[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi8fV8n_UBM[/media]
Why put effort in this year so you can thrive for decades when you could just put the problems off as long as possible and suffer the entire way down to destruction?
Government [i]is[/i] the problem. Banks bought the governments, perverted the monetary system and enslaved nearly all of humanity. Government was the weakest link, and now it is the gangrene that will devour societies whole.
Now, in their arrogance and global power machinations, the banking elite incite war against the only group that has the wherewithal to see through the lies - a people that has been led to extreme Islamic fundamentalism, against which mutually-assured-destruction is not a deterrent.
If you aren't concerned, you're asleep. Snap out of it, before it's truly too late.
Reminds me of Frontlines Fuel of War :tinfoil:
(Intro, watch it)
Oh fuck
Well, we're fucked
R.I.P us
This world sucks
Sadly I can't do anything to help my situation.
Maybe if everyone stopped spending so much fucking money on the Military, we would have more money to spend on science.
Corporate lobbying and control of the government has been going on since Roman times.
[QUOTE=Vasili;27862918]Corporate lobbying and control of the government has been going on since Roman times.[/QUOTE]
No shit Sherlock, that doesn't mean anything.
[QUOTE=Binladen34;27862524]Sadly I can't do anything to help my situation.[/QUOTE]
There's always something you can do. Invest in yourself - study, practice and educate those around you. Practical things will give you a base skill set to work from. Then, when things get really bad, you can lead and people will look to you for knowledge and guidance.
[list]
[*][u]Agriculture[/u] - learn how to grow food; there's more to it than just throwing seeds in the ground.
[*][u]Hunting/Trapping[/u] - you can't grow food in a day and it'll be a skill in demand as people grow to desire independence in the coming years.
[*][u]Mechanic/Engineering[/u] - anyone who can fix broken machinery that needs to be maintained will be in high demand whether the world goes to shit or not.
[*][u]Medicine[/u] - even homeopathic remedies (the proven ones) are more than most people know; what if there aren't any doctors or other medical professionals around for an extended period of time?
[/list]
There are tons of online resources. A few to start with:
[url]http://ocw.mit.edu/[/url]
[url]http://oyc.yale.edu/[/url]
[url]http://www.khanacademy.org/[/url]
[url]http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/[/url]
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Education[/url]
A basic survival course is ideal as well.
[url]http://www.onpointtactical.com/scout.aspx[/url]
Many niche educational sources are available as well, in just about any field you can imagine. I'm almost entirely self-taught using resources such as these, and I started before most of them were around (I remember scouring the internet for educational material when MIT's OCW was just a concept). If I had finished university, I'd have an almighty diploma, but also a couple hundred thousand in debt. Instead, I'm free!
Just because one person can't take on the lumbering juggernaut of banks/gov't doesn't mean you have to be underneath when it falls. Knowing what to do in a crisis is better than panicking.
Also - if you can, [b][i]buy gold and silver[/i][/b] to whatever capacity you're financially able to. They will both hit new record highs this year and will protect your ability to buy food and necessities while dollars become worth less and less.
The world isn't necessarily going to implode, but preparing can only help you, not hurt.
[QUOTE=booster;27862623]Maybe if everyone stopped spending so much fucking money on the Military, we would have more money to spend on science.[/QUOTE]
You're absolutely right. Military has become a self-justifying black hole. It's a huge reason for the continuation, rather than cessation, of wars.
The big problem lies with taxes: you don't have a say in where a large portion of your money gets spent. Actually, the majority of your money.
If you think about it, you're taxed on income... from the money you're left with after that, there's sales or VAT on items you buy and services you pay for. Then, if you invest anything, you're taxed on the money you're trying to save and grow.
In actuality, people are taxed much more than they think. I don't know too much about the extent of other countries' specific taxes, but the US probably pushes the boundaries of 50-70% income going to taxes.
Most only think about their income tax, which is bad enough for anyone who isn't getting gov't assistance for being unable to get a better paying job (so they can pay a higher percentage of taxes, thereby working progressively harder to make smaller gains as it's taken away in greater amounts - vicious cycle with a [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_ceiling]glass ceiling[/url]).
[editline]4th February 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Big Orca;27863025]No shit Sherlock, that doesn't mean anything.[/QUOTE]
It means that, like an irresponsible and abusive parent, government [i]is[/i] the problem. Actually, mankind can't afford government any longer, as it will probably lead to self-destruction of the species.
If anyone want to see a clearer picture what I meant when I said we should stop spending so much money on the military, look at this chart. It's a chart showing the leading Military budgets.
[IMG]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11323379/eh.png[/IMG]
I say we all follow Icelands footsteps.
[QUOTE=booster;27863682]If anyone want to see a clearer picture what I meant when I said we should stop spending so much money on the military, look at this chart. It's a chart showing the leading Military budgets.
[img_thumb]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11323379/eh.png[/img_thumb]
I say we all follow Icelands footsteps.[/QUOTE]
We probably could do without such a huge military. Strategically the US is in such a place that invasion is near impossible. We'd probably be alright if we maintained the navy, national guard, and the airforce.
This guy's voice is just annoying
Fuck i gotta stop buying weed.
[QUOTE=miscreanity;27863545]There's always something you can do. Invest in yourself - study, practice and educate those around you. Practical things will give you a base skill set to work from. Then, when things get really bad, you can lead and people will look to you for knowledge and guidance.
[list]
[*][u]Agriculture[/u] - learn how to grow food; there's more to it than just throwing seeds in the ground.
[*][u]Hunting/Trapping[/u] - you can't grow food in a day and it'll be a skill in demand as people grow to desire independence in the coming years.
[*][u]Mechanic/Engineering[/u] - anyone who can fix broken machinery that needs to be maintained will be in high demand whether the world goes to shit or not.
[*][u]Medicine[/u] - even homeopathic remedies (the proven ones) are more than most people know; what if there aren't any doctors or other medical professionals around for an extended period of time?
[/list]
[/QUOTE]
I actually know a lot of this already. I know basic first aid, I know a bit about engineering, I go hunting every October, but I don't know that much about farming. I'm also a natural born leader. Just can't handle myself.
[QUOTE=booster;27863682]If anyone want to see a clearer picture what I meant when I said we should stop spending so much money on the military, look at this chart. It's a chart showing the leading Military budgets.
[img_thumb]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11323379/eh.png[/img_thumb]
I say we all follow Icelands footsteps.[/QUOTE]
Yup, the US being the worst offender, obviously. Adding up the numbers shows that the US spends more than 2x what the rest of the world does on its military.
One common thread among all of those nations: government funds the military...
This seems like a big scam to get people flocking to buy precious metals so existing investors will make further and faster profits.
[QUOTE=Binladen34;27864108]I actually know a lot of this already. I know basic first aid, I know a bit about engineering, I go hunting every October, but I don't know that much about farming. I'm also a natural born leader. Just can't handle myself.[/QUOTE]
LOL - ok so add self-discipline to the list. You're ahead of the game with the rest.
[editline]4th February 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=ChristopherB;27864150]This seems like a big scam to get people flocking to buy precious metals so existing investors will make further and faster profits.[/QUOTE]
Sorry to disappoint. Although, if you'd like to contribute, my GoldMoney affiliate link is:
[url]http://goldmoney.com/index.html?gmrefcode=nn[/url]
I know that the US isn't that careful with its money, but this kind of fear mongering is counterproductive. China has little incentive to destabilize the economy of its largest base of consumers.
Ah wells, get over it.
[QUOTE=ChristopherB;27864226]I know that the US isn't that careful with its money, but this kind of fear mongering is counterproductive. China has little incentive to destabilize the economy of its largest base of consumers.[/QUOTE]
If it were just fear mongering, the situations we're witnessing wouldn't be occurring and my investments would be falling flat instead of rocketing into the stratosphere and beyond.
As it stands, the US is causing its own destruction without need for any Chinese economic warfare. China actually stands to lose more from the US collapsing than it would gain. Not only would the devastated world power invite massive economic turmoil, but there would be plenty of power struggles in an attempt to fill whatever void is left.
Precious metal prices have been rising for decades through a variety of economic and political climates; soaring prices alone simply isn't enough to prove that the US is in such dire trouble. The events occurring in Egypt and elsewhere can be interpreted in a myriad of ways and comparing the US to that situation is a considerably dubious assumption.
America is on a bad path and its people will no doubt suffer if it doesn't change its ways but the dramatic collapse you are describing is unrealistic in terms of time frame and the magnitude of the shift proposed.
Your self-aggrandizing, condescending tone only further reinforces the notion that you simply choose to believe this so you can feel privy to some monumental secret that "the masses" or "the sheeple" remain ignorant of. Telling people to invest in a certain commodity and stockpile resources is the same paranoid advice conspiracy theorists have been spewing since the dawn of time.
old news, and nobody's gonna do anything about it because everyone's fat and lazy and dumb
[QUOTE=ChristopherB;27865781]Precious metal prices have been rising for decades through a variety of economic and political climates; soaring prices alone simply isn't enough to prove that the US is in such dire trouble. The events occurring in Egypt and elsewhere can be interpreted in a myriad of ways and comparing the US to that situation is a considerably dubious assumption.
America is on a bad path and its people will no doubt suffer if it doesn't change its ways but the dramatic collapse you are describing is unrealistic in terms of time frame and the magnitude of the shift proposed.
Your self-aggrandizing, condescending tone only further reinforces the notion that you simply choose to believe this so you can feel privy to some monumental secret that "the masses" or "the sheeple" remain ignorant of. Telling people to invest in a certain commodity and stockpile resources is the same paranoid advice conspiracy theorists have been spewing since the dawn of time.[/QUOTE]
I prefer to be called an arrogant asshole point-blank, but your euphemistically bitter accusation will suffice. Unlike a pacifist, I will hit back. Are you sure you want to go toe-to-toe?
There's no secret, just a convoluted mess that appears to be counter-intuitive and beguiles a cursory examination. Search for information on the topic of financial distress and you'll find plenty. Even still, the majority are blind to it. Deeper analysis shows glaring contradictions and even brazen lies. What you don't know [i]can[/i] hurt you, and this issue is potentially deadly.
It isn't my problem if people can't or won't acknowledge the impending catastrophe when the information is presented on a silver platter, nor is it my problem that you find intelligence threatening. I'd rather be alarmist and wrong than complacent and hungry, or worse; wouldn't you?
I say the more people prepared for what may come, the better. Would you condemn people to die needlessly for sheer lack of simple preventative measures?
Precious metals [i]priced in dollars[/i] soared during the late 1970s and peaked in January of 1980. Prior to that, currencies were set to gold at a fixed rate. The acceleration has been increasing, and every cycle has brought greater turmoil. This is not an unprecedented event. What is your understanding of economic history?
Of course, viewing precious metals in terms of dollars is a simple perspective reversal which misses the fact that gold and silver have been consistent in purchasing power for thousands of years while the dollar has exponentially declined. Hence, [i]everything[/i] goes up in dollar-denominated price when the opposite would be true with a stable currency.
The social upheaval that is occurring in Egypt is a precursor of the scenario that will unfold in major cities around the world due to vast monetary disruptions instigated by banking institutions. Revolutions don't start when people are content. If the price of food hadn't doubled within the past year, there would be far less imperative for the Egyptian people to rise up against government. Pressure builds until one side or the other gives. Do you think this will remain isolated to the Middle East? Do you think it's unrelated to America?
Your magic crystal ball is telling me that nobody can be certain of time frames in any direction. Again, I'd rather be early than dead. Most people are already behind the curve. Are my arguments illogical or unreasonable? If you think so, what are you offering?
Rising prices are symptomatic of monetary system disruption, typically through mismanagement. The cause has been festering long enough to cause global failures. All of the problems we're going to soon encounter could've been avoided with outright default and moving on, but the situation has progressed too far to turn back. Tell everyplace from Argentina to Zimbabwe how 'unrealistic' their shockingly short time frames to decline were, then watch as the US goes into full panic mode.
Until you care to explain in detail how the banking elite strip the wealth from working individuals with impunity, your efforts would be better focused on learning about that topic and the resultant long-term consequences. Are you familiar with the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normalcy_bias]normalcy bias[/url]?
Thanks for the challenge.
I concede that my knowledge of the geopolitical and economic sciences is insufficient to debate with you on a level playing field.
As an aerospace engineering student my interests have always been with the physical world; with phenomena that can be mathematically modeled on a predictable, consistent basis. I've heard on many occasions that human behavior can be treated as such, but I've always found it to be a messy business that lends itself to complexities that I cannot begin to fathom. I find solace in the fact that typically technology, the output of engineers, is preserved even as empires crumble.
Perhaps America's decline will be a calm one like the fall of the British Empire?
[QUOTE=ChristopherB;27868064]I concede that my knowledge of the geopolitical and economic sciences is insufficient to debate with you on a level playing field.
As an aerospace engineering student my interests have always been with the physical world; with phenomena that can be mathematically modeled on a predictable, consistent basis. I've heard on many occasions that human behavior can be treated as such, but I've always found it to be a messy business that lends itself to complexities that I cannot begin to fathom. I find solace in the fact that typically technology, the output of engineers, is preserved even as empires crumble.
Perhaps America's decline will be a calm one like the fall of the British Empire?[/QUOTE]
Yours is the line of work I wanted to pursue, so you have my admiration. Instead, I wound up delving a little too deep into the economic structure of the Western world and realized it is a terrifying scheme - the scariest part being that food supplies won't disappear, but people simply won't be able to afford it and there is no viable contingency.
Yes, modeling human behavior is an exercise in aggravation. Economic systems are complex at the surface, but simple beneath. If you're interested, the most important thing to understand is capital flow - the motivational balance of fear and profit in disparate markets based on individual investors acting en masse.
This has happened numerous times throughout history due to governmental negligence and seems set to occur again on a global scale. Conservative estimates suggest about a billion dead within a few years. The potential range extends to over half of humanity disappearing by 2020. Gold and silver might save your life.
There will be more of a need for engineers in the coming years than you can imagine.
We can hope the transition will be bloodless...
My hate for the world has increased...
And this is why we should rape and pillage while we are ahead.
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