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Post by popee on Jan 8, 2011 12:28:17 GMT -5
Hello board members. Please excuse this as a first post, I'll write up a proper introduction later (that one is more difficult than this).
I have been trying to understand my better self for a little while now, but concurrently, I am living in the world we all know. That world has some big issues going on, and I'm torn as to whether to pay attention, or ignore it.
Over time, society has created a rather unstable economic foundation. Without perpetual growth the system will fail, it can withstand short periods of no to negative growth (recessions) but sustained periods of negative growth (depressions) will collapse the ponzi. I believe the world is headed for the greatest depression ever. Without the extraordinary measures taken by the Fed and the government, it would have already begun in earnest, but those extraordinary measures can not continue forever. If the central planners are successful, then we'll weather this storm, but I don't really see how their band aids can keep up with all the holes in the dam.
I bought some precious metals and some long term food storage because I have family members that I need to protect. But!!!!!, I also know that all suffering is just a mental condition. So all of the above is silly from that perspective.
Any thoughts?
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Post by zendancer on Jan 8, 2011 14:38:01 GMT -5
Oh man; I could write a book about this one! LOL. The short version is that "what is" is one h##l of a fascinating play, and if you enjoy history, economics, finance, politics, demographics, and lots of intellectual reflection, then these days should provide you with maximum fun in the sun. Understanding what's happening in either a macroeconomic or microeconomic sense and knowing what to do about it is a lot like playing ball on running water. Enjoy!
You wrote that you bought some precious metals and stored some food to protect family members against possible future calamity. Okay. So, you've prepared for the worst. What's the problem now? Just curious.
BTW, if you stored some good wine rather than precious metals for TEOTWAWKI, you could trade the wine for things you might need more easily than bars of gold, and if things got really bad, you could drink the wine and things wouldn't seem nearly so bad.
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Post by michaelsees on Jan 8, 2011 15:06:10 GMT -5
Ok I have the perfect answer for you. Remember I am serious here sell out and live the US and move to the beautiful highlands of Panama. There's a place I lived for 5 years a small mountain town called Volcan. There are around 200 American families living there now. Most are beautiful folks. They are not the survivalist type just Americans that can see the writing on the wall in the US and realize soon something unimaginable will happen. Now here's the beauty of living there.
No one gives a rat's butt about this area in Panama. the climate is eternal springlike year around which means you can grow your own food very easy. The locals are very nice. The land is cheap and if you look around you can easily find a fixer upper on a hectare (2.5 acres) land for around $40,000. Things in Panama are very good the economy is going great and the infrastructure is close to what we have in the US. In this area the US government can panake and you would not get hurt at all. You want to make sure you bring your gold, rhodium or platinum down there with you. Panama still uses the US dollar however a good part of Panama is of Chinese descent.
If the US folds which I feel it will soon then Panama with just switch to the Chinese Yaun.
Panama does not owe China nothing the US owes China over 800 Billion when China calls in hat debt the US will fold.
Sorry nothing spiritual here just a lot of useful knowledge
Michael
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Post by enigma on Jan 8, 2011 15:16:19 GMT -5
"BTW, if you stored some good wine rather than precious metals for TEOTWAWKI, you could trade the wine for things you might need more easily than bars of gold, and if things got really bad, you could drink the wine and things wouldn't seem nearly so bad."
Hehe. That's a great point. When the starving neighbors come around with the shotgun and the pick ax, they're probly not looking for gold to make jewelry out of.
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Post by zendancer on Jan 8, 2011 16:01:27 GMT -5
Yep. I always get tickled by this sort of stuff. A few weeks ago a woman told me that she didn't know what to do with her money (her husband had always managed their money, but they had split up), and asked me if she should put some of her money into gold. I told her:
1. Gold cannot be eaten, so it's not worth much if disaster strikes.
2. It's never a good idea to buy anything that is at an all-time high price.
3. Gold has never been a good long-term investment vehicle.
4. To get objective investing advice, never ask anyone for advice who has something to sell.
5. Before investing one's money, one should become knowledgeable about what's going on and what all of the options are. I suggested that she get educated.
In the past, people relied upon their company, or the government, or their stockbroker to provide for their retirement, but IMO it is no longer wise to rely upon any of those entities. Companies go bankrupt, the government doesn't have its act together, and stockbrokers are nothing more than glorified salesmen (my apologies to all of the stockbrokers on the forum for calling a spade a spade). Probably the most intelligent thing that one can do if one is ignorant about personal finance is go to the library and start doing some serious reading, or pay some financial advisors on an hourly basis for advice.
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Post by michaelsees on Jan 8, 2011 16:11:07 GMT -5
True but China as a country is doing great and will continue until they own the US.
Imagine a country of that size not only being debt free but having some of the largest nations owing them bigtime. Oh China buys gold. IT was not too long ago spot gold was at $250 oz.
I had friends that bought quite a bit at that time. Now granted we are talking buying gold in 2001 at that price and today it's over $1,340 oz. 430% profit in 10 years not bad.
Michael
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Post by popee on Jan 8, 2011 16:47:56 GMT -5
Thanks for the great replies all. I was hoping zendancer would chime in, I saw somewhere here that he trades stocks (for a living?). LOL you must have nerves of steel my friend. The markets are so manipulated right now it's crazy. The Fed's "hot" money has distorted any semblance of a normal market (just ask the Algerians about sugar prices).
I like gold and silver, because I do not like fiat. I like food and water too, and wine.
It's actually a funny story how "Spirituality and the Economy" has influenced my life. In Jan 08, I decided to dabble in stocks (talk about bad timing!). Shortly thereafter I googled 'The Federal Reserve", read the Jeckyl Island story, and immediately got caught up in conspiracy theories. Talk about a tangled web! But somehow (oddly enough) some conspiracies and religion co-mingle in certain areas (The Vatican, Jesuits, Illuminati, and on). Eventually I extricated myself from the conspiracy side, but then immersed myself into the religion side. Started reading Blavatsky, Gurdieff, The Kyballion and others, and now my life is almost entirely spiritual (in a "washing dishes" kinda way).
Well that's one paragraph of my "introduction" I can dispense of. lol
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Post by popee on Jan 8, 2011 17:15:58 GMT -5
Forgot to say ... Panama sounds nice michaelsees, but I don't speak Spanish, and if this house of cards should really topple - I'd just as soon take my chances here in my hometown.
"What's the problem now? Just curious." - zendancer
I can't help but wonder what Ramana or the other truly great guru's would say about hoarding and such. I think they would chuckle actually, and consider it unnecessary and foolhardy. So do I mostly. If I was alone in this world, I'd still be observing this madness, but I wouldn't lift a finger to "prepare". But, with young grandchildren to worry about, I felt I should set aside my feelings and do whatever I could to give them a shot at survival, should a collapse occur.
You reading zerohedge? Two years ago I didn't know squat about economics, but now I'm pretty well informed about current events.
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Post by zendancer on Jan 8, 2011 17:18:30 GMT -5
Thanks for the great replies all. I was hoping zendancer would chime in, I saw somewhere here that he trades stocks (for a living?). LOL you must have nerves of steel my friend. The markets are so manipulated right now it's crazy. The Fed's "hot" money has distorted any semblance of a normal market (just ask the Algerians about sugar prices). I like gold and silver, because I do not like fiat. I like food and water too, and wine. It's actually a funny story how "Spirituality and the Economy" has influenced my life. In Jan 08, I decided to dabble in stocks (talk about bad timing!). Shortly thereafter I googled 'The Federal Reserve", read the Jeckyl Island story, and immediately got caught up in conspiracy theories. Talk about a tangled web! But somehow (oddly enough) some conspiracies and religion co-mingle in certain areas (The Vatican, Jesuits, Illuminati, and on). Eventually I extricated myself from the conspiracy side, but then immersed myself into the religion side. Started reading Blavatsky, Gurdieff, The Kyballion and others, and now my life is almost entirely spiritual (in a "washing dishes" kinda way). Well that's one paragraph of my "introduction" I can dispense of. lol Popee: I'll write more when I get a chance. You'll love some of the stories I've got on this subject. Right now I gotta get to another city while the roads are still open. More later......Many laughs to come. LOL |
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Post by robert on Jan 8, 2011 18:29:16 GMT -5
be sure to tell someone where you hide all of this stuff you could drop dead tomorrow.
to wake up fear is a much larger obstacle than hunger.
r.
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Post by enigma on Jan 8, 2011 22:41:30 GMT -5
True but China as a country is doing great and will continue until they own the US. Imagine a country of that size not only being debt free but having some of the largest nations owing them bigtime. Oh China buys gold. IT was not too long ago spot gold was at $250 oz. I had friends that bought quite a bit at that time. Now granted we are talking buying gold in 2001 at that price and today it's over $1,340 oz. 430% profit in 10 years not bad. Michael Sounds like it's a good time to sell gold and buy frozen fish and fowl in preparation for the Aflockalypse..  |
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Post by angela on Jan 8, 2011 23:03:19 GMT -5
best economic preparation: learn survival skills. learn permaculture. learn how to tap a spring. stock up on water filter tablets. practice growing food. learn how to be a good bike mechanic. and learning a practical life skill of some sort assures everyone will want you at their fire. because at the end of it all, there is no difference between "normal life" and "spiritual life"  |
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Post by popee on Jan 9, 2011 9:45:05 GMT -5
because at the end of it all, there is no difference between "normal life" and "spiritual life" On the face of it, I imagine that's true, but I suspect many other levels exist which we are not aware of, like one segment of a fractal exhibiting the same qualities of the all, but not, in and of itself, being the all. |
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Post by michaelsees on Jan 9, 2011 10:06:29 GMT -5
Nice one Angela. The bike mechanic is a great idea. Well when the US goes I will be back in Panama most likely and they have horses! I never knew this but some of the Panamanians are great cowboys. There are ton's of horses in the highlands of Panama and it's fun to ride Michael City of David 30 miles down from where I lived. best economic preparation: learn survival skills. learn permaculture. learn how to tap a spring. stock up on water filter tablets. practice growing food. learn how to be a good bike mechanic. and learning a practical life skill of some sort assures everyone will want you at their fire. because at the end of it all, there is no difference between "normal life" and "spiritual life" |
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Post by karen on Jan 9, 2011 11:47:47 GMT -5
I'm no expert on finances, but this I follow:
1) Get out of debt.
2) Stay out of debt.
3) Realize I'm already rich - being white, American, from lower middle-income family - I'm doing better than most peoples in the world and most people throughout history.
I don't know much else with this stuff though.
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