Category Archives: Corruption & Finance

Corruption concentrates wealth in the hands of a few at the expense of the 99% below, and this trend has accelerated the past decades. Corrupt leaders and industries are less likely to ration food and oil as it declines, accelerating collapse. I predict that the higher the level of corruption (see corruption perceptions index at transparency.org) will make collapse faster and harsher than in less corrupt nations.  I hope future historians look at this as a factor in how nations fell during the energy crisis. Though I expect that smaller towns everywhere will do better than large cities, and where local governments are uncorrupted

How you’re tricked into thinking there is an economic recovery

Ilargi 2011 theautomaticearth A real recovery would require a surge in real productivity, i.e. outside of the service industry. Where and how have we increased production since the crisis started? Obviously, nowhere. The vast majority of “jobs created” is in … Continue reading

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Predictions on how a crash will unfold

You can read Martin Weiss’ prediction here. Keep in mind that although these predictions were made years ago, and it seems as if some of them were wrong, all that’s happened is that the trillions of dollars given to banks … Continue reading

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Martin Weiss on how a crash unfolds and how to protect yourself

A massive default on debt servicing and obligations by states and localities will trigger a run on the banks. The credit inflation that has been growing over the last two decades will reverse in a nano-second and leave people who … Continue reading

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Drowning in digits: National, Unfunded Liabilities, State, and Derivative Debt

Just about everyone I know believes in the permanence of the Dollar, the Eternal Supremacy of the United States, and the propaganda to constantly grow their money by taking risks. So they dutifully feed hard-earned wages into the voracious slot … Continue reading

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Will the government seize your IRA after the next financial crash?

Federal government may seize part of your IRA passportira.com [I don’t think this is likely, but then again, when you look at the influence of money on politics, the corruption across all financial sectors, the largest bubble in human history … Continue reading

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Why the USA can’t inflate its way out of debt.

Mar 11, 2010. Why the U.S. can’t inflate its way out of debt. Financial Times. It’s dawning on people that getting a handle on burgeoning U.S. debt will be a long and hard process. So if lawmakers can’t agree on … Continue reading

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Banks still gambling on illegal Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLO)

Banks Cling to Bundles Holding Risk APRIL 19, 2014 GRETCHEN MORGENSON New York Times Some $431 billion worth of C.L.O.s currently exist. The Volcker Rule doesn’t go into effect until 2015, but that hasn’t stopped big bankers and their supporters … Continue reading

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Fannie & Freddie started the mortgage crisis

Reckless Endangerment. How outsized ambition, greed, and corruption led to Economic Armageddon 2011 by Gretchen Morgenson and Joshua Rosner This book makes the case that Fannie & Freddie started the mortgage crisis and then Wall Street got in on the … Continue reading

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Gordon Long Extend & Pretend

Gordon Long has interesting ideas about what’s going on and how to invest accordingly.  I don’t agree with all that he writes, but what he has to say sure is interesting and a good overview of the incredibly widespread corruption … Continue reading

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We’ve been “Bankalized” Banks rule and always will

Ilargi Nov 8, 2010 I read an article Ashvin Pandurangi, our by now greatly valued roving reporter, sent me, entitled “Plutocracy Now”. Ashvin writes about that first notion I was pondering: the nationalization of US banks, though for him it’s … Continue reading

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