BACKWOODS SURVIVAL BLOG

Debt Slavery: 30 Facts About Debt In America That Will Blow Your Mind

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:24:00 +0000

Debt Slavery: 30 Facts About Debt In America That Will Blow Your Mind: "When most people think about America's debt problem, they think of the debt of the federal government. But that is only part of the story. The sad truth is that debt slavery has become a way of life for tens of millions of American families. Over the past several decades, most Americans have willingly allowed themselves to become enslaved to debt. These days, most of us are busy either going into even more debt or paying off the debt that we have accumulated in the past. When your finances are dominated by debt, it makes it really hard to ever get ahead. Incredibly, 43 percent of all American families spend more than they earn each year. Even while median household income continues to decline (now less than $50,000 a year), median household debt continues to go up. According to the Federal Reserve, median household debt in America has risen to $75,600. Many Americans spend decades caught in the trap of debt slavery. Large numbers of them never even escape at all and die in debt. It can be a lot of fun to spend lots of money and go into lots of debt, but it can be absolutely soul crushing to toil and labor for years paying off those debts while making others wealthy in the process. Hopefully this article will inspire many people to try to escape the chains of debt slavery once and for all..."

10 Things That Every American Should Know About The Federal Reserve

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:23:00 +0000

10 Things That Every American Should Know About The Federal Reserve: "What would happen if the Federal Reserve was shut down permanently? That is a question that CNBC asked recently, but unfortunately most Americans don't really think about the Fed much. Most Americans are content with believing that the Federal Reserve is just another stuffy government agency that sets our interest rates and that is watching out for the best interests of the American people. But that is not the case at all. The truth is that the Federal Reserve is a private banking cartel that has been designed to systematically destroy the value of our currency, drain the wealth of the American public and enslave the federal government to perpetually expanding debt..."

Why Is Global Shipping Slowing Down So Dramatically?

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:22:00 +0000

Why Is Global Shipping Slowing Down So Dramatically?: "If the global economy is not heading for a recession, then why is global shipping slowing down so dramatically? Many economists believe that measures of global shipping such as the Baltic Dry Index are leading economic indicators. In other words, they change before the overall economic picture changes. For example, back in early 2008 the Baltic Dry Index began falling dramatically. There were those that warned that such a rapid decline in the Baltic Dry Index meant that a significant recession was coming, and it turned out that they were right. Well, the Baltic Dry Index is falling very rapidly once again. In fact, on February 3rd the Baltic Dry Index reached a low that had not been seen since August 1986. Some economists say that there are unique reasons for this (there are too many ships, etc.), but when you add this to all of the other indicators that Europe is heading into a recession, a very frightening picture emerges. We appear to be staring a global economic slowdown right in the face, and we all need to start getting prepared for that..."

Gay Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:31:00 +0000

Recently, Washington state lawmakers passed a bill, setting the stage for that state to become the seventh in the nation to allow same-sex couples to get married. I typically make it a point to stay out of debates with religious undertones. I admit this is partially because it makes for such a polarizing situation and many in the Survivalist/Prepper subculture are very religious people. It's not exactly considered wise for a blogger to risk alienating his readership, but I feel the need to clarify my position on this issue.

Let's be crystal clear on something: I don't give a crap about gay marriage... or straight marriage, for that matter. And neither should you, because unless you're in it, it isn't your business. In fact, I don't believe the government ought to be involved in marriage at all.

Marriage should be a religious institution only; straight or gay, if you can find a church willing to marry you, have at it. Then, in my world, you would file for a completely separate domestic partnership to change your legal status with the government, should you so choose. Conversely, if I wanna move in with my brother and file a domestic partnership, I should be perfectly within my rights to do so. It isn't the government's business who I choose as a life partner.

Now, I know this is gonna rub some folks the wrong way because of some stuff in the Bible that says being gay is wrong. But, if you're a Christian and you believe that then you're reading from the wrong book; you're supposed to be living under "The Grace," not "The Law" and I don't recall Jesus having much to say on the subject. So, unless you're an Orthodox Jew, the religious argument holds no water -- you either need to re-examine your beliefs or just go ahead and wrap your head around the fact that you're really just a bigot. Luckily, we live in a country where folks have died to afford you the freedom to be a bigot, but let's not be hypocritical and try to blame it on God.

And, even if you do consider it to be immoral, I would argue that it is not the government's role to legislate morality; if you disagree, then you're far too comfortable having "The Man's" nose in your business than I will ever be.

People are free to believe any absurd mess they want to believe, but the government should have no dog in the fight. Every hour they spend debating and drawing-up Bills and briefs and Lord knows what else and every bit of ink and paper they use is being paid-for (including their salaries and the salaries of their staffs) with taxpayer dollars to deal with an issue that the government shouldn't even be involved in. There are real problems in this world going unsolved because public servants can't stop obsessing over whether it's okay for Joe Bob and Pete to tie the knot. Who cares! And I'm a Conservative, saying this.

Further, the country I was raised in believes in equal protections and equal rights *FOR ALL AMERICANS EVERYWHERE* -- no exceptions. I see this as being no different than when bigoted individuals tried to curtail the rights of blacks and women before that. People have the right to be close-minded bigots; they *DO NOT* have the right to turn their prejudices into law. That's why I nearly flip my lid whenever people talk about trying to pass a Constitutional Amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman -- that mess doesn't belong anywhere near the Constitution.

That document isn't supposed to tell us what rights we have; we have our rights from the moment we first come into existence. The purpose of the Constitution was to place limits on what the government is allowed to do in relation to those rights. We are all sovereign entities with the right to live however and to do whatever we want as long as we don't stray into activities that impede the rights of anyone else.

I fully expect to lose some readers after this. I hope I'm wrong, but so be it. I'm concerned with individual liberty as the Founders intended, not political games that are ultimately only thrown-out to distract and divide us in the first place.

Yes, It Is Halftime In America – So Now Is The Time To Get Your Financial Priorities In Order

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:00 +0000

Yes, It Is Halftime In America – So Now Is The Time To Get Your Financial Priorities In Order: "Did you see the Chrysler commercial featuring Clint Eastwood that aired during the Super Bowl the other night? It was entitled 'It's Halftime In America', and it was truly a great ad. To me, it was the most memorable Super Bowl ad this year by far. It conjured up images of the America that so many of us remember so fondly. It reminded us of how life in this country used to be. Unfortunately, America is currently headed down a road that is taking us in the opposite direction. Yes, it is halftime in America, but there is no guarantee that what is ahead is going to be great. In fact, if we continue to make the same choices that we have been making, a national nightmare is inevitable. Let us hope and pray for a fundamental change of direction for America, but let us also prepare for what is going to happen if that does not take place. There is a 'pause in the action' at the moment, so now is the time to get your financial priorities in order. Now is the time to prepare for the storm that is coming. If you wait until the storm is right on top of you it will probably be too late..."

The Financial Crisis Of 2008 Was Just A Warm Up Act For The Economic Horror Show That Is Coming

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:25:00 +0000

The Financial Crisis Of 2008 Was Just A Warm Up Act For The Economic Horror Show That Is Coming: "The people out there that believe that the U.S. economy is experiencing a permanent recovery and that very bright days are ahead for us should have their heads examined... Things may seem relatively stable right now, but it won't last long. The truth is that the financial crisis of 2008 was just a warm up act for the economic horror show that is coming. Nothing really got fixed after the crash of 2008. We are living in the biggest debt bubble in the history of the world, and it has gotten even bigger since then. The 'too big to fail' banks are larger now than they have ever been. Americans continue to run up credit card balances like there is no tomorrow. Tens of thousands of manufacturing facilities and millions of jobs continue to leave the country. We continue to consume far more than we produce and we continue to become poorer as a nation. None of the problems that caused the crisis of 2008 have been solved and we are even weaker financially than we were back then. So why in the world are so many people so optimistic about the economy right now?..."

I Can’t Take It Anymore! When Will The Government Quit Putting Out Fraudulent Employment Statistics?

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:12:00 +0000

I Can’t Take It Anymore! When Will The Government Quit Putting Out Fraudulent Employment Statistics?: "On Friday, the entire financial world celebrated when it was announced that the unemployment rate in the United States had fallen to 8.3 percent. That is the lowest it has been since February 2009, and it came as an unexpected surprise for financial markets that are hungry for some good news. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonfarm payrolls jumped by 243,000 during the month of January. You can read the full employment report right here. Based on this news, pundits all over the world were declaring that the U.S. economy is back. Stocks continued to rise on Friday and the Dow is hovering near a 4 year high. So does this mean that our economic problems are over? Of course not. A closer look at the numbers reveals just how fraudulent these employment statistics really are. Between December 2011 and January 2012, the number of Americans 'not in the labor force' increased by a whopping 1.2 million. That was the largest increase ever in that category for a single month. That is how the federal government is getting the unemployment rate to go down. The government is simply pretending that huge numbers of unemployed Americans don't want to be part of the labor force anymore. As you will see below, the employment situation in America is not improving. Yet everyone in the mainstream media is dancing around as if the economic crisis has been cancelled. I can't take it anymore! It is beyond ridiculous that so many intelligent people continue to buy in to such fraudulent numbers..."

According To The FBI, Internet Privacy Is Now Considered To Be Suspicious Activity

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:11:00 +0000

According To The FBI, Internet Privacy Is Now Considered To Be Suspicious Activity: "When you use the Internet in a public place, do you prefer to have as much privacy as possible? Well, that makes you a potential terrorist. According to the FBI, Internet privacy is now considered to be suspicious activity. If you are out in public and you attempt to keep snoopers from peeking at your computer screen, then according to the FBI they should gather as much information about you as they can and they should report you to the authorities immediately. If this seems completely and totally ridiculous to you, then you are not alone. Millions of Americans have become deeply concerned about the constantly expanding definition of 'suspicious activity' in the United States. Sadly, the federal government is now engaging in an all-out attempt to have us all spy on one another..."

The Federal Reserve's Explicit Goal: Devalue The Dollar 33%

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:07:00 +0000

The Federal Reserve's Explicit Goal: Devalue The Dollar 33% - Forbes: "The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) has made it official: After its latest two day meeting, it announced its goal to devalue the dollar by 33% over the next 20 years. The debauch of the dollar will be even greater if the Fed exceeds its goal of a 2 percent per year increase in the price level.

An increase in the price level of 2% in any one year is barely noticeable. Under a gold standard, such an increase was uncommon, but not unknown. The difference is that when the dollar was as good as gold, the years of modest inflation would be followed, in time, by declining prices. As a consequence, over longer periods of time, the price level was unchanged. A dollar 20 years hence was still worth a dollar.

But, an increase of 2% a year over a period of 20 years will lead to a 50% increase in the price level. It will take 150 (2032) dollars to purchase the same basket of goods 100 (2012) dollars can buy today. What will be called the 'dollar' in 2032 will be worth one-third less (100/150) than what we call a dollar today..."

The United Nations Wants To Crash The World Economy In Order To Save The Environment

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:19:00 +0000

The United Nations Wants To Crash The World Economy In Order To Save The Environment: "The United Nations says that the earth is in great danger and that the way you and I are living is the problem. In a shocking new report entitled, 'Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing' the UN declares that the entire way that we currently approach economics needs to be changed. Instead of focusing on things like 'economic growth', the UN is encouraging nations all over the world to start basing measurements of economic success on the goal of achieving 'sustainable development'. But there is a huge problem with that. The UN says that what we are doing right now is 'unsustainable' by definition, and the major industrialized nations of the western world are the biggest culprits. According to the UN, since we are the ones that create the most carbon emissions and the most pollution, we are the ones that should make the biggest sacrifices. In addition, since we have the most money, we should also be willing to finance the transition of the developing world to a 'sustainable development' economy as well..."

19 Crazy Things That School Children Are Being Arrested For In America

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:18:00 +0000

19 Crazy Things That School Children Are Being Arrested For In America: "With each passing year, the difference between America's prisons and America's public schools becomes smaller and smaller. As you read the rest of this article, you will be absolutely amazed at some of the crazy things that school children in America are being arrested for. When I was growing up, I don't remember a single police officer ever coming to my school. Discipline was always handled by the teachers and by the principals. But today, there are schools all over the country that have police officers permanently stationed in the halls. Many other schools will call out police officers at the drop of a hat. In the classrooms of America today, if you burp in class, if you spray yourself with perfume or if you doodle on your desk, there is a chance that you will be arrested by the police and hauled out of your school in handcuffs..."

47 Signs That China Is Absolutely Destroying America On The Global Economic Stage

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:17:00 +0000

47 Signs That China Is Absolutely Destroying America On The Global Economic Stage: "Have you ever watched a football game or a basketball game where one team dominates the other team so badly that calling it a 'blowout' would be a huge understatement? Well, that is what China is doing to the United States. China is absolutely destroying America on the global economic stage. Once upon a time, the Chinese economy was a joke and the U.S. economy was the most powerful the world had ever seen. But over the past couple of decades the U.S. economy has decayed and declined while the Chinese economy has skyrocketed. Today, China makes more steel, more automobiles, more beer, more cotton, more coal and more solar panels than we do. China has the fastest train in the world, the fastest computer in the world and they export twice as much high-tech equipment as we do..."

Making Money On Poverty: JP Morgan Makes Bigger Profits When The Number Of Americans On Food Stamps Goes Up

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:41:00 +0000

Making Money On Poverty: JP Morgan Makes Bigger Profits When The Number Of Americans On Food Stamps Goes Up: "How would you feel if someone told you that one of the largest banks on Wall Street makes more money whenever the number of Americans on food stamps goes up? Unfortunately, this is something that is actually true. In the United States today, one out of every seven Americans is on food stamps. In fact, the number of Americans on food stamps has increased by a whopping 14 million since Barack Obama entered the White House. All of this makes JP Morgan very happy, because JP Morgan has been making money by the boatload on food stamps. Right now, JP Morgan Chase issues food stamp debit cards in 26 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The division of JP Morgan Chase that issues these debit cards made an eye-popping 5.47 billion dollars in net revenue during 2010. JP Morgan is paid per customer, so when the number of Americans on food stamps goes up, they make more money. But doesn't this give JP Morgan an incentive to try to keep the number of Americans on food stamps as high as possible? Of course it does. JP Morgan is interested in making money as rapidly as possible. If JP Morgan can get more Americans enrolled in the food stamp program and keep them enrolled in it for as long as possible, that is good for business.

And the Obama administration is certainly doing what it can to help out. Even though a whopping 46 million Americans are now on food stamps, the Obama administration plans to give out large amounts of money to organizations that are able figure out ways to get even more people enrolled in the program....

Despite the historic rise in food stamp use, however, the Obama Administration believes not enough people are receiving food stamps who should be and is offering $75,000 grants to groups who devise 'effective strategies' to 'increase program participation' among those who have yet to sign up.

In fact, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says that if we can get even more Americans enrolled in the food stamp program, that will be a great way to "stimulate the economy".

Of course JP Morgan just loves all of this. The more people they have in the system the better..."

20 Signs That Europe Is Plunging Into A Full-Blown Economic Depression

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:38:00 +0000

20 Signs That Europe Is Plunging Into A Full-Blown Economic Depression: "An economic nightmare is descending on Europe. With each passing month, the economic numbers across Europe get even worse. At this point it is becoming extremely difficult for anyone to deny that Europe is plunging into a full-blown economic depression. In fact, some parts of Europe are already there. In Spain the overall unemployment rate is over 22 percent, and in Greece one out of every five retail establishments has already been closed down. All over Europe, economic activity is rapidly slowing down, unemployment is skyrocketing and bad debts are unraveling..."

Have You Ever….

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:37:00 +0000

Have You Ever….: "Have you ever wondered what our world is going to look like five or ten years down the road? Well, today our world is changing at a pace that is faster than ever before, and the decisions that we all make right now are going to have a dramatic affect on the years ahead. In many ways, 2012 represents a huge turning point for America. There will be a presidential election, 33 seats in the U.S. Senate will be contested and every single seat in the U.S. House of Representatives will be up for grabs. But the changes that are happening in America go much deeper than politics. Anger and frustration are growing to frightening levels, and we have become a deeply divided nation. Our affluence is rapidly crumbling and our national values are being transformed at a staggering pace. America is drowning in debt, addicted to entertainment and full of people that think they know it all. America is arrogant, cocky, smug, brash and full of pride. But if we continue down the road that we are currently on, we will be greatly humbled someday. It is just a matter of time..."

ACTA = Global Internet Censorship – Now Even Foreign Governments Will Be Able To Have Your Website Shut Down

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:24:00 +0000

ACTA = Global Internet Censorship – Now Even Foreign Governments Will Be Able To Have Your Website Shut Down: "Global Internet censorship is here. SOPA and PIPA have been stopped (at least for now) in the United States, but a treaty known as ACTA (the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) is far worse than either of them. ACTA was quietly signed by Barack Obama back on October 1st, 2011 and most Americans have never even heard of it. But it could mean the end of the Internet as we know it. This new treaty gives foreign governments and copyright owners incredibly broad powers. If you are alleged to have violated a copyright, your website can be shut down without a trial and police may even show up at your door to take you to prison. It doesn't even have to be someone in the United States that is accusing you. It could just be a foreign government or a copyright owner halfway across the world that alleges that you have violated a copyright. It doesn't matter. So far, the U.S., the EU and seven other nations have signed on to ACTA, and the number of participants is expected to continue to grow. The 'powers that be' are obsessed with getting Internet censorship one way or another. The open and free Internet that you and I have been enjoying for all these years is about to change, and not for the better..."

If The Economy Is Improving….

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:23:00 +0000

If The Economy Is Improving….: "Everywhere you turn these days, someone is proclaiming that the economy is improving. Barack Obama is endlessly touting the 'improvement' in the economy, the mainstream media is constantly talking about 'the economic recovery' and an increasing number of Americans seem to be buying into this line of thinking. A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that 37 percent of Americans believe that the economy will improve over the next year, while only 17 percent of Americans believe that it will get worse. But is the economy actually improving? Not really. At the moment things are relatively stable. Some economic statistics are improving slightly and some continue to get even worse. However, it is very important to keep in mind that one of the biggest reasons why things have stabilized is because the federal government is pumping more than a trillion dollars a year into the economy that it does not have..."

16 Statistics Which Show That The Number Of Americans Dependent On The Government Is At An All-Time High

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:22:00 +0000

16 Statistics Which Show That The Number Of Americans Dependent On The Government Is At An All-Time High: "A higher percentage of the American population is receiving government benefits than ever before. Yes, there have always been poor people that have needed our assistance, but what does it say about our economy that the number of Americans dependent on the government is at an all-time high? Every night on the evening news we are told that the economy is improving, and Barack Obama is endlessly giving speeches about the "economic recovery" that is supposedly underway. But that is not the reality on the ground for those on the bottom rungs of the income ladder in America. People are really hurting out there, and the number of Americans that are turning to the government for financial assistance just continues to increase..."

Is Now The Time To Move Away From Major U.S. Cities?

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:42:00 +0000

Is Now The Time To Move Away From Major U.S. Cities?: "As the U.S. economy falls apart and as the world becomes increasingly unstable, more Americans than ever are becoming 'preppers'. It is estimated that there are at least two million preppers in the United States today, but nobody really knows. The truth is that it is hard to take a poll because a lot of preppers simply do not talk about their preparations. Your neighbor could be storing up food in the garage or in an extra bedroom and you might never even know it. An increasing number of Americans are convinced that we are on the verge of some really bad things happening. But will just storing up some extra food and supplies be enough? What is going to happen if we see widespread rioting in major U.S. cities like George Soros is predicting? What is going to happen if the economy totally falls to pieces and our city centers descend into anarchy like we saw in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? In some major U.S. cities such as Detroit, looting is already rampant. There are some sections of Detroit where entire blocks of houses are being slowly dismantled by thieves and stripped of anything valuable. Sadly, the economy is going to get a lot worse than it is at the moment. So is now the time to move away from major U.S. cities? Should preppers be seeking safer locations for themselves and their families? Those are legitimate questions..."

The Man Without A Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:38:00 +0000

The Man Without A Plan: "Barack Obama is a man without a plan. When you are young, they often tell you to 'fake it until you make it', but Barack Obama is taking this to ridiculous extremes. Barack Obama has absolutely no idea what he is doing when it comes to the economy, and yet he continues to give speeches in which he declares that he is the man for the job. The State of the Union speech the other night was just abysmal. The federal government is spending way too much money, and yet Barack Obama is proposing even more government spending. Entrepreneurs and small businesses are being taxed into oblivion and yet Barack Obama is proposing even higher taxes. Our economy is being strangled to death by crippling regulations, and yet Barack Obama is proposing a vast array of new regulations. Barack Obama always gives a nice speech, but it has become appallingly evident that he is totally out of ideas. So our country will continue to drift aimlessly along without a direction and without a plan until the next financial tsunami comes along and makes things even worse..."

Are George Soros, The IMF And The World Bank Purposely Trying To Scare The Living Daylights Out Of Us?

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:37:00 +0000

Are George Soros, The IMF And The World Bank Purposely Trying To Scare The Living Daylights Out Of Us?: "Over the past couple of weeks, George Soros, the IMF and the World Bank have all issued incredibly chilling warnings about the possibility of an impending economic collapse. Considering the power and the influence that Soros, the IMF and the World Bank all have over the global financial system, this is very alarming. So are they purposely trying to scare the living daylights out of us? Soros is even warning of riots in the streets of America. Unfortunately, way too often top global leaders say something in public because they want to 'push' events in a certain direction. Do George Soros and officials at the IMF and World Bank hope to prevent a worldwide financial collapse by making these statements, or are other agendas at work? We may never know. But one thing is for sure - many of the top financial officials in the world are using language that is downright 'apocalyptic', and that is not a good sign for the rest of 2012..."

America After Dark: Desperate Meth Heads, Rampant Human Trafficking And Millions Of Criminal Predators Searching For A New Victim

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:38:00 +0000

America After Dark: Desperate Meth Heads, Rampant Human Trafficking And Millions Of Criminal Predators Searching For A New Victim: "When the sun goes down every night, America becomes a very frightening place. There are communities all over the country where drug dealing, human trafficking and gang violence have gotten so out of control that authorities don't really know what to do about it. In America tonight, thousands of meth heads will break into homes as they desperately search for enough money for another hit. In America tonight, thousands of children will be sold for sex at truck stops and on street corners. In America tonight, millions of criminal predators will be searching for a new victim. From the top levels of the federal government all the way down to the most depraved criminals on the street, America is rotting. Once upon a time our tremendous affluence masked the moral decay that was happening in this nation, but now that the economy is falling apart the damage to the fabric of our society is being revealed. We have become a nation of addicts, junkies, thrill seekers and predators. When we finally see the U.S. economy fully collapse, millions of desperate, angry and depraved monsters will take out their sick frustrations on all the rest of us..."

If The U.S. Government Keeps Spending Money Like This We Are Doomed And If The U.S. Government Stops Spending Money Like This We Are Doomed

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:35:00 +0000

If The U.S. Government Keeps Spending Money Like This We Are Doomed And If The U.S. Government Stops Spending Money Like This We Are Doomed: "If you increased your credit card spending by a couple thousand dollars per month would your lifestyle improve? Of course it would. By going into large amounts of debt, it is possible to live a lifestyle that you can't really afford, at least for a while. But if you keep racking up huge amounts of credit card debt every single month, eventually it gets to a point where it is extremely difficult to even keep up with the minimum monthly payments and the credit card companies will not lend you any more money. Well, on a larger scale it is the same thing with government debt. Right now, the U.S. government is spending more than a trillion dollars more than it takes in every year. Even if the U.S. government spends all of that money on incredibly stupid stuff, it still gets into the pockets of ordinary Americans. In turn, those ordinary Americans use that money to pay the mortgage, buy food, shop at the mall, etc. All of this borrowing and spending by the U.S. government has created a 'false prosperity' bubble that is not real. It may feel real to you right now, but it is unsustainable by definition. If the U.S. government suddenly started spending only the money that it actually brought in every year, our economy would be doomed and all of this 'false prosperity' would rapidly disappear. But if the U.S. government continues to rack up debt at this pace we are doomed as well. In fact, every dollar that gets borrowed makes our eventual collapse ever worse. We are heading down the exact same road that Greece has gone. Eventually the rest of the world is not going to lend us gigantic mountains of super cheap money anymore. When the flow of cheap money stops, it can be extremely painful. Anyone that has ever seen the interest rates on their credit cards go above 20 percent knows how this feels. If we had addressed these problems as a nation a decade or two ago, perhaps we could have found a solution. But now there is no way out under our current financial system and a devastating economic collapse is on the horizon no matter what we do..."

The Global Elite Are Hiding 18 Trillion Dollars In Offshore Banks

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:31:00 +0000

The Global Elite Are Hiding 18 Trillion Dollars In Offshore Banks: "In recent days, the fact that Mitt Romney has millions of dollars parked down in the Cayman Islands has made headlines all over the world. But when it comes to offshore banking, what Mitt Romney is doing is small potatoes. The truth is that the global elite are hiding an almost unbelievable amount of money in offshore banks. According to shocking research done by the IMF, the global elite are holding a total of 18 trillion dollars in offshore banks. And that figure does not even count any money being held in Switzerland. That is a staggering amount of money. Keep in mind that U.S. GDP in 2010 was only 14.58 trillion dollars. So why do the global elite go to such trouble to hide their money in offshore banks? Well, there are two main reasons. One is privacy and the other is low taxation. Privacy is a big issue for those that are involved in illegal enterprises such as drug running, but the biggest reason why people move money into offshore banks is in order to avoid taxes. Some set up bank accounts in foreign nations because they want to legally minimize their taxes and others set up bank accounts in foreign nations because they want to illegally avoid taxes. You would be absolutely amazed at what some large corporations and wealthy individuals do to get out of paying taxes. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the rest of us don't have the resources or the knowledge to play these games, so we get taxed into oblivion..."

Supreme Court Rules Warrant Needed for GPS Tracking

noreply@blogger.com (Simple Man) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:19:00 +0000

Chalk one up for personal liberty.

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Supreme Court rules warrant needed for GPS tracking – USATODAY.com: "In a major decision on privacy in the digital age, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that police need a warrant before attaching a GPS device to a person's car.

The ruling, which marked the justices' first-ever review of GPS tracking, was unanimous. The justices divided, however, on how the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures applies to such high-tech tracking.

The case, which during November oral arguments prompted justices' references to George Orwell's futuristic novel 1984, ensures that police cannot use GPS to continuously track a suspect before presenting sufficient grounds and obtaining a warrant from a judge..."