An ancient proverb that is oft-repeated even in our time is that you will always end up reaping what you sow. Well, the U.S. government has been sowing seeds of debt for decades and our politicians have endlessly attempted to assure us that everything is going to be just fine. Well, everything is not going to be just fine. The truth is that the U.S. government is literally drowning in debt. Right now, the total debt of the U.S. government is $14,223,730,274,180.80. It is a debt that is so large that it defies comprehension. It is also a debt that is absolutely impossible to pay off under our current financial system. Someday the weight of this debt will completely collapse our entire economy. The only thing that is keeping that from happening already is our ability to borrow even more money. (Read More...)
27 Amazing Statistics About The Real Estate Crash That Never Seems To End: More Foreclosures, More Underwater Mortgages And More Home Price Declines
The real estate crash that never seems to end appears to be getting even worse. Home prices continue to go down, the number of underwater mortgages is soaring and the number of foreclosures set an all-time record in 2010. The peak of the housing market was in 2005 and the subprime mortgage crisis erupted in 2008. Shouldn’t things be getting better by now? How many years is this real estate crash going to go on for? Home builders and those that work in the construction industry are deeply suffering because new home sales continue to hover around record lows. Mortgage professionals are having a really hard time because very few people are seeking home loans and many of those that are seeking loans cannot get approved. Real estate agents all over the country are pulling their hair out in frustration and large numbers of them have left the industry completely. The United States has never had such a prolonged real estate slump in the post-World War 2 era. Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of indications that the real estate crash is going to get even worse. (Read More...)
Saving Money? Not In This Economy – 22 Facts That Prove Middle Class Families Are Being Savagely Crushed
The 22 facts that you are about to read are all real, although admittedly they are hard to believe. The sad truth is that millions of middle class families in the United States today are being savagely crushed by this economy. Most American families would like to be saving money, paying the mortgage and living the American Dream, but with each passing month those things are becoming more difficult. Rapidly rising prices for basic necessities such as food and gas are absolutely crippling the finances of millions of middle class American families right now. How is a family even supposed to make a budget when the average price of gasoline goes up 42 cents a gallon in a single month? What are we all supposed to do when we walk into our supermarkets and find that the old “regular prices” have become the new “sale prices”? Should we all not be deeply concerned that the price of food in the United States went up at the fastest rate in 36 years last month? How are we all supposed to keep our families above the poverty line when the number of good paying jobs keeps shrinking? In America today, being a member of the middle class is like playing a game of musical chairs. You know that they are going to keep pulling chairs out of the game, and you just hope that it is not going to be your turn next. (Read More...)
What Can The Japanese Tsunami Teach Us About Prepping For Disasters And Emergencies?
The Japanese tsunami is a crystal clear example of just how unpredictable disasters and emergencies can be. Nobody ever dreamed that a tsunami in Japan could wash cars, homes and people up to 6 miles inland. But that is exactly what happened. So while it is great to make elaborate preparations for potential disasters and emergencies, it is also absolutely essential to have backup plans. After all, what good is all of that emergency food that you have stored up going to do if a massive tsunami comes along and rips your house off the foundation and deposits it into the sea? Not that all of us shouldn’t be busy prepping. Of course we should be. All over Japan right now the supermarkets are being stripped bare. Don’t you think that many of those people are wishing that they had stored up some food? It is those that prepare that have the best chance of surviving disasters and emergencies. No plan is foolproof, but having a plan is much better than not having a plan. (Read More...)
Could Nuclear Radiation From A Meltdown Of The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Reactors In Japan Reach The United States?
The possibility of a full-blown nuclear meltdown of one or more of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactors seems to increase by the hour. Millions of weary Japanese citizens are desperately hoping that the worst case scenario does not play out. A major nuclear disaster is the last thing that they need at this point. So could radiation from a meltdown of one or more of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactors reach the United States? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Right now authorities in Japan are hoping to avert a full-blown meltdown and keep the radiation that is escaping to minimal levels, but at this point it appears that they are fighting a losing battle. Yesterday, yet another of the reactors exploded. The explosion at Fukushima Dai-ichi unit 2 was the third major explosion in four days. Previously there had also been huge explosions at unit 3 and at unit 1. Japanese authorities are feverishly trying to pump sea water into all of the reactors in the complex in an attempt to cool them down. At this point authorities in Japan have admitted that the levels of radiation in the areas immediately surrounding the reactors “can impact human health”, and Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan is saying that the risk that further radioactive material will be released is “very high”. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano has told the media that fuel rods in three of the reactors appear to be melting and that he cannot rule out the possibility of a full-blown meltdown in all three of the problem reactors. Right now, the Japanese government is advising all people living within a 30 kilometer radius of the reactors to stay indoors. (Read More...)
Was The Magnitude 8.9 Earthquake In Japan A Sign That The Ring Of Fire Is Coming To Life?
Please pray for Japan. The footage of the devastation caused by the magnitude 8.9 earthquake in Japan is absolutely heartbreaking. It was the worst earthquake in the history of Japan, and it was one of the five largest earthquakes that has ever been recorded. The magnitude 8.9 earthquake unleashed a tsunami that was absolutely unprecedented in that part of the world. 30 foot walls of water swept as much as 6 miles inland. Cars and homes were pushed along by the rushing water as if they were toys for children. Since the initial quake, there has been over 100 aftershocks of magnitude 5.0 or greater. Hundreds of dead bodies have been discovered so far, and according to one report, 88,000 people are currently missing. There is no telling how high the death toll will eventually be. Large areas of land are now completely under water and 4.4 million households in northeastern Japan do not have electricity. So will we see more earthquakes like this? Are there other signs that the “Ring of Fire” is coming to life? (Read More...)
Are The Prophets Of Doom Right About Major War, $200 Oil, $2000 Gold And Dow 5000 By The End Of 2012?
Are the “prophets of doom” right? Is a major war going to erupt in the Middle East? Is the price of oil going to $200 a barrel? Is the price of gold going to hit $2000 at some point over the next two years? Is the Dow going to drop to 5000 by the end of 2012? Right now there are some very respected financial experts that are making some absolutely stunning predictions. Charles Nenner, Gerald Celente and Lindsey Williams are all frequent guests on popular television and radio shows and they are all forecasting very difficult economic times over the next couple of years. So are they right? (Read More...)
The 31 Most Ridiculous Quotes Of 2011 So Far
If you really want to find out what someone is all about sometimes all you need to do is to shut up for a while and let them talk. The truth is that the mouth always eventually reveals what is in the heart. Most politicians and world leaders are highly skilled at “filtering” what they say to the public, but even most of them will eventually break down and tell us exactly what they are thinking. Posted below are 31 of the most ridiculous quotes from politicians, celebrities and world leaders so far in 2011. Some of the quotes are very funny but others are very troubling. The sad reality is that the more you listen to politicians and world leaders the more you realize that they really are quite clueless. When I was growing up I assumed that those in positions of power actually did know more than the rest of us, but unfortunately the opposite seems to be true in many cases. We really do have a bunch of idiots and morons in positions of power around the globe. (Read More...)