Economic collapse

[wifecallsmegrumpy]

I can understand wanting to protect what you have but this zombie thing is just so far out there. When the marketing people have got hold of it and use it to sell you stuff you know it's never going to happen. Very Y2K in my mind.

It has elements of realism for people as the fiscal problems the US have are causing tough times for a lot of people and it causes frustration but provided resonable measures are put in place (including austerity) it's unlikely to make a noticable change in the standard of living for most people. Perhaps some won't be eligble for the car / house loan they used to have but I'd suggest if you stick to spending only the money you earn you should be fine. The unfortunate part is that goes for your government also who seem to be the worst culprits trying to "buy" votes.

A large proportion of great consumer products are still generated from the US, (Apple, Textiles, Clothing, Footwear, Microsoft) it's just you use the cheap labour in China to produce them. It's time that changed and the US kept more revenue internal. It's an unfortunate outcome of globalisation but you don't need to give it away and it wouldn't have killed the products.

Just some ramblings from an Australian on his third beer... Zombies...Really ??

[pacapcop]

Zombie is a term i used loosely.I should of said delusional shoppers conducting themselves like thugs over cheap crap.Resonable measures missed the boat long ago,like sound money backed by metal and not created out of thin air.Now their is talk in D.C. which i heard last yr about having IRA and 401K accts of indiviuals to be routed into US Bonds,which by the way are in a bubble presently.Now that's called confiscation.Nobody wants US Bonds anymore,that partys over.

[pacapcop]

Some trader has made a very big bet that something very bad will happen within the next 60 days.An options trader has made an enormous 11.25 million dollar bet that the VIX will explode higher very soon.And a rally in the VIX is usually accompanied by a drop in the stock markets.The volatility index(aka the VIX,aka the "fear index")is near historic lows.Last week somebody put on a call spread on the VIX using the April 20 and 25 puts.They bought 150,000 contracts for a net of $75 per contract.that is an 11,250.000 bet that the VIX will move over 20 over the next 60 days.One would have to be VERY confident in their outlook to risk $11 million on a directional position with the VIX at 5 yrs LOWS and markets trying to break out to new highs.Bottom line,thats a lot of coin and something is afoot.So springtime,keep aware of a POSSIBLE dollar crises/market dive situation.Personally,im fearing this propped up market is going to get hammered and the dollars days of "The Worlds Reserve Currency" are numbered.

[EdMc]

Now that's an interesting position to take......11 mil worth. You got a link to the story. I'd like to read it.

The VP today has asked for help from the 'legitimate media'....... An admission that there _is_ an alternative media? A few blog to sites have disappeared lately.

[EdMc]

Okay, I found the story with the following correction:

http://www.businessinsider.com/art-cashin-on-big-vix-bet-2013-2

[pacapcop]

That's it.Also something else going on.A supposed leak from within DHS by the name (Rosebud) from the Hagmann report is making it clear that this spring or just after, will be the hammer down on the dollar.Very intresting read that corresponds with alot of activity up to this point.This supposed insider,and that's what you have to take it for,stated there will be no fiscal deal.

[BillC]

I just try and pray, that if their is a collapse that I will be able to find insulin for my wife. The writing has been on the wall for a long time now and it doesnt look good at all. I look for my blessed hope and wish for the best.

[harrygunner]

This country "acquired" vast resources of land, timber, gold, oil and brought in "free" labor to help build. Then, within a time-frame a bit longer than the lifespan of a tortoise, is going broke.

Perhaps, the U.S. has a more fundamental problem.

[sqlbullet]

Yeah...We are lazy.

I easily include myself in that group.  I do very little directly to improve the ability of the country to see to it's basic needs.  I don't produce food, clothing or shelter.  When I need those things I buy them.

And most Americans do.  We export knowledge and innovation to a market where these items are increasingly difficult to monetize.  We have to get back to doing.

Now,I am going back to my greenhouse plans.  I hope to be eating fresh tomatoes in February next year here in the mountain west.  Gonna start doing my part.

[The_Shadow]

I have been teaching my niece to plant seeds for my vegetable garden, right now we have two variety of tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers coming up, soon as it dries out and the sprouts get a little bigger, I show her how to transplant them.

[sqlbullet]

Cool.  My oldest daughter makes many of her clothes...Dresses and such.  She still buys jeans because cheap ones you can't buy the cloth for what you can buy a pre-made pair.  But, she has the skills, and could make her own clothes if she had too.

We are starting a big remodeling project, and I plan to use it as a chance to teach my children about foundations framing, plumbing, wiring.  Plus, they will get to participate in the practicals of flooring, finish plumbing and finish carpentry since we are doing everything in the home ourselves post drywall.  And we are doing all the basement ourselves.

Still, as a society, too many of us don't end the day having produced anything you can touch.  I sit on my but and program databases all day.  It is very valuable to my company, based on what they pay me.  But it is not like I could eat it, wear it or live in it.

And, I work my 50-60 hours a week and call it good.  My grandfather was a farmer.  He worked 50 hours a week in the winter doing equipment maintenance. He worked 100 hours a week the rest of the year planting, caring for and harvesting soybeans and corn.

Those people are too few.  And guys like me are too many.

[REDLINE]

I fear the way the economy is going right now is the best we'll ever have to hope for.  Sure, things go up and down, but it seems the overall trend is down.  Also, I don't get too excited about the amount of money floating around, which is always more and more and they keep the printing presses going full steam ahead.  All it ends up doing is devaluing what we already had.  Sure, there's more to it than that, still though I don't like the way I see things going overall.

[P33v3]

I see folks buying up Gold and Silver and ask myself why. My thinking is this: what is worth more, Gold and Silver or Food and bullets? I believe that a cup of bullets would buy more food than a cup of gold in a full economic meltdown. I think food and bullets are a better investment if that is your concern. Of course bullets as rare as they are becoming these days almost DO cost a cup of gold (well at least maybe silver).

[sqlbullet]

I see folks buying up Gold and Silver and ask myself why. My thinking is this: what is worth more, Gold and Silver or Food and bullets? I believe that a cup of bullets would buy more food than a cup of gold in a full economic meltdown. I think food and bullets are a better investment if that is your concern. Of course bullets as rare as they are becoming these days almost DO cost a cup of gold (well at least maybe silver).

I have long said that every good Mormon should have a year supply of whiskey and cigarrettes in their food storage.  And agree completely that in an end of days scenario people with gold will likely be hungry.  No one with food is likely to sell it for something of so little utility as heavy shiny metal.

[REDLINE]

I agree.  Not going to worry about owning any precious metals to speak of.