Poor
Man Survival
Self Reliance
tools for independent minded people…
ISSN
2161-5543
A Digest of Urban Survival Resource
Glance into the world just as
though time were gone: and everything crooked will become straight to you! >Nietzsche
Think in terms of probabilities -- and not in
terms of hard truths. Expect the unexpected.
Think about the concept of the Copenhagen Window
The interpretation is the notion that the future is
nothing more than an expanding set of probabilities, time lines of possibility
that continuously collapse into one reality as observances of measurements mad;
kind of the standard interpretation of quantum mechanics.
There is no
crystal ball for predicting one outcome then proceeding on a single path.”
Rather, it’s best to adapt to new information as it comes. Stay nimble.
Rather, it’s best to adapt to new information as it comes. Stay nimble.
You have to
think in terms of probabilities -- and not in terms of hard truths. Expect the
unexpected…and with our political leaders, we can always anticipate the
unexpected with one exception: Always follow the money! In Washington, nearly everything happens
because of money, who gets it and who has it removed from their pocket.
For
instance, when I review my various resources on the economy I look at what our
Fed is doing, what China is doing, the price of precious metals and so on. If gold suddenly falls or triples in price, I
get concerned…does this indicate a crash, government crisis, international
crisis or???
The Global
financial system is unfathomably complex and most folks know nothing of how it
works. If they did, they would tremble
in fear.
Earlier in
the year a prestigious gathering of the International Monetary Fund held at the
annual Davos Economic Forum issued a dire warning about America’s financial
system, specifically in regard to the shadow banking system [I wrote about this
extensively two years ago but few paid attention].
The
Telegraph summarized
it: “Shadow banking now poses top risk
to US stability…non-financial lending has reached $15 trillion since the
collapse of a few years ago and is outside the control of authorities”
Federal
Reserve Chairwoman Yellen has said this about shadow banking, “We simply have to expect that when we draw
regulatory boundaries and supervise intensely within them, that there is the
prospect that activities will move outside those boundaries and we can do
nothing.”
I suspect
she was referring primarily to the derivative market, which are essentially
unregulated, high-risk credit bets…the same crap
which nearly collapsed the monetary system in 2008 after Clinton eliminated the
Banking Act of 1933, which is also called the Glass-Steagall Act.
Currently, central
bankers around the world are all fighting currency wars. In all major financial centers at once --
from Washington, D.C., to Moscow to Beijing.
I look at
factors like inflation [not the BS stats provided by government agencies],
social disorder [which are increasing in a nation of have-nots], the movement
of government agencies in terms of how they create and enforce laws which bash
the Bill of Rights, how law enforcement engages its citizens while arming
themselves for civil war.
Are we ready
for another major worldwide credit crunch? Today, the entire global
financial system resembles a colossal spiral of debt. Just about all
economic activity involves the flow of credit in some way, and so the only way
to have “economic growth” is to introduce even more debt into the system.
When the system started to fail back in 2008, global authorities responded by
pumping this debt spiral back up and getting it to spin even faster than
ever. If you can believe it, the total amount of global debt has risen by
$35 trillion since the last crisis. Unfortunately,
any system based on debt is going to break down…simply a matter of when.
Consider that China has seen more debt growth than any other major industrialized nation since the last recession. This debt growth has been so dramatic that it has gotten the attention of authorities all over the planet…
Wolfgang Schaeuble, Germany’s finance minister says that “debt levels in the global economy continue to give cause for concern.”
Singling out China in particular, Schaeuble noted that “debt has nearly quadrupled since 2007″, adding that it’s “growth appears to be built on debt, driven by a real estate boom and shadow banks.” Sound familiar?
Poor earnings reports in the U.S. are starting to rattle investors…we just learned that GE lost 13.6 billion dollars in the first quarter…
One week following the announcement that it would dismantle most of its GE Capital financing operations to instead focus on its industrial roots, General Electric reported a first quarter loss of $13.6 billion.
The results were impacted by charges relating to the conglomerate’s strategic shift. A year ago GE reported a first quarter profit of $3 billion.
That is a lot of money.
How in the world does a company lose 13.6 billion dollars in a single quarter during an “economic recovery”?
Other big firms are reporting disappointing earnings numbers too…
In earnings news, American Express Co. late Thursday said its results were hurt by the strong U.S. dollar, which reduced revenue booked in other countries. Chief Executive Kenneth Chenault reiterated the company’s forecast that 2015 earnings will be flat to modestly down year over year. Shares fell 4.6%.
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. said its first-quarter loss widened as revenue slumped. The company said it was exiting its dense server systems business, effective immediately. Revenue and the loss excluding items missed expectations, pushing shares down 13%.
And just like we saw just before the financial crisis of 2008, Americans are increasingly having difficulty meeting their financial obligations.
For instance, the delinquency rate on student loans has reached a very frightening level…
At this
point, the American consumer is pretty well tapped out. If you can
believe it, 56 percent of all Americans have subprime credit today,
and domestically we’ve seen the biggest spike in credit application rejections ever recorded.
From what I
see, we are entering a place that offers no solutions and plenty of bad
decisions from the political elite and the bankers which control them…
Interview with Canadian Billionaire Rick
Rule - The Global Financial System Is Now A Confidence Game
Something the Poor Man has discussed often: A new country which is FREE - A drum roll please…
A Czech man has created a new country. He's calling it Liberland to celebrate the sort of liberty-based ideals championed by libertarians. But, his project is much more than just a libertarian enclave. Rather, it's a big step forward for freedom on Planet Earth.
Liberland is a new European country founded upon the principles of freedom, and that’s why I’ve applied for citizenship just three days after its founding.
Vit Jedlička is a member of the conservative Party of Free Citizens in the Czech Republic and is the self-appointed President of Liberland, which sits on unclaimed terra nullius territory between Serbia and Croatia. The 3 square miles is a place where taxes are optional and military does not exist.
Finally, a few other tools you might find of use…
The ONE Thing: The
Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and
Jay Papasan: This book resonates with me as I attempt to simplify every aspect
of my life
The Penny Hoarder: I
met the founder of this site, Kyle Taylor, at a conference in Las Vegas. Kyle
and his team produce some great content on saving money.
How to Declutter Your Mind and
Unleash Your Willpower by Using “Bright-Line” Rules (James
Clear): "A bright-line rule refers to a clearly defined rule or standard.
It is a rule with clear interpretation and very little wiggle room. It
establishes a bright line for what the rule is saying and what it is not
saying."
I hope you found this issue
thought provoking – Feel free to share your thoughts using the feedback box
below.
Books, Art, Video – the saucy, the odd, the retro,
even the practical…
1 comment:
Thought provoking to say the least...something fewer humans do today
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