"Prepare For The Worst - Pray For The Best"

An astute American writes:

"Our generation stands at a horrendous turning point in American history. Everything we take for granted, our freedoms, our money, our security, our democratic way of life…everything... is on the brink of destruction."

What's important to remember is that the massive corporate and currency collapses and ensuing economic transformation will herald an age of sweeping change, painful for many, yet also opportunity for stronger community, and even wealth increase for the astute and courageous. The less attachment to "things" you have, the more ready for learning and adventure you are (i.e. learning to grow your own food, or investing in silver and gold), the better off you shall be...

The Gem of Independent Thinkers

Note (July 11, 2010): since I published this piece, I have changed my opinion about the person mentioned in this article. I have observed him being angrily blameful of others, and this has turned me off from his way of thinking. I no longer recommend this person, after spending time studying his writing and realizing that he seems trapped in anger and blame of external forces (which is just another dogmatic box).

The true kings of this world are those who cast off the limitations of their own belief systems, and courageously open their minds to new possibilities and realms of knowledge. Then, they take action on their knowledge.

They ask questions in order to arrive at answers, and do not stop when the terrain of inquiry becomes uncomfortable. They keep pressing on, in the name of that highest of pursuits: the truth.

They push the boundaries, they sojourn into new lands of perception and experience, and expand the frontiers of their own vision. They decimate enemies of truth along the way, and stop for nothing.

They ask, they look, they seek, they find (hallelujah!), and some of them then come back to the masses still lingering in the cave, and communicate about their journeys and fantastic discoveries.

I will dedicate a section of this blog to such individuals, so that you and your family may benefit from their insights. One such individual is Jon Rappoport.

The Wonderful Cuban Organic Agriculture System

When the flow of oil ran dry in Cuba due to withdrawal of Soviet economic support and the continuation of American sanctions, this is what happened to Cuba's agricultural system... very inspirational.

It's funny how innovative the Cubans are when they have fewer resources than Westerners... innovative and self-sufficient, while most of us in the West know nothing about how food is grown and are completely dependent on a patently unsustainable and disease-inducing food production system.

Obama's "Rapproachment" Speech to Iran is a Cleverly Veiled Threat

It's amazing how my fellow Iranians have been swept away by fluttery emotion after listening to Obama's New Year "greeting" to the Iranian people and government. To me, this speech was a very clever threat, disguised in a "holier than thou" package.

Basically, the speech is a sticks and carrots strategy - "if you do what we say, we will work with you" - "if you do not bend to our will, we will label you and outcast you... so you better do what we say!" It was designed to give the American administration an upper hand in the future, a pretext for casting the Iranian government as "non-cooperative" and "unworthy of membership" in the so-called "world community" should the Iranian government not step "in line".

Deception and manipulation, veiled with beautiful sounding words. How seemingly kind and "different" the tone from the previous administration. No doubt, Obama is much more eloquent, much more charismatic, much more intelligent, than Bush (not that either of them necessarily have the final say on their speeches).

But how can Obama call for peaceful commerce, when he has renewed the economic warfare (sanctions) on the Iranian people for another full year?

Also, what is this hypocrisy about "supporting terrorism", when it is his American predecessor who has attacked two sovereign nations in the past decade, completely unprovoked, using lies to sway public opinion, and caused the death of hundreds of thousands of people (including Americans), and the demolition of two countries?

Talk is cheap. And in this case, Obama is mortgaging his own talk, by FIRST renewing the sanctions, and then asking for trade ("if you do what we say").

I am sure that the Iranian people will not linger too long in the mass hypnosis that has befallen them. Soon, they will be looking for real action to back up the words. One positive trait about the Iranian people is that history has taught them not to trust authority. This mistrust in authority has taken the Iranians to the verge of cynicism, but that's a welcome trait of a people in a world where conmen and crooks take to office through the bait of sweet sounding words and the appearance of beneficence.

"The US is Already Bankrupt"

[note: this is a video clip - if you can't see it, click here]

"Technically, the U.S. is already bankrupt because it has a debt that is almost four times the size of its economy, says Puru Saxena, CEO of Puru Saxena Wealth Management. He tells CNBC's Amanda Drury & Sri Jegarajah that the U.S. is at risk of hyperinflation."

Note the recommendation for silver and gold investing at the end of the clip (the link takes you to the one book I recommend you get, in order to understand the US dollar collapse and gain a solid ground on gold/precious metals investing).

"Only Gold Can Protect You"

An article by Krassimir Petrov, PhD, called "Worse than the Great Depression", ends with the following critical advice:

"Investor beware! Only gold can protect you from the ravages of another Depression!"

Click here to learn more about why gold is so crucial for wealth protection (and growth) in the coming years.

Note: gold isn't the only wise investment as the fiat currencies start crumbling... there is silver, commodities, and mining stocks... the book linked to above will talk more about various options.

Obama is a Great Speaker

But a sophist on a sinking ship is the most dangerous messenger.

What Every Investor Should Know (by Marc Faber)

Marc Faber, investor and author
(his favourite book is The Alchemist, and here's why)

Marc Faber (wikipedia bio) is a successful contrarian investor who cuts out the B.S. and speaks from the gut. Watch this intelligent and funny interview he did about the prospects of the world economy: Buy a farm and shotgun...

This is a man who has made fortunes from his investments.

Here are his 10 Investment Rules.

My favourite part:

"Today's society is obsessed with money. But the best investments for you may be in your own education, in the quality of the time you spend with the ones you love, on your own job, and on books, which will open new ideas to you and let you see things from many different perspectives."

I completely agree with Mr. Farber - money can come and go, the strong investor and entrepreneur does not fear it's gain nor loss. Capital is a tool (a very powerful tool), and by itself, will not build strength of character, gratitude and happiness! The true treasures of life are knowledge, nurturing relationships, a happy home and family life, development and expression of talents, living according to our values and spiritual insights... add to this list what you wish, but bottomline is that the real treasure is a life of integrity and wisdom, which lead to happiness.

By the way, Marc Faber is a supporter of gold (to learn more about gold investments, get this book without delay).

(as you can tell, blog Phoenix Rising will be presenting to you useful and pragmatic viewpoints from insightful people, so you can work on navigating yourself and your family through the economic storm)

Listen to this man, and listen closely

Gerald Celente

This is a man I would listen to, and listen to very closely. Especially in these times of drastic economic and political change.

His name is Gerald Celente, founder of The Trends Research Institute and he has accurately forecasted the following trends before they hit the mainstream:



Learn more about Gerald Celente and use his forecasts for financial benefit, as well as to gain a better understanding of the context of contemporary social movements and changes.

Thomas Jefferson on Private Banking Institutions

“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”

Jefferson wrote that in 1802... shows how old and endemic the issue is.

The Dangerous Temptation for Empire

As someone who has been part of the ownership/management team of a start-up company, I have witnessed a dangerous psychological phenomenon:

The human drive for empire.

What do I mean by that?

I am talking about the desire to expand, and have more "territory".

Ever since we started our company, people have been imploring us to expand and station more branches throughout the city. In the beginning, I was opposed to this idea. I was opposed to the idea of expansion, because I felt it would create too much work and stress for our team. Why not keep it simple, beautiful, and happy?

But then... I got sucked into the temptation of empire. The temptation of having more, bigger, leaving a mark, having a "network"...

... and I will write more about this, but I can say this much: the desire for empire and the achievement of empire, does not bring happiness. It brings excess work, a sense of entrapment, and a sense of loss of control - which can result in ruined relationships.

Larger businesses, entrepreneurs with more branches, are not necessarily happier than smaller, humbler businesses. I would venture to say that they have more stress, more to manage, more to worry about, and thus... less space for happiness...

... unless they have found a way to completely detach themselves from their business. But still, something complex is always more of a burden than something simple.

Two Keys to Business and Financial Success

The key to business success: integrity-driven delegation (Richard Branson?).

The key to financial success: 1a) save capital, 1b) invest it wisely to grow capital (and for 1b: repeat, repeat, repeat).

Philosophical "bottom-line" of above two keys: alone, we cannot achieve anything substantial.

"Email Bankruptcy"

Email overload can be such a mental strain. Here is a story about a venture capitalist who decided he's had enough, and simply bailed out of email altogether!

I don't believe "email bankcruptcy" is the right answer (it can negatively impact your reputation), but clearly there is a serious problem with the amount of email we are getting. The more we reply and "clear" away, the more we get in return!

For me, email overload is one of the most frustrating aspects of my current workflow. Imagine receiving fifty or so letters a day! That's what email is - receiving letters, with the horrible self-induced obligation of having to respond right away!

Instead of letting the frustration continue, I'm going to do something about.

Here's one potential solution: the Getting Things Done (GTD) method of time and workflow management. This is the instruction book on GTD.

Federal Reserve Chairman Gets Grilled

[this is a video posting - if you can't see the video click here]



The Federal Reserve Bank of America is a private institution. It is as "federal" as Federal Express. Learn more about the problem with the Fed.

Something Strange About Bank Buildings...

Toronto skyline. See those big skyscrapers?

Have you ever paid attention to the largest buildings in city centres?

For example, downtown Toronto.

Have you ever wondered why and how the most colossal structures (thus the most expensive) are all owned by the same type of business?

Banks.

Have you asked yourself "how is it possible to fund such massive buildings?"

Where does the banker's money come from to fund the most extravagant buildings in our cities? If these are private companies, how can they raise such massive infrastructure projects, so quickly, across hundreds of cities throughout the continent (and the world!)?

As individuals, our observations carry significance. Just because others can't see what you see, or don't agree with you, does not mean anything. What registers as odd in your mind should be explored. Whenever a persistent question arises in your mind, it should be pursued. This is the path to finding answers.

Why are the largest buildings in modern cities owned by banks?

How are they able to fund such seemingly unlimited construction?

Where does their money come from?

Skyscrapers are the apex of architecture, by modern standards... almost all owned by banks. Why?

What is "money"?

In order to understand how to protect your wealth, and how to generate true wealth, you first need to know the game you've been unconsciously playing along with.

If you don't know the rules of the current "money" game, you will be played like a fool (and you'll lose). Most human beings across the planet have been snookered by those who have setup the game.

Watch this video as a primer into what the dollars (or pounds... or yens... or kronas... etc.) in your pocket really are. Shocking, isn't it?

P.S. Why am I putting "money" in quotes? Money and currency are NOT the same thing. The paper in your wallet is not really money. It is currency, which is supposed to be a representation of money (i.e. gold or silver). But there is no money backing the currency of today's society (only around 1% of the US dollar is backed by gold). It is nothing but paper printed as a direct result of the indebtedness of the people and their government!