say 30 dollars an hour or whatever the current figure is). Then convert it to days, months, years, etc. of labor and figure that against our population of working age adults.
You will probably not like the figure you come up with if you do this.
Sharon: “Falling oil prices is deflationary.” Deflation? Did you say Deflation?
The hyperinflation crowd here is not gonna like that Sharon! 🙂
What gets me is, a strong dollar is bad for us in one way, and a weak dollar is bad for us in some other way, so what kind of dollar isn’t bad for us?
Maybe we should just aim to banish all “investment gambling.” All that is, is rich people making more money (or losing money) by playing with their wealth.
I’m not interested in making THEM more money, I only worry about how to make ME more money.
I have 3 and 1/2 years b/4 I can get my 72% social security and the wife gets another 50% of that, so I am really thinking of going south of the border and living in a small fishing village and teaching English as a second language. Not a lot to it, to get a cert. I am thinking the people of Mexico wont starve like the brain dead “Americanos” as their currency has been basically worthless forever. The website International Living has reports on all kinds of places to live safely and inexpensively where the meager retirement fund we will be receiving could have us enjoying a better lifestyle. Mexico is close enough to be able to return easily if need be for emergencies/visiting the kids/grand-kids etc.
Panama is the better choice, or Colombia if you speak Spanish. 🙂
Too far away, I plan on driving back and forth if need be. There is also a train that connects US to Mex that is a great way to travel Mexico as well. I have friends living on the Baja and will not come back to the US for no amount of money. Here is a story if you all are interested. I Know a Canadian couple that work the Natural Resources of Canada doing odd jobs like keeping hiking trails cleared and trash picked up from the camping areas etc. They work 6 months in Canada in the summer and live 6 months in Mexico all winter. They have an old VW van they travel to the US/MEX border, park their van, climb onto the train and travel down someplace near Cancun out in the country. They have a rented place there with maids, grounds keepers and cooks and the small community throws them a party when they arrive. Ocean front on a couple thousand Canadian dollars.
.02: ” Ocean front on a couple thousand Canadian dollars.”
That oceanfront property will be the first underwater. There are MASSIVE geological faults off both sides of the the Baja coast and lots of methane escaping on the Pacific side. One good burp and Baja is a reef.
Find some high ground.
The average wage in dollars in Colombia is $6,000 per year. Panama $11,000 per year. Even Puerto Rico is a better choice for US retirees. Panama and parts of Columbia are First World.
Mexico not so much. 🙁
JP Morgan now charging for deposits. Link on drudge.
No cost for retail clients. No costs for everyday people.There are real costs associated with holding large sums of dollars for Hedge Fund Managers who take large sums in and out of their bank accounts continually.
At the prevailing low overnight,inter bank lending rates the Majors lose money on deposits that they cannot invest in some way for a decent return.
The GB are not in business to lose money by providing a service that doesn’t pay for itself. The average depositor pays for themselves with an average daily balance that can be calculated. 🙂
tick tock, Tick Tock, TICK TOCK
SOMETHING IS GONNA POP – AND SOON!
See the webs Ultimate Home Survival Guide at:
http://www.iplantosurvive.info
Well I’m happy oil is falling gas in our ear is at $1.99 This means less money in the tank and more for my preps.
Look at the big picture all of us has to buy gas/fuel for our vehicles. The price is going down. Only about 10% of us are Preppers, and what we buy is still going up. Now if everyone was a Prepper the price of everything would go down using the fuel theory. In short the foolish that are not prepping are the ones keeping the prices on everything high. After reading that you know I’m just kidding. But it would be nice.
Now a good time to take that road trip you wanted to take. Petroleum is the one commodity everyone uses here. Enjoy the low prices for now it will never happen again. The highest it got was $3.71 if I recall around here. It will go up to like $5.00 and in a few years back down to $3.50 and everyone will say gas is cheap again. Just look at oil price history graphs you don’t need to be a commodity investor to see this coming down the pipe. Soon $5.00 will get you what a buck used to we all need a raise.
I am not so sure about that AH, with electrics on the rise and we being one decent battery break through away (they might have it is why oil is tanking) being gasoline/diesel is the number one use of oil by 95%, electrics could kill big oil. Or possibly there is a new technology we are not aware of that “they” are, and the water car is a reality. If technology ever advances where we can break out the h2o molecules and not be an energy sink, big oil is finished.
.02, I have my doubts about electric cars. Maybe they’ll make a breakthrough on the batteries, maybe not. You’ve still got to have those charging stations everywhere, but what will you do when there is a power outage? Even the charging station will depend on electricity. I’ll stick with gas.
Maverick,I actually believe there already is solar powered paint for collection system,if not,be here soon.I do believe many alt techs(soon mainstream!)are muzzled but the net at moment lets folks share the knowledge!Keep a open mind,lot of great sites like mother earth/builditsolar/lowtechmagazine for inexpensive home made power/and power savings,remember,the smalls add up!Oh yea,some poster here also who is a solar installer type guy,goes by the dubious moniker of “Genius”,at least not super genius like Wyle E Coyote!
Consumer Reports says Telsa is the best car they have ever tested. Best Car two years in a row. Expensive? Yes.
But where can you get super car speed at a luxury car price? Battery energy density will soon increase seven fold based on recent technology advances.
Driving range will TRIPLE in a year or two to over 700 miles a charge. Meaning from Phoenix to LA on one charge. Telsa is the future and the future is here. 🙂
Tesla was a great man and a awsome band who took up his name as their moniker.I am much more interested in better battery for home use(you know,washing machine and such!)though really expect new/even better tech to leak out on net along with old school tech remodeled,i.e. better mousetrap and such.Consumer reports hardly a trusted source in my opinion for a few decades now.
WD: “Consumer reports hardly a trusted source in my opinion for a few decades now.”
Why? 🙂
I am just plain worried .
No economic future anyway , but i still worry.
Hammerhead –
You are not alone, it’s a normal human feeling/reaction.
To those who are not, well then they are not human.(sociopaths/psychopaths)
WELL, Igot too much time on my hands waiting for the weather to break.
My youngest gave me an old picture of herself this morning.
No idea why , kids do stuff.
But , shes wearing a pink princess dress with a tiara.
Then i go to Drudge and read the news.
Then i come here and read more.
Then i stop and wonder what kinda future is my little girl gonna have ?
America is quickly turning into a sick communist cesspool and , i worry.
Hammerhead.
So how does it all work out?
Sooner or later the dam will break and the flood waters will wash everything away. There are too many people for the system in place to support. People are going to die. Just in time economics. Trucking industry failure from high cost of fuel in the future. Crop Failures. The unemployed and government dependent. Food riots and so on. Notice the government lays claim to everything.
We must protect what we have from those who want to take it from us. We must outlast those till THEY DIE OFF!
Either it be a group of like minded and skilled people or only one Individual. We are going to have to fight for our rights and principles to endure.
We have the advantage as we prepare. Most will be emotionally and physically ready for what is ahead.
From my reading here, I would say we will do all right but we have a long way to go and time is running out.
SLING-
We have had these discussions before.
We agree on what WILL happen.
But the dealin with it is an issue.
Honestly , I dunno , I will hafta figure it out as i go.
Really not to optomistic at this point.
But maybe its just a lack of sunshine 🙂
Time IS short , no doubt.
While i am being worried , I been reading on this net neutrality bullshit 330 page bill that nobody can see until its voted on .
These people supporting it are believing that the government has their back on this !!!! who are they kiddin ?
The last time we “had to vote , to see whats in it ” was Obamacare , and hows that workin out ?
How much longer will we be able to openly discuss anything on the internet.
Will the speeds be so slow as to stifle use ?
I’M WORRIED AGAIN .
No need to put any thought into that 330 page bill.
It’s too much for them to comprehend anyways and chances are they’ll vote in collaboration rather then their own conscience.
Even if if gets downed, the day will come when the Gov. will eventually have control of what is and not viewable to the public.
If it passes, then expect the Sheeple to be seen and heard against the establishment, because for the most part. Nothing else matters to them.
NOTHING IS INEVITABLBE , TONY,
Who is to say “they” will ever control the internet.
I believe that there are enough very smart people out here that can ALWAYS be one step ahead.
I worry alot, But i am a believer .
It may take a few generations to fix all this BS , but it WILL happen .
James Wesley, Rawles at the survival blog uses an ip address that I believe is outside of this country, thus less vulnerable to be taken down when our fascist government decides that censorship should be the same here as it is in China. Then we’ll just need to find ways to bypass the blocks (TOR, Tails, HMA), and there are others. The more they tighten their grip, the more we’ll just find ways around it.
Mac, I hope you have a plan in place to re-route this blog once that happens, via an offshore IP.
However, I also think there is no way they’ll be able to censor everything… there are more like us who are seeking the information than those who can possible block it all.
Sometimes I wonder if the net neutrality efforts will be the linchpin for revolution.
HH: Why worry when you can pray?
” I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears”.
Make that your mantra for March. 🙂
If I wanted to leave the US and go to some third world country I could live like a king right now for the rest of my days. It’s looking better everyday to me forget the us it’s a lost cause. Withdraw your money and leave the country. Do it while the $ is still yours. I’m gonna spend all my $ before the state gets it. They like to rob the elderly here see it all the time. They are under financial attack nowadays. It’s looking to get worst too
I have recently talked with 2 people (men) who have been living in the PI and they love it. They live in small villages and are banking extra cash from their ss checks. I guess the locals, (women) literally love them near to death.
Paradise for the unmarried old broke coot.
Quality of life is a big issue when you are older and quality of life is not going to be good for most older people. Why live in debt and stress in some crumbling American city and be prayed on by vicious youth and gangs (and they will hate white people), and instead live somewhere where there is respect for the old and you can get ‘serviced’ every day. How happy you are every day matters much more when you are old. I would rather die with a smile on my face in the arms of some hottie than from the shock of seeing my heating bill or being hit with yet another tax increase.
Read an artical the other day about elderly using reverse mortgages and then losing the house because they cant pay property taxes. (who didnt see that coming?)
So the solution in CA is to bail these people out so they can stay in their homes. Once again we have a govt taking taxpayer money to prop up those who squander or have no income (or small income). Never ends.
Dont miss working to pay for everyone else. 2014 last year we pay on a 1040 return. GALT LIVES.
Calgagus –
Reverse Mortgage = Government Scam
Gives them legal action to confiscate a person’s home per their binding/legal action and nothing more.
The elderly that get caught up in this fiasco got duped big time.
Amen,
Who is John Galt!
Hey Kula, I finally got the book, Atlas Shrugged.
Ass hat. my advise is once you select the country, try to get their passport. It would be difficult but believe me that many countries are not friendly when they see a US passport. I know it based on my last business trip about 6 month ago. You really can feel the hostility even among the passport checkers. This was in Europe and 3rd world may be even harsher.
Thanks to the SOB’s who made the normal Americans to look like some forms of criminals even though we all share the same pain as most people on this planet. These SOB’s are all located in WallStreet / Federal Reserver banks and they are screwing the world Via their minions in DC.
This is true: just a North American accent alone will get you treated with suspicion and simmering hatred (and this is the case for Canadians too, since most people can’t tell the difference).
If you are going to make your move out, the window to do so is closing fast. Good will is being burned up quickly and when it finally goes, there will be hardcore capital controls, expensive visa requirements, ‘iron door’ border controls, and xenophobia and hatred that will make it very hard to leave the American ‘borg’. As an example, Russia and majority Russian-speaking places are off limits now, and the same goes for most Muslim-majority places. China will be next and most of Asia. You might barely be able to get a ‘pint’ out of a stinky, toothless Brit with bad BO, but then they will bore you to death with every American stereotype known to man “You Yanks… blah, blah, blah…”.
I re-read JHK’s 2015 predictions again this morning after breakfast and noted a few points for him in a few Das Spiegel articles. I know no one can “predict” the future in totality but some of Kuntsler’s projections have legitimacy already.
here’s a link if you want to have a look-see:
http://kunstler.com/forecast/forecast-2015
I read this guys (Das) take on financial markets and could not understand a lot of his reasoning. Maybe that’s why there’s so few comments herein. Reminds me of why the Catholic Mass was read in Latin to the masses, Yeh?
I cannot understand this “Bernanke-Yellen-Greenspan speak” nor do I want to. What I do understand and believe is that Peak Oil will re-animate as Volatility in the financial sector(s) and cause much trouble- which John Q. Public will end up paying for. I’m quoting JHK here.
I’m beginning to see that a manufactured crash will occur and then set the stage for a manufactured war. The result?
The politicians, government agencies and banking system have a convenient out for their roles in our modern day Greek tragedy. Namely, the:
-blame for the status quo ills afoot in the nation
-elimination of “entitlements” aka Medicare, Medicaid and future Social Security payments
-making their “jobs” indispensable…they can maintain their lifestyles and positions of power- i.e. Continuance of Government (a.k.a.= Sheeple Control). There’s a boatload of solutions for the TPTB in a reset scenario. Don’t ever forget the playbook Hegelian Model.
As an aside…
Watching CITIZENFOUR last nite on HBO I realized how Ed Snowden could be considered a Patriot by following his moral compass. Greenwald and Poitras have got major Cajones too. When it came time to seek protection and exit Japan he was very frightened at the possibility of loosing all his computer gear before leaving his hotel room. His reaction (fear) struck me like a brick in the face. I think he realized he would be just another human without all his e-toys. Naked, alone and afraid. He kicked the big hornets nest with a brick wall behind him with no where to run. I respect his courage. Tension so thick you could see it.
That scenario- of having nothing but the clothes on your back- is what scares the shit out of 0.01% rich who own 50% of the world’s wealth. Take away their toys and they are nothing. Sad but True.
Peace be unto you from somewhere in the snowy Appalachians!
Snowden was more afraid of losing the DATA on those toys, not the toys themselves. Without that DATA, he couldn’t publish the leaks. It would also mean he was probably taken into custody for having it.
It was the data he was afraid of losing, not the laptop it was on.
Kuntsler’s projections are awesome. Thank you for the link!
Rev. Al To Lose MSNBC Show
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/02/rev-al-lose-msnbc-show
don’t let the screen door hit ya….
And there as a huge “dip” in the viewing audience for the Oscars.
They even had their “patsy” commentator take off his clothes down to his “pampers” somehow thinking that would hold the publics interest.
Only the scum that controls unholywood and the Oscars would think that portion of their program funny or entertaining. Maybe they will “take it all off next year” to help save the ‘dregs’ involved.
And, oh yes, the audience clapped and laughed at this little piece of slime; just like the lap dogs that they are.
Did it seem odd to you that like Barack Obama, Oprah is leading the charge to incite riots in America? You know, the nation that has blessed her with riches and fame beyond most of our imaginations.
Ungrateful, ugly, twisted, fag-wretch …..she is due a huge come-uppance.
Granny,
Nice commentary per hollyweird & its perverted hacks.
..ya gotta give ’em credit though…they’ve managed to surpass ROME’s –bread & circuses–..
..with today’s version being –caviar & porn–
Thumbs-up to ya, hon’.
Agree with you grannie
I would never watch that shit so I can’t comment on how it went
But what you say is no surprise to me
Yes Granny, it was one big race baiting propaganda fest. A long time ago it used to just be about movies, aside from a few people who would make their comments time to time, but the other night it was true blue race baiting crud. You know it’s bad when the host has to take off all of his clothes. Pure trash.
Where the good Lord split ya! Lol! Couldn’t come at a better time!
‘black site’ for domestic interrogations: report
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/02/chicago-police-operating-cia-style-black-site-for-domestic-interrogations-report/
Police State AMuRIkA
doing the Gestapo proud
Oops I just saw this and posted it too
It’s in holding until approved by Mac
Can you believe this shit?
Maybe we need to surround it with a few good men
And not allow anymore of these rights violations
It’s appalling that the so called lawyers are not doing their job on this one either
More proof of where their bread is buttered
A lot of people are going to get smacked alongside the head by a dose of reality in the near future, especially those with defined pension plans public or private.
Those plans were set up to function with 7 or 8 percent returns. They are being depleted now with low interest rates. They will soon be “detroited”.
The taxpaying public will revolt if they are expected to make these plans solvent again and cover their losses.
No more six figure pensions and cadillac health bennies for 25 and out “public servants”. Welcome to the real world suckers.
“But I was promised” meets the brick wall of reality.
JRS –
You are absolutely correct! I’ve tried explaining this to those who are counting on their “lucrative” retirement. They feel that they are safe, because they are Unionized employee’s and they have a contract and blah…blah…blah.
I simply told them: “haven’t you learned anything? Just because you have a piece of paper with black letters on it claiming to be a contract – holds no value in today’s world.”
These people are better off crossing their fingers or clinging onto their faith for a positive outcome, before putting it all into a Union Contract.
Difference between Governments and the Mafias –
(governments don’t like competition)
Difference between Mafias and the Unions –
(mafias – tend to be discreet)
(unions – do their business in public view)
“sheesh….corruption everywhere….has the world gone mad?”
JRS, I paid for that promise every two weeks on my paycheck for many decades. It is theft and I wonder how many times the same dollar can be stolen. That it was a promise is what is not real. Although I agree there must be a line somewhere. I once told a campaigning politician that their exorbitant pensions be tied to their job performance while in office. He stammered 98% of us would quit. I said it is the two percent we need. Public pensions would have worked if politicians had not stolen the principal. Your justice is understandable and misplaced but accurate. They did get away with it but do not blame the victim. All greed clouds eventually pass on when there is nothing left to steal and public pension plans where too appealing and left unguarded. You behold just the remains and yes, they are ugly. Misplaced justice always is. But I hear you and I fear the leftovers once the present greed cloud passes. Its suction is fierce and now tugs at private pensions. We must batten the hatches before they too are gone. There is no light on the horizon and the storm gains strength yet. May you fare well.
western countries are RAPIDLY moving towards police states
and now Japan is jumping on board in a big way
Is Japan Asia’s Next Autocracy?
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-02-20/japan-s-constitutional-change-is-move-toward-autocracy
economies are collapsing
resources are diminishing
populations growing
the need for control is resulting in a move towards totalitarianism
Satori
I think even if what you wrote wasn’t true (and it is) the advances in technology have created a relatively easy means to monitor the masses. That is just too enticing to those in control. In essence the question is, “Why are they doing what they are doing” and the answer is; “Because they can”.
From the beginning of time those in power never by their own volition reduce or even maintain their level of control over others. Our Founding Fathers addressed this in many writings in the Federalist Papers.
“The US economy — one of the best performing developed economies — is exposed.”
Not completely accurate – People that have been living in the real world, have already realized the economy has been exposed for some time now.
It’s just everything else is finally catching up to it and exposing it’s ugliness.
The Government and Media can only cover up reality with so many lies, eventually they won’t be able to reinforce their propaganda. In the end – Reality Wins – Lies Lose
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Feds-raid-Texas-secessionist-meeting-6096637.php#photo-4833856
How bout we all stand armed for the next one of these meetings and see if they want to subjugate our rights like this again
People .. This shit is getting old and so are we
How much longer are we going to put up with this tyranny?
Each day moves us closer to the “event”. Prep, Prepare, Pray.
wow
break the law by beating up a defenseless homeless guy
and ya get a PAID vacation
sweet…
Fort Lauderdale cop suspended after video shows him slapping homeless man
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/broward/article11044154.html
to protect and serve ???
biggest joke in the world
I understand why people are considering leaving and going elsewhere. I will stay and fight for this country. Maybe we can put it back to the way it was when the founding fathers designed it. I have to do this for my children and there children. I have to do it to fight evil as well. I wish you all luck in whatever you decide to do. I hope you have peace, happiness, and lots of love.
Without love you will not have the first two.
Have to agree with you…its my ground back a thousand generations…lots of blood in it…figure on there being lots more in it before its over! REB
The price of gas has shot up here in the Tampa bay area to $2.39 a gallon in just a few days. The oil companies are just pure thieves that have polluted the Earth beyond recovery and they have grown so large to become a major threat to humanity. The use of fossil fuels is a scourge upon mankind and our living biosphere. Untold millions have perished because of these evil energy conglomerates. Technology exists to replace the poisons put forth by these truly evil concerns. Putting the entrenched giant oil based entities out of business would go a long way towards healing the world.
Perhaps you should stop buying their products and encouraging them to keep producing their evil earth destroying products.
If they were to just simply vanish from the earth, the earth could probably still support hundreds of millions of people without any oil (as long as they didn’t use too much whale oil in their lamps and bees wax for candles or coal for heating and cooking fuel or running steam trains and such).
“Technology exists to replace the poisons put forth by these truly evil concerns.”
You don’t have any technology to compete with 130,000 BTUs of readily transportable and useful energy for $2. This is why everyone wants it and wars are fought over it.
The pillars supporting the economic system have been thinned out if not downright removed in the quest to squeeze as much money from it leaving it extremely fragile. The ability to weather the impact of any dynamic change has been significantly compromised while the reduction or abandonment of regulations like Glass-Steagall have increased volatility in both magnitude and duration.
Mike in VA –
I’m sure it has crossed all of our minds more than once about relocating out of this Nation. I know I have – hell I’ve gone as far as researching South America. I’ve looked at places like Ecuador, Guyana, and Uruguay. My main concern was “what if” in a SHTF scenario the Nuclear power Plants decided to melt down. Safest place I figured was at the Equator or below, per weather patterns.
The way things have been heating up, I just do not see how time is on our side for a move like that right now. I’ve committed myself here and I’ll find a way to deal with the consequences of the aftermath.
The way I see it – Historically, regardless of how America became as a Nation. It is ours now, and it must be protected and defended from people like us.
Personally I would kinda like to relocate to PNW or AK and leave no forwarding address from where Im at and be Mr Smith when I get there,,,
But is sorta difficult,
No matter where you go, there you are!
I live in the PNW and it is rather nice here. I can go shooting just down the road and never see anyone and never be hassled. One problem is the Feds (forest service) has gated almost all the roads leading into out national forests and are patrolling with armed thugs which is a shame. If you live within 100 miles of the Canadian border (I don’t) you are now in a federal stop and frisk zone where your rights are now basically tossed out the window according to the feds. But out here in the wheat fields of the Palouse the small communities are dying making for cheap housing and empty spaces. I drive on smooth roads out in the country pretty much alone. I like it.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/24/chicago-police-detain-americans-black-site
If this place really exist we need to collectively burn it to the ground
Is it time yet people?
Burn it to the ground with the tyrants inside it.
I would encourage everyone here to watch the movie “Conspiracy”. This movie was produced by the BBC/HBO and is a story about the Wannsee Conference in Berlin, 1942, where the Nazis outlined their program to implement the “final solution” in regard to the “Jewish problem”.
The reason I believe this movie is important is because if you watch it, you will see how careful the Nazis were to insure that what they did was “lawful”, or at least had the appearance of being “lawful”. At least that was important to several of those who attended the conference.
I think it’s important to understand that what the Nazis did as regarding the Holocaust and extermination of some 10 million people (not just 6 million Jews), was framed in “legality”. And that is what is so chilling about this movie.
It is also what is so chilling about the anti-terrorism laws that have been enacted in this country now. NDAA gives such broad powers to police that the Constitution is effectively emasculated. When people can be “disappeared”, you no longer live in a free country.
But it is all legal you see.
The lesson of history is, that if you don’t pay attention to the lessons of history, you will continue to repeat the same evil. Over and over again.
We are witnessing just such an event. Here.
I would have posted a link to this movie if I could have found it in its entirety. A complete version of it used to be on youtube, but it is no longer there. Individual clips of the movie however, can be seen on youtube.
There is new battery technology that will bankrupt the oil industry. Why won’t Obama sign for keystone pipe he knows something we don’t. The us is moving away from oil for many reasons OPEC nations are run by terrorists. America has to be first to move into the future the electric car is the start of cars you don’t drive anymore everyone is gonna be a passenger. Google is gonna control all vehicle traffic. Let china have the oil products we will sell it to them and use the $ to build a modern transportation system. The OPEC nations will attack the us for putting a hurt on them.
When oil, gas, diesel was cheap the economy was doing just fine great actually then the price went up way up and the downfall in the economy was blamed on the higher price. Now its because the price has dropped? W.T.F
Mac
can I have your autograph ???
I see one of your columns got picked up on David Stockman’s site
yer playing with the big dogs now !
congrats !!!
MAC I have a cure for this virus its lead
That’s a vaccine worthy of consideration 🙂
And one they cant refuse eh? 😉
I don’t know about ya’ll, but I have made a killing selling old commodes that I’ve pulled up in old houses. All you need is a truck and a crowbar. You’d be surprised how many folks want a big commode to shit in and not one of those 1.8 gal Al Gore models. When the shit hits the fan do you want a big shitter or a little shitter? By the way I have a contractor who refurbishes the old toilets and makes them like new. Who knows, some old civil war soldier may have taken a big dump in one of these ancient wonders. Email me at oldshitters.com for a free brochure.
Prepper bears huh? lol All the mocking in the world won’t change the fact that when shtf, you’ll be on the other side of someone’s fence begging for food, and us preppers won’t. Chew on that for awhile. More than likely you will be the guy in American Blackout who dies from cutting that last can of food open.
Aren’t the banks supposed to diversify their risk pool so if one segment fails the bank is not devistated.
Very interesting story on market watch saying how th the economy will collapse in 2016 by as much as 50%
Falling oil prices? Is this guy on crack? Gas has climbed a whole dollar in my area. It’s back up to 3 dollars A
again.