[SeaGypsy]

My bet is this guy comes from an orthodox religious bent, as I responded firstly. To blame sordid bedroom activity for TEOTWAWKI is another very old profession.

[ennui2]

I believe the West has never seen terrorism and the so called "War on terrorism" as the high priority that they showcase it to be. Rather they have utilized the premise of the "ongoing war'" ala 1984 George Orwell, to "normalize' the state of war so as to strengthen their grip on power

Here we go again with the presumed omniscience to mind-read TPTB's agenda and a one-sided screed against "the west". Did it ever occur to you that countries like Iran and NK feed on the narrative of being under some constant state of siege or potential siege? Fear is used as a political tool worldwide. It's not something reserved for illuminati.

As for terrorism being "so called", tell that to my fellow Massachusetts victims of the Marathon bombing. You can say the death-toll from it doesn't match the emphasis placed on it in the rhetoric, but it's a reality.

[Hawkcreek]

Hawk, Greer is somewhat of a self-absorbed middle class guy, probably from the US. His perspective seems somewhat naive, he references his own life and his own neighborhood. Not Syria, Libya and now . . . all of Europe.

I have always been doomer-lite, because I distinguish the USA from the rest of the world. And I also distinguish regions and outcomes here in the USA. We will see our own internal migrations -- from energy-expensive places to more moderate useful climes. And that will happen a lot sooner than folks expect. ?USA remains very dependent on JIT manufacturing systems, much of which is located in much more fragile places like India, China, Vietnam. We have no idea what happens to product delivery and our consumer economy. Chaos is lurking now everywhere.

I agree that Greer is somewhat idea-centric. He has some good ideas, but seems to insist that all collapses must follow the same pattern. If you differ from what he says, he poo-poos the idea that it may be different this time.
I have always been somewhat doomer-lite also, only because I believe that the next collapse will take place with much more distributed information available than the ones that came before. Total collapse may take 200 years, but it won't drive us as far back, nor last for centuries like in the dark ages. There are just too many hard copy books available to allow the loss of all the knowledge that we have already gained.
It makes me wish I wasn't so old, cause it is gonna be interesting to watch and see the rest of the story.

[ennui2]

I too do not see the relation to porn and prostitution.

At its heart, porn is about watching someone else have real sex with a woman as a proxy or substitute for a prostitute. As it is, though, the industry is dying because of piracy.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/1 ... 60799.html

I don't know how much money prostitution is making these days, since porn is (again) a much cheaper and less risky activity than hiring a prostitute and it's a hell of a lot easier to access.

As for what this does to society, lots have been written about it lately--that it has led to hookup-culture. The cliche' goes that men give love for sex and women give sex for love. Porn breaks that paradigm so that men have a more reliable escape-valve and don't need to work as hard at giving women what they want, which over time forces women to compete by engaging in more casual sex.

I don't know what this has to do with doom, necessarily. It's just that I think overall, the internet in particular has led us into "the shallows" where we're all connected, but only in the most superficial way. And I think if all you know how to do is troll the internet posting Lolcats or Obama satirical cartoons that your social skills just rot away. Everyone seems to be busy saying something and yet most of it takes the form of a mindless joke, knee-jerk political rant, or personal insult rather than an insightful point (witness Pstarr's most recent troll criticizing the fact I look down on people who have fallen for the tat and piercing craze).

[ennui2]

I believe that the next collapse will take place with much more distributed information available than the ones that came before. Total collapse may take 200 years, but it won't drive us as far back, nor last for centuries like in the dark ages. There are just too many hard copy books available to allow the loss of all the knowledge that we have already gained.
It makes me wish I wasn't so old, cause it is gonna be interesting to watch and see the rest of the story.

Words like "total collapse" are just abstractions. Access to information is nice and all, but if the carrying capacity of the planet drops to a certain extent, then it's just a simple game of musical chairs. People are gonna die. Sure. If billions die and when all is said and done there's enough information on technology to turn some lights back on again and have some semblance of modernity within little pockets of what's left of the earth, great. I'd still classify what had just taken place as "total collapse", though, just by virtue of the sheer body-count. It would be kind of like the leftover community in the newest Planet of the Apes film. They still had some leftover tech working and the know-how to use it, but they sure as well went through a "total collapse" by my definition of the term. They don't have to be living like cave-men to have pretty much lost everything. I guess that's because I value human life more than gadgets. I don't see "gee, we'll still have books" as much of a silver-lining to hang onto.

[Keith_McClary]

I expect you to fund my social security 10 years from now.

The promised quantity of bits and bytes will be electronically transmitted to your bank account.

[Keith_McClary]

From my understanding people who dress and act radically usually have some strong inner turmoils or grievances.

Whereas those who wear suits and ties have no such problems.

[onlooker]

They do also Keith but they do not wish to acknowledge it or they wish to present themselves to the world as having none.

[vtsnowedin]

I expect you to fund my social security 10 years from now.

The promised quantity of bits and bytes will be electronically transmitted to your bank account.

Yes I expect that every penny promised will show up in my account. Unfortunately a loaf of bread will cost $30.00 ,a gallon of gas or heating oil will cost $10.00 and a doctor's office visit will have a $500 deductible and if you don't go every three months for required ("Preventive care") they won't fill your prescriptions.

[dolanbaker]

With the lack of growth in the economy, deflation is far more likely than inflation, there have been several attempts to create inflation over the past decade, even the crazy lending in 2006 should have triggered inflation but it didn't.
Low growth means less money in the "real economy" leading to less tax collected and reduced money available for benefits.
The scary thing about deflation is that the retail prices don't rise and when benefits are actually cut, they are highly visible to the general public.
Unlike when cuts can be hidden by not increasing them in line with prevailing inflation.

[onlooker]

Ennui, I respect your posting, we just have a difference of opinion about the extent of control and intentions of the Western cabal/elite/illuminanti. I have read sufficient to convince me that this is a deliberate plot to consolidate and institutionalize their power over the entire planet. Yet of course their is opposition to this from other powers namely Russia and China. People have also understood some of their tactics and methods. I recommend a speech by President Kennedy in which he makes reference to "A Monolithic and Ruthless conspiracy" as well as quote from famous and important people throughout time warning of this in particular related to the Bank sector and in particular the Rothchilds. Also, I do not say real terrorism did not exist I simply parenthetically alluded to my opinion that the War on Terrorism is a front and exaggeration to hide this agenda of furthering their grip of power. I am sorry for the victims of terrorism which is why I stay on point about my opinion about terrorism at the present time. By the way on a side note the families of 911 victims are trying to take to court the US government and/or some officials in the gov related to their role in 911. I guess the families must know something uh. Finally, your reference to the fear factor in fact bolsters my stance as one of the byproducts of a constant state of War is too paralyze the population in fear so to allow abuses of power by their representatives in the name of security.

[vtsnowedin]

Ennui, I respect your posting, we just have a difference of opinion about the extent of control and intentions of the Western cabal/elite/illuminanti. I have read sufficient to convince me that this is a deliberate plot to consolidate and institutionalize their power over the entire planet. Yet of course their is opposition to this from other powers namely Russia and China. People have also understood some of their tactics and methods. I recommend a speech by President Kennedy in which he makes reference to "A Monolithic and Ruthless conspiracy" as well as quote from famous and important people throughout time warning of this in particular related to the Bank sector and in particular the Rothchilds. Also, I do not say real terrorism did not exist I simply parenthetically alluded to my opinion that the War on Terrorism is a front and exaggeration to hide this agenda of furthering their grip of power. I am sorry for the victims of terrorism which is why I stay on point about my opinion about terrorism at the present time. By the way on a side note the families of 911 victims are trying to take to court the US government and/or some officials in the gov related to their role in 911. I guess the families must know something uh. Finally, your reference to the fear factor in fact bolsters my stance as one of the byproducts of a constant state of War is too paralyze the population in fear so to allow abuses of power by their representatives in the name of security.

Get a grip Innuie!!
JFK has been dead for over FIFTY YEARS! He couldn't possibly have had any insight to our present situation. Next you will be telling me the "Rothschild's orchestrated four planes hijacked by terrorist who flew one into the ground a bit short of the Pentagon and crashed one into a field in Pennsylvania instead of into the Capital building or the White house and that the two that flew into the trade towers Knew that the government had wired the whole of the two buildings with explosives to bring them down because a 120,000 lb aircraft full of fuel flying at 300 mph couldn't do it.

[Pops]

With the lack of growth in the economy, deflation is far more likely than inflation,

Very good explanation. People have a hard time separating their political ideology from economic reality, to those who value austerity and fiscal restraint, doom probably involves money losing value, "Hyperinflation just like Weimar Germany." I suppose they are remembering the training of their parents who were alive at that time.

The difference between dollars and German Marks is that no one wanted inconvertible paper Marks they wanted convertible gold marks so paper marks lost value as they were printed. The US dollar today is in short supply worldwide partly because we have cut our export of dollars in return for imports of oil. Likewise since people want dollars because they see them as safe, the relative value is high and that makes the dollar denominated value of oil appear higher to the rest of the world than it looks in the US.

--
With peak oil:
Demand for bank issued dollars "loans" will decline —
because there is less economic potential so less chance to pay back loans —
the value money will rise on a lower supply of bank dollars
So not only will the value of assets fall on lower demand
the relative value of assets will fall on higher dollar value.

I think

--
I'm a little different than some in that I don't believe collapse is inevitable — I just don't believe it is impossible.

My parents taught me a different lesson, deflation. My dad's family was average poor but my mom's family was pretty well off. Quite a few acres of rangeland and a few oil wells. WWI was good to them and they were fat and sassy in the teens. Then oil fell from near $100/bbl to less than $20 and cattle prices tanked. The value of their land likewise collapsed. They went from rolling in it to refugees in just a few years.

Deflation.


.

[onlooker]

Get a grip Innuie!!
JFK has been dead for over FIFTY YEARS! He couldn't possibly have had any insight to our present situation. Next you will be telling me the "Rothschild's orchestrated four planes hijacked by terrorist who flew one into the ground a bit short of the Pentagon and crashed one into a field in Pennsylvania instead of into the Capital building or the White house and that the two that flew into the trade towers Knew that the government had wired the whole of the two buildings with explosives to bring them down because a 120,000 lb aircraft full of fuel flying at 300 mph couldn't do it.

Well, V first JFK could certainly have insight into present situation given that the US was already captured by the Big money interests at the time he was President and that corruption of the political process has gotten even worse over time. I made no mention that the Rothchilds orchestrated anything, simply that they are some of who masterminded the idea to utilize the War on Terrorism as a smoke screen of which 911 is central to this tactic and strategy. As for your reference to the the actions of the planes well none of these actions is inconsistent with a choreographed illusion of terrorism as well as a interference with regards to the plane going down in Pennsylvania. Finally, yes perhaps a direct hit as occurred could have bought down one or both of the twin tower buildings but not the way they went down ala controlled demolition or explain why a building that was not hit went down the third building no. 7. Okay Mods feel free to cut this post and transfer to pertinent 911 topic-thread. Just replying to the other post.

[Newfie]

I like what you wrote Pops. I don't completely agree which is no big deal, I don't have strong opinions on this anyway.

My gut says we are heading into deflation, no argument, just my gut.

I feel collapse is inevitable, but no sense of the time scale.

I still think rapid collapse is possible, but no predictions of how or when.

My prediction, such as it is, is that we will remain in very uncertain times for the near term, maybe a few years, maybe a few decades. Unsettled times, much mulling about befor a solid downward spiral sets in. Will that be inflationary or deflationary? Narry a clue.

Preps should be to remain as flexible as possible.

[ennui2]

Ennui, I respect your posting, we just have a difference of opinion about the extent of control and intentions of the Western cabal/elite/illuminanti.

And if you insist on posting your CT-laced opinions as fact, I'll keep rebutting them.

The influence of the rich is not a secret cabal. Everyone knows about the Koch Brothers or Roger Ailes or the various other corporate lobbies. This stuff is a matter of public record. Boiler-plate BS about Rothschilds and secret depopulation plans and stuff is just paranoid fantasies.

one of the byproducts of a constant state of War is too paralyze the population in fear so to allow abuses of power by their representatives in the name of security.

Yes, and you see this in many countries OTHER than the US. North Korea especially.

[onlooker]

Does it really matter Ennui, if the "conspiracy" is an intentional one or a coincidental one. The point is that big industries, corporations, governments and the wealthy have devised and profited from a system whereby greed is rewarded and whereby we have a perverse inequality in the world whereby 20% control 80% of the worlds wealth. Even more perverse if you distill it down to the 1% of 1% of the 20% who have so much friggin wealth. Or take the US military spending why so much what has been the great threat to the US after WWII. Why was globalization foisted upon the world for the benefit of the many hardly. Corporations, Banking and a few of the lucky rich countries to some degree have benefited, you could make the case that in Net the US has not because of the all the jobs lost overseas. The stock markets do they really perform that important a function that they are so integral to some countries and utilized so much by the wealthy? I would say no. They just are a way above all for the wealthy to increase their wealth. As you said the influence of the rich, maybe or maybe not involving secret meetings and plans, but not particularly pertinent the net result is the same, a world out of balance with greed, inequality, lack of deference to Mother Nature and so on.

[Plantagenet]

Does it really matter .... if the "conspiracy" is an intentional one or a coincidental one.

Yes it does matter because the word "conspiracy" by definition means a secret cabal intentionally plotting something out.

If its just coincidental then its not a conspiracy.

Cheers!


Yes it does matter.

[onlooker]

My point was coincidental or conspiracy, it still has produced the same results. It may be that greed and power lust does not need any planning per say, these can be seen simply as a force that has pushed the world in the path it has taken.