Opinion (Richard Duncan, chief economist at Blackhorse Asset Mgmt): “Richard Duncan, formerly of the World Bank and chief economist at Blackhorse Asset Mgmt., says America’s $16 trillion federal debt has escalated into a ‘death spiral,’ as he told CNBC.

“And it could result in a depression so severe that he doesn’t ‘think our civilization could survive it.’”

“Since the recession, noted economists including Laurence Kotlikoff, a former member of President Reagan’s Council of Economic Advisers, have come to similar conclusions.

“Kotlikoff estimates the true fiscal gap is $211 trillion when unfunded entitlements like Social Security and Medicare are included. …

“A team of scientists, economists, and geopolitical analysts believes they have proof that the threat is indeed real – and the danger imminent.

“One member of this team, Chris Martenson, a pathologist and former VP of a Fortune 300 company, explains their findings:

“’We found an identical pattern in our debt, total credit market, and money supply that guarantees they’re going to fail. This pattern is nearly the same as in any pyramid scheme, one that escalates exponentially fast before it collapses. Governments around the globe are chiefly responsible.

“’And what’s really disturbing about these findings is that the pattern isn’t limited to our economy. We found the same catastrophic pattern in our energy, food, and water systems as well.’

“According to Martenson: ‘These systems could all implode at the same time. Food, water, energy, money. Everything.’

“Another member of this team, Keith Fitz-Gerald, the president of The Fitz-Gerald Group, went on to explain their discoveries.

“’What this pattern represents is a dangerous countdown clock that’s quickly approaching zero. And when it does, the resulting chaos is going to crush Americans,’ Fitz-Gerald says.

“Dr. Kent Moors, an adviser to 16 world governments on energy issues as well as a member of two U.S. State Department task forces on energy also voiced concerns over what he and his colleagues uncovered.

“’Most frightening of all is how this exact same pattern keeps appearing in virtually every system critical to our society and way of life,’ Dr. Moors stated.

My Comment: Since we have found ourselves locked in a single integral network of full connectivity and interdependence, of course the overall crisis is global and penetrates all the levels of our work and life. Collapse will be simultaneous in all the areas of human activity in the world.
[91992]

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In the News (from BBC News): “The debate came after Greece…announced that unemployment in Greece hit a record 25.1% in July, with the level among young people reaching above 50%.

“And the nation predicted its economy will shrink by 6.5% this year, much more than previously estimated this year, worse than a previous estimate of 4.8% in March suggested to its bailout lenders.

“Greece also said its economy will shrink for a sixth year in 2013.”

My Comment: How can new jobs appear if they are not needed in the economy? This suggests only one solution: to produce as much as necessary, instead of producing unnecessary goods, which harm the environment.

The calculation of production will have to start from “the bottom”: What goods and services in what quantity are needed FOR EVERYONE. And then production and services need to be built according to this calculation. The pursuit of fulfilling one’s ego will be shifted to the right leisure: integral connection, which gives the feeling of higher contentment.
[91366]

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Opinion (Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund): “The head of the International Monetary Fund has urged world leaders to take immediate bold action to stimulate growth. Christine Lagarde warned that the global economy was decelerating and said both Europe and the United States were taking too long to come up with solutions to their debt problems.”

My Comment: People are beginning to become aware of fate, upper management, the lack of the ability to control events. Humanity is starting to bend down its head, “come down from the tree,” and lose pride and the sense that it is higher than what is happening.

Thus, humanity will gradually begin to feel that it is not above nature and can do whatever it wants, but that nature is above it and does everything according to its plan. Fear and uncertainty will quickly make people come around. It’s a pity, if this happens at the cost of blood and suffering. Similarity with Nature, the search for harmony with it, this is the only task of humanity. It will find itself in a new dimension through this search.
[91217]

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Opinion (Andrew Sheng, President of the Fung Global Institute, adjunct professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing, Xiao Geng, Director of Research at the Fung Global Institute): “Given the crisis weighing down the world economy and financial markets, it is not surprising that a substantive reconsideration of the principles of modern economics is underway. …

“The British economist Fritz Schumacher understood that human institutions, as complex structures with dynamic governance, require systemic analysis. He defined meta-economics as the humanizing of economics by accounting for the imperative of a sustainable environment; thus, he included elements of moral philosophy, psychology, anthropology, and sociology that transcend the boundaries of profit maximization and individual rationality.

“Similarly, Eric Beinhocker, at the newly established Institute for New Economic Thinking, argues for ‘a new way of seeing and understanding the economic world.’ Such an approach requires incorporating psychology, anthropology, sociology, history, physics, biology, mathematics, computer science, and other disciplines that study complex adaptive systems.

“We believe that the framework of ‘micro-macro-meso-meta-economics’ – what we call ‘systemnomics’ – is a more complete way to analyze human economies, understood as complex living systems evolving within dynamically changing complex natural systems.”

My Comment: This is a move in the right direction. Really, it is not simple for economists to change their approach of “maximum profit at any cost” to some unaccountable values, such as connection, care, and love. They will have to develop a system of complete interconnectedness of humanity engaged in meeting its reasonable needs, from the point of view of the rational economy, the maximum output with the minimum cost and destruction of society and the environment.
[91291]

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In the News (from Rabobank): “Skyrocketing agricultural commodity prices are causing the world to re-enter a period of “agflation”, with food prices forecast to reach record highs in 2013 and to continue to rise well into Q3 2013. Unlike the staple grain shortage of 2008, this year’s scarcity will affect feed intensive crops with serious repercussions for the animal protein and dairy industries. …

“Rabobank estimates that the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) Food Price Index will rise by 15% by the end of June 2013. In order for demand rationing to take place, in turn encouraging a supply response, prices will need to stay high. As such Rabobank expects prices – particularly for grains and oilseeds – to remain at elevated levels for at least the next 12 months.”

“While the impact of higher food prices should be reduced by favorable macroeconomic fundamentals (low growth, lower oil prices, weak consumer confidence, and a depreciated U.S. dollar), interventionist government policies could exacerbate the issue. Stockpiling and export bans are a distinct possibility in 2012/13, as governments seek to protect domestic consumers from increasing food prices. Increased government intervention will likely encourage further increases in world commodity and food prices.

“Rabobank expects that localized efforts to increase stockpiles will prove counterproductive at the global level, with those countries least able to pay higher prices likely to see greater moves in domestic food price inflation. This is a vicious circle, with governments committing to domestic stockpiling and other interventionist measures earlier than usual—recognizing the risk of being left out as exportable stocks decline further.

“On top of that, Rabobank warns that global food stocks have not been replenished since 2008, leaving the market without any buffer to adverse growing conditions. Efforts by governments to rebuild stocks are likely to add to food prices and take supplies off the market at a time when they are most needed.”

My Comment: If we distribute food equally among all the population, it will be enough for everybody. The problem is not in the quantity of food, but in its distribution, that is, in human relations. So, we are not facing a food crisis, but a crisis of distribution.

Incidentally, the word “crisis” means “opportunity” in Chinese; if we use it properly, we all have enough.
[91131]

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In the News (from Euronews): “European leaders come together today in what is being billed as a summit to strengthen economic and monetary union.

“But at this, the fourth meeting this year, the debt crisis is as usual set to colour discussions as the 27 EU leaders look for a way to restore confidence in the euro.

“But the EU Commission is resting many of its hopes of securing the euro’s future on the setting up of a single banking supervisor under the ECB. It’s part of the banking union plan aimed at binding the 17 eurozone countries more closely together. But while the EU commission wants it in place by next year, agreement still has to be reached.”

My Comment: Integration will lead to conflicts at all levels without the implementation of integral education!
[90677]

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In the News (from Euronews): “Germany has cut its economic growth forecast in as the country finally starts to feel the effects of the eurozone credit crisis.

“The slowdown prediction comes as companies postpone investment, and the economy minister warned that turmoil in Germany’s main trading partners could hit exports in the second half of the year.

“Philipp Rösler said despite the stormy economic waters Germany is standing its ground and remains on track for growth.

“But he added: ‘The environment for the German economy has become more difficult overall, due to the eurozone debt crisis. The growth forecast for next year is therefore one percent. That is less than the 1.6 percent forecast in the spring.”

My Comment: This is the immediate future of the world. Everyone needs to prepare himself for the landing, so that it does not become an uncontrolled fall. Through the implementation of integral education for the population it is possible to make the descent with the benefit for everyone, and although in the end, consumption and the economy will shrink to a reasonable level, the population will feel more comfortable than it ever has.
[90613]

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Question: For many years, you have been warning people that there are two ways of development, one of which is the path of suffering. Can a person hear this? Should we talk about this?

Answer: I feel as a parent with respect to children about this. Even if they do not hear, you must tell them about this. You must do your duty, your mission. It is not up to you to decide when this works. Try to do this by any means. Always look for new opportunities. This is what I think because I have no other choice. Maybe I sound boring, constantly repeating the same thing, which everyone wants to dismiss, maybe it is true. But I do not think so, at least not according to the response I see.

Perhaps, there was a time when my words seemed strange, but not now. Now, at least, people see that if they enter current websites that address these problems, they suddenly find themselves on my Internet sites, where I talked about this 10-15 years ago.
[90884]
From KabTV’s “Building a Social Environment” 9/25/12

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In the News (from Euronews): “As the race for the White House enters its final stretch, another drama is also concerning US policy makers: a flood of tax rises and spending cuts all due to come into effect at the same time, known as the ‘Fiscal Cliff’.

“It leaves US politicians with a conundrum, as Roberton Williams of the Tax Policy Centre explained to euronews: ‘The argument is over the top two percent. Do we let the tax cuts expire for them or not? President Obama says, yes let them expire for the richest two percent because they can afford the taxes and we need the revenue. The Republicans are saying no, we can’t let taxes go up for anyone, particularly these rich folks are the job creators. We need them to keep the economy going.’”

My Comment: It’s nearing the end because no one has a solution, which is in the middle line, in the implementation of integral education and the transition to the economy of reasonable consumption.
[90747]

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Opinion (Li Shenming, Vice President, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences): “In the coming years, America will become weaker and rely more on Europe, Japan and other countries. The world economy has entered a long period of recession. There are more poor and fewer wealthy people in the world.

“Along with the deepening of the global financial crisis, competition and conflict between the major powers will only increase in such areas as energy, food, finance, internet, and even disputes over land and water areas. The best choice for the Western world, led by the USA, is to find a partner to start a proxy war. We need to vigorously defend our own sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“The USA blind confidence aimed their attack at the two countries – Russia and China. Destroying China and splitting Russia, the West would have achieved his goal – world domination.

“With the deepening of the global financial crisis, there will be an eruption and escalation of conflicts on the ethnic, religious grounds, conflicts over sovereignty and economic interests. The world is on the verge of great upheaval, restructuring and change.”

My Comment: All that is true, except in the plan of Nature in the development of the world, the world is not run by people, though it does seem so to them. Humanity is just trying to avoid all sorts of unforeseen unpleasant events. But with the deepening of integral dependence, humanity will have no means to evade the attacks of nature, its forces directed at the correction of humankind.

There is a future for the one who will understand what is happening according to the plan of nature and will be able to actively participate in it. This will lead to the creation of the supreme governing body of the world whose members will know the laws of the upper management.
[88957]

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