Michael Snyder ~ 10 Scenes From The Economic Collapse That Is Sweeping Across The Planet

Economic Collapse blog May 13 2013

When is the economic collapse going to happen?  Just open up your eyes and take a look around the globe.  The next wave of the economic collapse may not have reached Wall Street yet, but it is already deeply affecting billions of lives all over the planet.  Much of Europe has already descended into a deep economic depression, very disturbing economic data is coming out of the second and third largest economies on the globe (China and Japan), and in most of the world economic inequality is growing even though 80 percent of the global population already lives on less than $10 a day.  Just because the Dow has been setting brand new all-time records lately does not mean that everything is okay.  Remember, a bubble is always the biggest right before it bursts.  The next major wave of the economic collapse is already sweeping across Europe and Asia and it is going to devastate the United States as well.  I hope that you are ready.

The following are 10 scenes from the economic collapse that is sweeping across the planet…

#1 ~ 27 Percent Unemployment/60 Percent Youth Unemployment In Greece

The economic depression in Europe just continues to get worse with each passing month.  According to the Daily Mail, the unemployment rate in Greece has nearly tripled since 2009…

Greek youth unemployment rose above 60 per cent for the first time in February, reflecting the pain caused by the country’s crippling recession after years of austerity under its international bailout.

Greece’s jobless rate has almost tripled since the country’s debt crisis emerged in 2009 and was more than twice the euro zone’s average unemployment reading of 12.1 percent in March.

While the overall unemployment rate rose to 27 per cent, according to statistics service data released on Thursday, joblessness among those aged between 15 and 24 jumped to 64.2 percent in February from 59.3 percent in January.

#2 ~ Detroit, Michigan Is Insolvent And Is Rapidly Running Out Of Cash

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Richard Cottrell ~ The Empire Strikes Back: Luftwaffe Bombs Cyprus

End The Lie March 26 2013

The EU commissioned a precision raid on Cyprus over the weekend. Furhina Merkel ordered an initial reconnaissance in a specially hired state of the art jet equipped with sensors to detect deposits of off-shore funds ripe for taking out by follow-up guided missiles.

Working on the ground, trained spotters dropped by moonlight or slipping ashore unseen in small craft, guided the incoming raiders to their targets.

Cypriots awoke to the wail of air raid sirens over the capital Nicosia and every town and village in the tiny island state. Then came the thunder from the skies, with all the terrible force of a Wall Street bunker-busting bomb. Wham! Laiki (‘Popular’) bank took a direct hit, blown to smithereens.

Ground-to-vault guided missiles took out most deposits over 100,000 euros, fortunately leaving smaller amounts only slightly singed, at least for the time being.

Specially tipped weapons designed to detect hot Russian money found their targets with exquisite precision

Air Marshall Mario Draghi at ECB Fiscal Bomber Command in Frankfurt declared the mission ‘a complete success.’

‘We have taken a small and defenseless country and bombed it back to the fiscal Stone Age, just to show that we mean business.

‘Of course it is a salutary lesson that when it comes to the might of the euro squadrons, resistance is useless.

‘Other so called ‘nation states’ and assorted back-sliders who may be tempted to the path of rebellion should survey the ruins of Cyprus and think again, long and hard. The imperial squadrons will in future strike hard and fast before there are any time-wasting pretexts at negotiations.

‘From now on, no savings are safe. From now on, no deposit account, no deep armored vault will resist the imperial raiders.

‘We tried the soft approach in Greece, by reducing the country to starvation and abject disorder. That wasn’t enough for the Cypriots. They plotted sedition and treachery in the middle of the night. Can you believe it, the miserable traitors even sent  secret emissaries  to  the Evil Empire!’

‘And the ultimate heresy! They threatened to give away our gas and oil to godless infidels! Why this in itself was enough to start a war. It was time to act cleanly, quickly and surgically.’

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Bix Weir ~ All Banks To Impose “Capital Controls” Within Weeks

www.RoadtoRoota.com March 26 2013

Things are happening as predicted. A whole lot of talk coming out of Europe that the Cyprus issue is under control and yet all Cyprus banks are still closed!

Cyprus making “Superhuman” Effort to Reopen Banks by Thursday

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21940060

I’m sorry but the “cat is out of the bag” when it comes to fractional reserve banking and it will never crawl back in the bag. Yes, the Cyprus banks will open but depositors will not be able to take all their money out…ever!

The name of the game will be Capital Controls…meaning that depositors will only be allowed to take out little bits of their money for as long as the system is under stress.

Which will be forever!

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Stephen Lendman ~ Cyprus Seeks 11th Hour Deal

Stephen Lendman March 24 2013

When politicians conspire with bankers, ordinary people suffer most. Cypriot crisis conditions continue. One bad plan follows others.

The latest is unprecedented. Cypriot and Eurocrat officials are close to agreement. At issue is levying a one-time 20% tax on Bank of Cyprus deposits over 100,000 euros. Similar amounts in other banks will be assessed 4%.

Cyprus has to raise 5.8 billion euros by Monday. Otherwise emergency ECB funding will end. Eurocrats require it for a 10 billion euro bailout.

On Sunday, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades will meet Eurocrats in Brussels. They have final say.

Cypriot legislators enacted nine related laws. They include non-cash transaction restrictions, freezing check cashing, limiting withdrawals, and converting checking accounts into fixed-term deposits.

Eurocrats demand more. They want their pound of flesh. Eurozone finance ministers scheduled an emergency Sunday evening Brussels meeting. IMF and ECB officials will join them.

Anastasiades will present his latest proposal. They have to agree. Cypriot parliament approval must follow. Events are fast moving. They bode ill for ordinary Cypriots.

Demonstrators protested outside the presidential palace. “Resign! Resign! they shouted. They fear lost jobs and hard times. Force-fed austerity assures it.

Cypriots face a Greek tragedy. Economist Yanis Varoufakis explained. Social conditions are appalling. Austerity “led to a depressed economy and a depressed population.”

No “silver linings” exist. “Even profitable companies go under.” Greek bank guarantees aren’t accepted abroad.

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Charles Scaliger ~ Cyprus Openly Defies The EU

The New American March 21 2013

Four days into the worst crisis to hit the island nation since the 1974 invasion by Turkey, Cyprus’ lawmakers did the unthinkable and the unprecedented Tuesday: In voting unanimously to reject the levy on bank savings mandated by EU authorities in Brussels to pay for a bailout, Cyprus has become the first country to openly defy the will of EU financial Powers That Be and the international banking cartel that they serve.

The crisis in Cyprus is rapidly evolving into a financial confrontation between Russia and the EU, since Cypriot banks are major repositories for Russia’s wealthy nomenklatura (and not a few Russian gangsters, it is alleged). Moscow is now working feverishly with the government of Cyprus to reach an alternative deal whereby Russia would extend a needed loan to keep banks in Nicosia afloat, in exchange, perhaps, for access to Cyprus’ newly discovered offshore gas fields. Cypriot authorities, meanwhile, have extended the “bank holiday” through next Tuesday, warning of calamitous consequences if no bailout is forthcoming.

Newly elected president of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades remains adamant that some sort of austerity must be imposed on Cypriots to secure an EU bailout. Options under discussion include imposing the controversial levy on savings at slightly lower rates to make the confiscation more palatable, especially for small accountholders, and raiding the country’s pension funds (another tried and true target for government looters when there’s no more money to pay creditors).

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Escalating Currency Wars May Make 2013 The Year Of The Epic Economic Failure

Silver Doctors February 13 2013 (Thanks, A.L.)

The trade between Japan and Europe and China and Europe will be hit very hard when Europe can’t afford goods from China and Japan. The east will suffer badly as devaluations won’t overcome the recessions and depressions in Europe.
These are real and dangerous tipping points that won’t hold back very long. The people in Italy, Greece and Spain are near the breaking point. I doubt if the Fed will have enough money to bail out Europe when Benny is spending all his political capital in bailing out the US, although I would not be surprised if the Fed doesn’t give it a try, nonetheless.

If we thought 2012 was the year of the epic failure, it may have been just a warmup act to 2013.

Virtually all the big GDP countries are engaged in ZIRP printing to devalue their currencies, racing to this end to keep the trade engine going.
All the major GDPs are showing red arrows in their economic indicators. For one country to win, others will be hurt.

Japan, China, the EU and US are all on track to accomplish this rampant devaluation business. Japan is probably on a fast track to the bottom in their current bout of devaluation.

Abe is out for war, FIAT or hot, it does not seem to matter to him

South Korea is being hammered by the Yen but they are unlikely to launch missiles against the Japanese homelands.

China sees these FAIT effects on their exports.

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Matthew Lynn ~ Food Prices May Be Catalyst For 2013 Revolutions

Govt Slaves | January 17 2013 | Market Watch

What is the trigger for a revolution? Sometimes it a brutal act of repression. Sometimes it a lost war, or a natural catastrophe, that exposes the failings of a regime.

But more often than not, it is soaring food prices.

The easiest prediction to make for 2013 is that everything we eat will once again rise sharply in price. So where will the revolutions start this year? Keep an eye on Algeria and Greece — and if you want to feel very nervous, Russia and China. And if you are smart, keep your money out of those countries as well.

Reuters ~ Food prices around the world could soar this year if there’s a repeat of 2012’s drought in the American Midwest.

The link between the cost of feeding your family and political turmoil is too well-established to be ignored. We saw it most recently with the Arab Spring of 2011. The uprisings that deposed the autocracies of the Middle East had their roots in food inflation. Most of the Middle East countries import 50% or more of their food, making them acutely vulnerable to rising commodity prices. In Egypt the food inflation rate hit 19% in early 2011. For President Hosni Mubarak that was game over. The regime was finished.

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By The Numbers: 20 Facts About The Collapse Of Europe That Everyone Should Know

The Economic Collapse Blog | January 9 2013

The economic implosion of Europe is accelerating.  Even while the mainstream media continues to proclaim that the financial crisis in Europe has been “averted”, the economic statistics that are coming out of Europe just continue to get worse.  Manufacturing activity in Europe has been contracting month after month, the unemployment rate in the eurozone has hit yet another brand new record high, and the official unemployment rates in both Greece and Spain are now much higher than the peak unemployment rate in the United States during the Great Depression of the 1930s.  The economic situation in Europe is far worse than it was a year ago, and it is going to continue to get worse as austerity continues to take a huge toll on the economies of the eurozone.  It would be hard to understate how bad things have gotten – particularly in southern Europe.  The truth is that most of southern Europe is experiencing a full-blown economic depression right now.  Sadly, most Americans are paying very little attention to what is going on across the Atlantic.  But they should be watching, because this is what happens when nations accumulate too much debt.  The United States has the biggest debt burden of all, and eventually what is happening over in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Greece is going to happen over here as well.

The following are 20 facts about the collapse of Europe that everyone should know…

#1 10 Months: Manufacturing activity in both France and Germany has contracted for 10 months in a row.

#2 11.8 Percent: The unemployment rate in the eurozone has now risen to 11.8 percent – a brand new all-time high.

#3 17 Months: In November, Italy experienced the sharpest decline in retail sales that it had experienced in 17 months.

#4 20 Months: Manufacturing activity in Spain has contracted for 20 months in a row.

#5 20 Percent: It is estimated that bad loans now make up approximately 20 percent of all domestic loans in the Greek banking system at this point.

#6 22 Percent: A whopping 22 percent of the entire population of Ireland lives in jobless households.

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Predictions For 2013 And Review Of Survival 5×5′s 2012 Predictions

Survival 5×5 | December 16 2012 | Thanks, A.L.

Survival 5×5 writes ~ Before we start, let’s take a look back at my 2012 predictions. Here is the link to the original article about 2012 predictions. Predictions for 2012 – Be ready with contingencies

A quick review of my 2012 predictions:

  1. US Economy will continue on a slow recovery — I was spot on correct with this prediction. (Score: 1 point)
  2. Bankruptcies in States and Municipalities — Several cities did declare bankruptcy. States are creeping closer to bankruptcy, notably Illinois. I’ll give myself a half correct rating for this item. (Score: 0.5 point)
  3. Europe has run out of time — Europe is going deeper into the hole. Spain entered their Great Depression in 2012. Greece is in just a miserable situation. On average, the Euro economies are shrinking. Greece did not go bankrupt yet. So I’ll give myself a half correct rating on this item. (Score: 0.5 point)
  4. Price of food will continue to increase — I was absolutely correct on this item. Inflation in food was just terrible in 2012. (Score: 1 point)
  5. Clustering of natural disasters will continue — Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. Earthquake activities was dramatically increased in 2012. I’ll rate myself correct on this item. (Score: 1 point)
  6. 2012 will not be the end of the world – An easy correct prediction. (Score: 1 point)
  7. Iran will dominate international news in 2012 — Syria and Gaza Strip were big news items in 2012. Iran was mixed up in just about every bad in the Middle East. I’ll give myself a 3/4 rating on this item. (Score: 0.75 point)
  8. Obama will be re-elected – correct, and not happy about being right about this. (Score: 1 point)
  9. Survival Prepping will become more mainstream – I’ll say correct, but not as much as I expected. (Score: 0.5 point)
  10. Gun owners will be seen as being the mainstream – There were record sales of guns in 2012 in United States. So I’ll give myself a correct rating here. (Score: 1 point)

Total score is 8.25 out of 10. I’d have to say, not bad. Why score myself? Too many people who make predictions do not revisit their predictions, especially when wrong. All those people who worry that the world is ending on December 21, 2012, what will they think about themselves on the morning of December 22, 2012? How is it possible to grow and learn, unless you reflect on your mistakes? If I’m wrong about my 2013 predictions, I’ll stand up like a man and take my lumps. The other reason to score is credibility. Anyone reading my articles needs to know if I’m full of crap or if I’m a credible source of information? I am far, far from perfect. Yes, my spelling and grammar are horrible. But my heart is in the right place — help people survive disasters and live long in comfort. I invite you to re-read my articles in 2012 and determine if my articles are worth reading in 2013.

Now on to my predictions for 2013.

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Wake Up! 11 Facts That Show That Europe Is Heading Into An Economic Depression

The Economic Collapse Blog | November 30 2012

Europe is not just heading into another recession.  The truth is that Europe is heading into a full-blown depression.  The economy of the EU is actually larger than the U.S. economy, and we are watching it melt down right in front of our eyes.  Things just continue to get worse in Europe, and yet somehow the authorities over in Europe just keep insisting that everything is going to be “just fine”.  Well, everything is not “just fine” over in Europe right now.  Unemployment in the eurozone has just hit another brand new record high.  In some nations in Europe, the unemployment rate is already significantly higher than anything the United States experienced during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Europe is a continent that is collapsing under the weight of its own debt, and this is just the beginning.  A lot more pain is on the way.  Officials over in Europe are trying to hold the European financial system together with duct tape and prayers, but it could literally fall apart at any moment.  Europe has a much larger banking system than the United States does, so when a financial collapse happens in Europe, it is going to be very significant for the entire globe.  Sadly, most Americans do not even pay attention to much of anything that is happening in Europe.  They tend to think that the United States is the center of the universe and that as long as we are fine that everything will be okay.  Well, all of those people who are not paying attention need to wake up.  First of all, the U.S. economy is most definitely in decline.  Secondly, the European economy is imploding right in front of our eyes and Europe is going to end up dragging the entire globe down with it.

The following are 11 facts that show that Europe is heading into an economic depression…

1. The economies of 17 out of the 27 countries in the EU have contracted for at least two consecutive quarters.

2. Unemployment in the eurozone has hit a brand new all-time record high of 11.7 percent.

3. The unemployment rate in Portugal is now up to 16.3 percent.  A year ago it was just 13.7 percent. Continue reading

Greg Hunter ~ Weekly News Wrap Up November 9 2012 [Video]

USA Watchdog

After $6 billion spent on this election cycle, we have nearly the exact same Republican controlled House and Democratic controlled Senate and, of course, Barack Obama won re-election.  Get ready for more gridlock.  I do think some kind of deal will be made, but there’s no way we get one unless some taxes go up and spending cuts are enacted.  Congress and President have until the end of the year when mandatory cuts and tax increases take effect.  This is why they are calling this a “Fiscal Cliff.”

It was revealed today that five days before the election, Iran took some shots at one of our drones.  It was unarmed and reportedly flying over international waters, but that didn’t stop two Iranian war planes from trying to shoot it down.  Shooting at a U.S. military aircraft could be considered an act of war, but I don’t think this will start one.  The U.S. is in not-so-secret meetings with Iran to reign in its nuclear program.  It looks like Iran feels it has the upper hand.  The U.S. is in a very weak place as war could crash the U.S. economy.  The $700 derivatives market could go haywire and melt down if there was a war in the Middle East.  Interest rates and oil prices could spike, and the dollar could suffer a steep selloff.  That’s just a few of the things that could happen as a result of war in the Persian Gulf.

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Michael Winfrey & Karolina Tagaris ~ Greece To Vote On Austerity, Protests Intensify

The Jeenyus Corner | November 7 2012

ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s coalition government hopes to overcome its own divisions and defy protesters’ fury at parliament’s gates on Wednesday to push through an austerity package needed to secure an injection of aid and avert bankruptcy.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is expected to narrowly win support for the budget cuts, tax hikes and labor reforms. The smallest party in his conservative-liberal coalition oppose the measures, leaving him with a margin of just a handful of votes.

Tens of thousands of union workers plan to descend on the assembly in a second day of a nationwide strike that has brought most public transport to a halt, shut schools, banks and government offices, and caused garbage to pile up on streets.

Backed by the leftist opposition, unions say the measures will hit the poor and spare the wealthy, while deepening a five year recession that has wiped out a fifth of the Mediterranean country’s output and driven unemployment to 25 percent.

“If lawmakers vote in favor of the measures… they will have committed the biggest ever political and social crime against the country and the people,” said Nikos Kioutsoukis, secretary general of the private umbrella union GSEE.

“We won’t let them destroy the country.”

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George Leong, BA, B.Comm. ~ Folks! We Have $16.0 Trillion In Debt

Investment Contrarians | October 17 2012

When you scroll through the pages of Investment Contrarians, you cannot help but notice the running U.S. national debt counter that sits at over $16.2 trillion and rapidly moves higher. With every passing second, America is growing poorer and will continue to unless major changes are made, but it will be difficult. At the core of the problem is the direction of the upcoming “fiscal cliff” and its impact on the economy and national debt.

Automatic and massive budget cuts are forthcoming in January, unless an extension is made. At first, this may sound like the correct strategy but, as many of you know, cutting government spending will impact the country’s already fragile economic recovery. And what concerns me more is where the cuts will be made.

The problem is that a significant cut in fiscal spending could make the economy worse, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO predicts the U.S. economy could contract by 0.5% in 2013 if the spending is curtailed. (Source: www.CBO.gov.)

While there is no indication of what areas will be affected, my feeling is that the cuts will likely be from Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, defense/wars, and federal pensions.

Whether President Obama extends his term in office or Mitt Romney takes over, the next government has major decisions to make, including what to do with the pending budget cuts.

The media continues to focus on the debt distress in Spain and the tough road ahead for Greece, but there is seldom any mention regarding the massive and runaway U.S. debt.

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