Pentagon Warning Order: ‘Prepare for War’ (By September?)

[Ponce]

A lot of good articles at the link below.......
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Pentagon Warning Order: ‘Prepare for War’ (By September?)

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[mick silver]

The world is just one misstep away from a complete financial, economic and geo-political meltdown.
Though the mainstream voices have calmed their reports of middle east conflict amid the debt ceiling and negative economic development in the US and Europe, military intervention in Iran has not been taken off the table.
[/URL]The Daily Crux (http://www.zerohedge.com/article/cvn-77-ghw-bush-enters-persian-gulf-cia-veteran-robert-baer-predicts-september-israel-iran-w) reports via the Economic Policy Journal (http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2011/07/israel-iran-war-in-september.html) and Zero Hedge (http://www.zerohedge.com/article/cvn-77-ghw-bush-enters-persian-gulf-cia-veteran-robert-baer-predicts-september-israel-iran-w):

Robert Baer has had a storied career, including a stint in Iraq in the 1990s where he organised opposition to Saddam Hussein. (He was recalled after being accused of trying to organise Saddam’s assassination.) Upon his retirement, he received a top decoration for meritorious service.
Baer is no ordinary CIA operative. George Clooney won an Oscar for playing a character based on Baer in the film Syriana (Baer also wrote the book).
He obviously won’t name many of his sources in Israel, the United States, and elsewhere, but the few he has named are all Israeli security figures who have publically warned that Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are hell-bent on war.
…
appeared on KPFK Los Angeles, warning that Israeli PM Netanyahu is “likely to ignite a war with Iran in the very near future.” It gets worse: “Masters asked Baer why the US military is not mobilising to stop this war from happening. Baer responded that the military is opposed, as is former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who used his influence to thwart an Israeli attack during the Bush and Obama administrations. [B]But he’s gone now and “there is a warning order inside the Pentagon” to prepare for war.” The punchline: “There is almost “near certainty” that Netanyahu is “planning an attack [on Iran] … and it will probably be in September before the vote on a Palestinian state. And he’s also hoping to draw the United States into the conflict“, Baer explained.”
While President Obama has not exactly been fully supportive of Israel (at least overtly), an attack on Iran by the Israelis would no doubt be considered by Iran as having been supported by the United States. That being the case, Iran would respond militarily against all US forces in the region, especially those in Iraq, at the first sign of any trouble. Subsequently, the U.S. would return fire en masse, perhaps even utilizing the nuclear option to incapacitate any possibility of an Iranian nuclear response.
What China would do is the unknown variable, but it is clear that the US and China are engaged in a covert war economically, financially and in cyberspace. The recent UN actions in Libya may have been sold to the world public as a peacekeeping mission, but one side issue that has remained in the background is China’s removal of some 30,000 workers from state sponsored oil facilities in the country as a result of the conflict. This leaves one to wonder whether the UN action was a veiled attempt at controlling the oil interests in North Africa. How long before the Chinese decide that their interests have been violated and they get involved militarily? Could an attack on Iran be the catalyst that brings China into the mix?
It is our opinion that what we have seen in the middle east since 2002, including the destabilization of governments in the region over the last 12 months, is a precursor to a war that will eventually encompass the entire world.
Whether this goes critical in September, or at some time in the future, is of no matter. War is coming to the world, as it always does when the economies of empires collapse and national interests over resources collide.
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<LI class=regularitem xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">UPDATED SF Shooting Video: Did They Find the Gun on a Cell Phone Video? (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SHTFplan/~3/R4OXrT11BEI/warning-graphic-video-man-shot-in-back-by-police-for-not-paying-train-fare_07192011)

Posted: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:02:49 +0000

UPDATED: July 20, 2011 12:00PM CST
The following video depicts the scene in the San Francisco shooting from a second angle, in which it is claimed that the gun can be seen laying on the ground before it is picked up by an individual wearing a hoody.
Link to KTVU news report: [URL]http://www.ktvu.com/news/28573517/detail.html
Raw Cell Phone video:


Was it a gun?
Hat tip Slippery
ORIGINAL STORY POSTED JULY 19, 2011:
The following graphic video was taken in San Francisco on July 16, 2011, where a man was reportedly shot at by police six to ten times when he tried to flee after failing to produce a train ticket. According to reports, he was shot in the back while running from police. In the video, recorded by an onlooker, the 19 year old man struggles for life for a few moments and then his body lay motionless on the pavement as police hold the crowd at bay. Initial reports provided by Jack Blood’s Dead Line Live (http://deadlinelive.info/2011/07/18/it-happened-again-in-liberal-sf-cops-shoot-man-in-the-back-for-not-paying-train-fare-riot-graphic/) via Domas Jefferson (http://www.domasjefferson.com/news/police-state-san-francisco-police-shoot-and-kill-man-for-not-paying-his-train-fare) indicate the man was unarmed, but SF PD reported the following day that a silver handgun was found. Witnesses can be heard asking police where the gun is, and no such weapon is apparently visible in the video (though the SF Gate account below indicates there is a weapon visible).
No video of the actual encounter has been made available yet (if it even exists), but the following video is taken seconds after the shooting:
*Warning: Graphic Video; Language*
(Original Video posted at Godlike Productions (http://www.godlikeproductions.com/))


UPDATE July 19, 2011 @ 11:15AM: Two Different Accounts Emerge (source (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/19/MN0H1KBQDA.DTL))
The 19 year old man has been identified as Kenneth Wade Harding, a recent parolee who was being sought by police as a person of interest in a shooting that killed one and wounded three last week.
Two different accounts of the incident have emerged.

Police officials said at a news conference that ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection and location system, had recorded 10 shots fired over the course of six seconds Saturday as police chased 19-year-old Kenneth Wade Harding near Third Street in the Bayview – one shot at first, followed 1.9 seconds later by nine in rapid succession.
The technology cannot determine which shots came from which guns. But Police Chief Greg Suhr said witnesses have told investigators that they saw the muzzle flash from a gun that Harding was shooting from under his arm.
—
…Harding was stopped at 4:44 p.m. Saturday by two uniformed officers who, while patrolling Third Street between Oakdale and Palou avenues, were conducting a fare inspection on a Muni light-rail platform.
When the officers tried to talk to Harding, he ran into Mendell Plaza and fired a gun from under his arm, police said.
The officers fired back, hitting Harding, police said.
—
Bayview resident Henry Taylor said that he had seen the incident and that Harding had not shot at police.
“What I saw was a young man running for his life,” Taylor said.
Some witnesses say they saw no gun, while police maintain that Harding fired at them:

An amateur video has surfaced online showing the mortally wounded Harding and what appears to be a gun on the pavement nearby. The weapon disappeared from the scene, but Suhr said informants had provided information that led to a parolee’s house in the Bayview, where police found a .45-caliber pistol that they think was Harding’s.
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<LI class=regularitem xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Newark Cop: “I Can Do Whatever the Hell I Want” (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SHTFplan/~3/X0Q8xCji-TQ/newark-cop-i-can-do-whatever-the-hell-i-want_07192011)

Posted: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:30:30 +0000

While the consequences of his actions were not as horrific as those of the San Francisco police department (http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/warning-graphic-video-man-shot-in-back-by-police-for-not-paying-train-fare_07192011) over the weekend, this Newark, New Jersey police officer provides us a glimpse into the culture that seems to be pervading police departments across the United States. While there are no doubt great officers out there – those who understand what the Constitution stands for and the importance of ensuring that the Rule of Law is protected – it is the bad apples, who act not as servants of the people, but rather, agents of tyranny, that have lead the majority of Americans to distrust law enforcement in general.


Hat tip Daily Bail (http://dailybail.com/)
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<LI class=regularitem xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Does the US Government Want to Prevent You From Leaving? (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SHTFplan/~3/skVIo-P4ZjE/does-the-us-government-want-to-prevent-you-from-leaving_07192011)

Posted: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:25:15 +0000

The following excerpt is provided for your reading pleasure by Sovereign Man (http://www.sovereignman.com/) Simon Black. You can read the full article here (http://www.sovereignman.com/expat/does-the-US-government-want-to-prevent-you-from-leaving?a_aid=CRX). If you are interested in international solutions for SHTF Planning we strongly recommend signing up for a subscription to Sovereign Man’s Notes from the Field Newsletter (http://www.sovereignman.com/aot/aot.html?a_aid=11003355&a_bid=de7a872c).
Editor’s Note: On numerous occasions we’ve opined that a free society is one in which its citizens are allowed to enter and exit its borders at will, without the intervention of government bureaucracy. As we examine the many changes that have taken place in the US since September 11, 2001, we can’t help but notice a progressively tighter grip on the throats of Americans. Millions have been added to no-fly lists that restrict air travel to any destination, be it domestic or international. Most, like seven year old John Anderson, were added to the list for reasons unknown. And once added, it is nearly impossible to be removed. Today, Americans will dismiss no-fly lists as an inconvenience (unless, of course, they are added), but what happens when this “anti-terror” agenda spreads to no-bus and no-train lists, and worse yet, a list that will restrict your ability to rent a car or even purchase gas? Think it can’t happen? Your papers please wasn’t just a Nazi phenomenon. In the former communist East Block travel was not only restricted across borders, but even from town to town, requiring written permission and a good reason. We may be more technologically advanced than Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union when they sat behind the iron curtain, but looking at these as a model for how to restrict movement of your people is a perfect example of what can be done right here in the USA. Our paper’s, however, are digitally stored and attached to biometrics like our thumbprint or DNA. While they purport to be taking action in the name of preventing terrorism, our government seems to be moving towards restricting travel of American citizens. The borders are wide open for those trying to enter the US, but attempt to leave without proper documentation and you’d be in serious trouble.

[mick silver]

Does the US Government Want to Prevent You From Leaving?
(Excerpted from Original Article (http://www.sovereignman.com/expat/does-the-US-government-want-to-prevent-you-from-leaving?a_aid=CRX))
…This weekend’s affair was a clear example of what happens when a government imposes mind-numbing bureaucracy to prevent freedom of movement. And if you think it can’t happen where you live, think again.
In the US, the government now requires all citizens to have a passport in order to pass the border, even when driving into Mexico or Canada. Obtaining a passport, however, is neither free nor guaranteed. You must apply, pay an ever-increasing fee, and wait for weeks to be approved and receive it.
Recently, the State Department quietly proposed (http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/02/24/2011-4154/60-day-notice-of-proposed-information-collection-ds-5513-biographical-questionnaire-for-us-passport) a new ‘biographical questionnaire’ in lieu of the traditional passport application. The new form (http://www.sovereignman.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/ds5513-proposed.pdf) requires you to provide things like:

names, birth places, and birth dates of your extended family members
your mother’s place of employment at the time of your birth
whether or not your mother received pre-natal or post natal care
the address of your mother’s physician and dates of appointments
the address of every place you have ever lived in your entire life
the name and address of every school you have ever attended
Most people would find it impossible to provide such information, yet the form requires that the responses ‘are true and correct’ under penalty of imprisonment.
Naturally, the privacy statement on the application also acknowledges that the responses can be shared with other departments in the government, including Homeland Security.
If this proposal passes, then US citizens will have a nearly insurmountable hurdle to obtain a passport and be able to leave the country at will. Even if it doesn’t pass, it’s a clear demonstration of what the people who run the country are thinking.
Have you reached your breaking point yet, comrades? Let me know what you think.
If you are interested in international solutions for SHTF Planning we strongly recommend signing up for a subscription to Sovereign Man’s Notes from the Field Newsletter (http://www.sovereignman.com/aot/aot.html?a_aid=11003355&a_bid=de7a872c).
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<LI class=regularitem xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Town Moves To Ban Free Speech & Freedom of Assembly in Private Homes, Group Meetings (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SHTFplan/~3/FAex_sEXZcc/town-moves-to-ban-free-speech-in-private-homes-group-meetings_07182011)

Posted: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:57:41 +0000

The following article has been republished with permission from The Intel Hub (http://theintelhub.com/2011/07/18/small-arkansas-town-wants-to-ban-free-speech-no-group-will-be-able-to-meet-without-cities-permission/).
A small Arkansas town of 850 is attempting to ban groups from meeting to talk about the city without first getting permission from the city itself.
In a move reminiscent of Nazi Germany, the Gould, Arkansas City Council has moved to ban all groups from discussing the city, even in their own home!
Mayor Earnest Nas, in strong statements supporting the peoples constitutional rights, said he is willing to go to court to stop this plan.
“This is America and even though this is Gould, Arkansas, this is still part of America. And in America, you can’t just vote and violate peoples constitutional rights,” said Nash (http://nation.foxnews.com/first-amendment/2011/07/17/arkansas-town-threatens-citizens-constitutional-rights).
This ordinance would effectively ban citizens from talking about the city at the dinner table, boy scout meetings, and book clubs. In fact, the ordinance is so Orwellian that the interview that the local Fox affiliate did with the mayor would actually be considered illegal under the proposed city ordinance.
A prominent lawyer looked over the ordinance and immediately deemed it unconstitutional.

Spokane Conservative Examiner (http://www.examiner.com/conservative-in-spokane/arkansas-town-seeks-to-ban-free-speech-for-residents#ixzz1STGVBzs8)
John DiPippa, Dean of the Law School at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, expressed disbelief when he first read the proposed law.
“The truth is the city of Gould doesn’t have the authority to tell anyone that they have no right to petition them, no right to speak and no right to exist in their city,” DiPippa told Fox16 (http://www.fox16.com/news/story/Lawyers-say-Gould-ordinances-violate-Constitution/jqium_B2hkmo8NTLNcttdg.cspx).
If the precedent is set in Gould, Arkansas it is only a matter of time before it is proposed in a town near you.
If the city council of this town actually believes that they can legally stop citizens from talking about city issues in the privacy of their own home they have another thing coming. This is America not Nazi Germany.


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<LI class=regularitem xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Massive Cheating Scandal Rocks Atlanta Teachers, Administrators (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SHTFplan/~3/jGohYFR-964/massive-cheating-scandal-rocks-atlanta-teachers-administrators_07182011)

Posted: Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:26:09 +0000


http://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/atlantapublicschools1.jpg
In A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge (December 1778) Thomas Jefferson wrote, “experience hath shewn, that… those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny; and it is believed that the most effectual means of preventing this would be to illuminate… the minds of the people at large.”
But what happens when those entrusted with the educating of the minds of the people at large become another arm of that tyranny?
Jefferson spent the better part of his life advocating for public education – much different from the system of education that we have in place today – eventually founding the University of Virginia in 1819. If he were alive today we can only guess what he would think of the culture of corruption that runs rampant in our public school districts, which seem to be more focused on Federal funding and government sponsored curriculum that is designed, not to illuminate, but rather, to indoctrinate:

Teachers spent nights huddled in a back room, erasing wrong answers on students’ test sheets and filling in the correct bubbles. At another school, struggling students were seated next to higher-performing classmates so they could copy answers.
Those and other confessions are contained in a new state report that reveals how far some Atlanta public schools went to raise test scores in the nation’s largest-ever cheating scandal. Investigators concluded that nearly half the city’s schools allowed the cheating to go unchecked for as long as a decade, beginning in 2001.
Administrators – pressured to maintain high scores under the federal No Child Left Behind law – punished or fired those who reported anything amiss and created a culture of “fear, intimidation and retaliation,” according to the report released earlier this month, two years after officials noticed a suspicious spike in some scores.
The report names 178 teachers and principals, and 82 of those confessed. Tens of thousands of children at the 44 schools, most in the city’s poorest neighborhoods, were allowed to advance to higher grades, even though they didn’t know basic concepts.
Source: Huff Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/16/atlanta-schools-created-c_n_900635.html)
If you ever wondered why 20% of Americans can’t read basic text or identify information based on basic text cues this is a large part of the reason. It is not about education. It is about covering asses and making sure the Federal government deposits the district’s yearly spending check. If that means having sixth graders reading at second grade level, so be it. It’s all about the money, not the children as many teachers’ unions would have us believe.
We often discuss the culture of corruption that pervades the halls of Congress and Washington D.C. Is it any wonder when we have teachers and school administrators modifying test scores and homework assignments in order to keep their federally funded programs going?
What, pray tell, should we expect from our future generations when we are educating them on how to cheat, lie, steal and intimidate others to maintain the status quo?

[mick silver]

In December of 2009 well known economist and NYU professor Nouriel Roubini provided his professional (http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/gold-bugs-are-speaking-nonsense_12112009) opinion on where the gold price was headed:

“I don’t believe in gold,” Roubini told CNBC. “Gold can go up for only two reasons.”
“[One is] inflation, and we are in a world where there are massive amounts of deflation because of a glut of capacity, and demand is weak, and there’s slack in the labor markets with unemployment above 10 percent in all the advanced economies.
The only way gold can go higher in a deflationary economy is a financial Armageddon, Roubini says, but we’ve avoided that tail risk as well.
So all the gold bugs who say gold is going to go to $1,500, $2,000, they’re just speaking nonsense,� Roubini asserts.
At the time, the precious metal was trading at $1125 per ounce.
This morning, gold touched a nominal price high of over $1600.00 for the first time in history:

http://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/gold1600.gif (http://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/gold1600.gif)

If Nouriel Roubini’s reasoning for why gold would rise in such an environment is to be believed, then there are two likely causes.
One of them is inflation, and while some can argue that deflationary pressures on everything from employment to credit borrowing should be keeping the price of gold well below $1600, so too can we make the argument that the US Federal Reserve has injected trillions of dollars into the financial system, forcing prices of stocks, commodities and even precious metals to skyrocket. Mr. Roubini no doubt closely follows the official Consumer Price Inflation figures provided to him and his colleagues by the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, which show that inflation (less food and energy costs) is about 1.6%. In reality, however, the actual rate of inflation (http://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data/inflation-charts) is somewhere in the area of 10.6%, providing some explanation to the consistent price rise in gold for the last 18 months.
Inflation effects aside, we submit that Mr. Roubini’s second point is the primary reason for gold’s rise to $1600. The global marketplace is and has been losing confidence in the ability of the government sector to manage, mitigate and resolve the economic crisis. Historically this has been a key factor in determining the value of gold, and this time around is no exception.
In 2009 we opined:

The other scenario, and much worse than scenario #1, is economic Armageddon. Mr. Roubini believes this has been avoided. This may very well be true, though paranoid doom and gloomers must wonder how we are to avoid economic and financial Armageddon with another wave or real estate collapses coming, consumer spending coming to a stand still, world trade getting destroyed, consumer and commercial credit lending frozen, and the US government taking on more debt in terms of borrowing and entitlements than any nation in the history of the world.
Eighteen months hence we submit that even though we were being told by the likes of Mr. Roubini that everything was going to be fine and tail risk had been avoided, we can now see that no such risk has been reduced and we are potentially much worse off today then we were then.
As we see absolutely no solution to the overall malaise facing our Nation and the world, we expect to see gold continue to rise for several years to come. There will certainly be some ups and downs, and we can expect extreme volatility as the system we understand to be our economy seizes up, but the long-term projections for gold remain intact.
While we have seen a historical high of $1600 for gold today, we are nowhere near what the price should be if we adjusted the 1981 high for inflation – which would put us at roughly $2300. Considering that this recession is (by official accounts) the worst crisis since the Great Depression, and literally nothing other than the stock market has showed any significant improvement over the last two years, there is the real risk that another meltdown much worse than the 2008 collapse will drop us even deeper into what many are calling The Greater Depression.
Economic Armageddon may very well be just around the corner.
If this is the case, and the economic problems are not transient, as Mr. Bernanke has suggested, then we can expect gold to reach levels never imagined by the likes of Nouriel Roubini or the ‘gold is not money (http://www.shtfplan.com/precious-metals/ben-bernanke-says-gold-is-not-money_07162011)‘ crowd that includes experts like Mr. Ben Bernanke.
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<LI class=regularitem xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Ben Bernanke Says Gold is NOT Money (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SHTFplan/~3/XkM7ndIXNQk/ben-bernanke-says-gold-is-not-money_07162011)

Posted: Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:53:34 +0000


http://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/bernanke-trillion.jpg
Though they have been used for millenia as a means of exchange, from Sumeria where silver was used to conduct transactions over 6000 years ago to the United States of America which, up until the 1970′s, linked the value of the US dollar to an ounce of gold, some economists and leading bankers will argue that neither is a viable means of exchange in modern day economies.
Chief of those who simply dismiss the use of gold and silver as nothing but old world tradition is Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who recently made the argument under questioning by Representative Ron Paul (R-TX):

Ron Paul: Do you think gold is money?
Ben Bernanke: (…long pause…) No. It’s a precious metal.
Ron Paul: Even if it has been money for 6000 years, somebody reversed that and eliminated that economic law?
Ben Bernanke: Well, it’s an asset. Would you say Treasury bills are money? I don’t think they’re money either, but they’re a financial asset.
Ron Paul: Why do central banks hold it?
Ben Bernanke: It’s a form of reserves.
Ron Paul: Why don’t they hold diamonds?
Ben Bernanke: Well, it’s tradition. Long term tradition.
Ron Paul: Some people still think it’s money.


In What is money when the system collapses? (http://www.shtfplan.com/emergency-preparedness/what-is-money-when-the-system-collapses_12292009?preview=true&preview_id=3210&preview_nonce=0f42c37aa7) we put forth a definition for money as provided by economic analyst Mike Shedlock (http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-is-money-and-how-does-one-measure.html):


“Like all commodities, it has an existing stock, it faces demands by people to buy and hold it. Like all commodities, its price� in terms of other goods is determined by the interaction of its total supply, or stock, and the total demand by people to buy and hold it. People buy� money by selling their goods and services for it, just as they sell� money when they buy goods and services.”
Thus, money is essentially any unit of exchange, be it a commodity or otherwise, that people are willing to trade for the procurement of goods. While the US dollar and other paper currencies are used in modern economies as a unit of exchange, Mr. Bernanke’s view that only these ‘currencies’ are money is close-minded.
For a more open minded perspective, we draw on one of the leading alternative market thinkers of our time, Brandon Smith of Alt-Market (http://alt-market.com/):

As for what an Alternative Market is; it is essentially any method of trade outside the establishment-controlled economy. It could be based on the barter of goods and skills, or the proliferation of precious metals to break our dependence on the fiat dollar (or Federal Reserve Note), etc. It could be a network of people across a county or state, or, an agreement between two friends.
Source: Alternative Markets Are The Lifeboats That Will Save Us (http://alt-market.com/articles/176-alternative-markets-are-the-lifeboats-that-will-save-us)
They key point here, is that money is anything that two parties agree is money. It is and always has been a faith based system.
Whether you are using personally panned gold to buy bread (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3LdNxV0yPM), like many are doing in Zimbabwe, or collecting and exchanging barter points for services you provide or need, if you and the other party agree it’s money, it’s money.
Like any faith based system, the US dollar will be considered money only as long as the world believes in it. And the way things are going now, it won’t be long before Mr. Bernanke’s “money” is no longer worth the paper it’s printed on. We wonder what Mr. Bernanke will consider as money once this happens. Our guess is it will be just another paper currency, perhaps an Amero style reserve note, or a global unit of exchange like a SDR-bill from the International Monetary Fund.
What we can be certain of is once faith in Bernanke Bills has been lost, the population of those countries affected (and there are lots that use the dollar as a primary medium of exchange, including Zimbabwe), will determine on their own what will be used as money. Things like gold, silver, tobacco, alcohol – and depending on the severity of the currency crash – even food, clothing, and skills (medical, carpentry, security, machining, farming, etc.) will become the monetary units of exchange.
Of important note is also Mr. Bernanke’s reasoning for why the price of gold is rising. Notice that he did not mention rising inflation. On this point, we agree with Mr. Bernanke:

I pay attention to the price of gold. But I think it reflects a lot of things. It reflects global uncertainties. I think the reason people hold gold is as a protection against tail risk – really, really bad outcomes. And to the extent that the last few years have made people more worried about the potential for a major crisis then they have gold as a protection.
It is and has been our view for quite some time that inflation is merely a by-product of underlying problems within the system. The decade long rise in gold has resulted from exactly what Mr. Bernanke suggested – uncertainty.
The ironic thing about this is that, among other things, it is uncertainty in the very monetary unit of exchange, the US dollar, that Ben Bernanke purports is the only “real” money!
We suspect that the uncertainty in what happens next to our economy, government finances, politics and global relationships will continue, which suggests that the price of gold will continue to rise.
Money and governments are faith based systems. So long as the people continue to lose confidence in these systems, the price of tangible assets, including gold, will continue to rise.
And no matter what Mr. Bernanke thinks, if you have an ounce of silver or an ounce of gold, there will always be someone willing to trade you for it. In our book, that makes it money.
Take special note, also, about Mr. Bernanke’s tail risk comment. The price of gold has risen from around $300 in the 1990′s, to over $1500 now. This suggests that a lot of people are expecting a “really, really bad outcome.”
For those concerned that Ben Bernanke’s version of money will lose value, or collapse, bringing on some really, really bad outcomes, we suggest putting some other “traditional” monetary units in your personal reserves.
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<LI class=regularitem xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">The Strategic Advantages Of Community Building (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SHTFplan/~3/Mmk5ifLOYQM/the-strategic-advantages-of-community-building_07152011)

Posted: Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:33:34 +0000

The following article has been contributed by Brandon Smith of Alt-Market (http://www.alt-market.com/) – helping to insulate you from economic collapse.
Editor’s note: When the SHTF, as in total collapse of our economic system or power-grid, chaos will reign supreme. Most preppers are confident in their abilities to make it through tough times, as they should be. Many of us have spent a great deal of time, energy and money over many years preparing our larders, defense, and building skill sets. But whether you’re out in the boonies fifty miles from civilization, or living smack-dab in the middle of suburbia, going it alone is a daunting proposition. When one considers the seriousness of a collapse-style event it becomes abundantly clear that mutually beneficial relationships with neighbors and your greater community will be necessary to keep you and yours safe from harm. In the following article Brandon Smith lays out the importance of community in a post-SHTF world and provides some reasons for why and how you should consider expanding your horizons on this topic if you haven’t yet done so. We strongly recommend looking into doing what you can to establish relationships with others now, because putting food on the table, keeping your property maintained and your perimeter secure 24 hours a day will be a difficult task to accomplish with just yourself or a small family (especially if you have kids). The strategies outlined can be applied to those living in rural communities, or even in suburban lifestyles.

[mick silver]

lifestyles.

http://www.shtfplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/advantagesofcommunity.jpg
The year was 2002, and while the majority of Americans were completely obsessed with the so called “War On Terror” and other devices of distraction, something much more real and decidedly prophetic was going on in our southern hemisphere. Argentina was in the midst of total collapse, driven by banker fraud and extreme currency devaluation in tandem with government mismanagement and corruption. First, cities exploded with rioting and violence as Argentinian police and military attempted to crush all dissent. Soon after, displaced refugees from population centers along with roving bands of thieves flooded into the countryside, wiping out isolated farms, murdering families, and hunting down any small group of survivors weaker than themselves and flush with supplies. The authorities (and I use the term loosely) were too busy trying to suppress civil protests to bother protecting those who were caught unprepared.
This behavior is part and parcel of economic destabilization, regardless of the time or place in which it occurs. Only nine years ago, a very modern and technologically savvy nation of people, nearly cannibalized itself. Those who survived and thrived did so through family aid and substantial existing wealth, or, the tactical building of communities for the purpose of mutual defense and alternative trade. Farmers armed themselves and formed regional groups along with security measures. City dwellers formed neighborhood watches and barter networks when the mainstream economy disappeared. The bottom line; lone wolves and isolated country families were nothing more than tempting targets at the onset of the breakdown in Argentina.
I and most other Americans have never personally lived through such a collapse, though some would be preppers rather boldly claim to be experts on surviving these specific kinds of catastrophes. I am not an expert, and neither is anyone else who has not experienced a collapse first hand. However, we CAN learn from the experiences of experts; those people who lived through the Great Depression, the Argentina crisis, the implosion of Bosnia, the breakup of the Soviet Union, the ongoing breakdown in Greece, etc. We can analyze their successes, and their failures, and devise solutions based on that which actually WORKED, instead of the random theories of people who can only guess at what life is like in the thick of hell.
One solution that has consistently been adopted and applied by numerous societies across the globe in the face of a stratum of different calamities is the art of community building. This strategy has proven itself over and over again regardless of catastrophic conditions. It is not theory. It is not debatable. Community networking has been proven time and again as a means of subsisting safely during depression, hyperinflation, mass hysteria, despotism, martial law, and even widespread war. Unfortunately, it is a methodology that has gone mostly ignored by many Americans, even those who are well aware of impending economic danger.
Common Oppositions To CommunityBuilding
First, we must put to rest those misconceptions that hinder the development of meaningful defensive community before we are able to understand the nature of various organizational methods and their benefits. Let’s examine some often heard arguments against the formation of survival relationships, groups, and focused networks…
1) Other People Aren’t Reliable. I Can Survive Better On My Own…
I’ll be the first to admit that some people are unreliable if not downright pathetic. On top of this, many in our culture find it necessary to exaggerate their abilities or their resolve until they are faced with an actual crisis, and then they fold like a wet blade of grass. Counting on such men is a waste of time and energy, not to mention, dangerous. Certainly, every prepper should have the ability to make it on his own, at least for a short time, in a collapse environment, and anyone who does not have that option is in some serious trouble.
I write a lot about “dangerous assumptions”, almost to the point of feeling ill, because most if not all of America’s problems are either caused or exacerbated by them. We presume too much too often, and it always comes back to bite us. Presuming that one will never be forced into a situation where he might have to survive alone for a time is foolish. There is no guarantee that we will always have others to fall back on, or that we will never be driven from our homes. On the other hand, it is equally foolish to presume that you will not face even worse circumstances while you are on your own. Unless you have the ability to go for weeks without sleep, and to be alert to every conceivable detail at every conceivable moment, it is insane to CHOOSE lone wolf survival over community and mutual defense. Its good to have the ability to go solo, but if you want to actually make it through a collapse similar to that which occurred in Argentina or worse, eventually you will have to work with others. This is not my opinion, it is a fact made concrete by numerous economic disasters around the world.
2) Groups Draw Too Much Attention. It’s Better To Keep A “Low Profile”…
I’m not sure where this nonsensical theory came from, but it definitely didn’t get started by anyone who has actually lived through economic implosion. The root of this strange position is that organizing networks of people for trade and for defense makes you a visible “target” for a corrupt government. At least, that’s the argument. It may be true that more focused groups of liberty minded people are indeed placed on lists, and singled out for surveillance or media ridicule, however, we need to apply some logical thought here.
During an economic collapse, EVERYONE becomes a target. A target of poverty, a target of homelessness and starvation, a target of crime, a target of mass hysteria. Honestly, martial law and despotic politicians are secondary concerns. If you have no solid community structure to brace against the fiscal avalanche, then your problems are much larger and more immediate than any alphabet agency goon squad or military outfit crossing the Rubicon. You, my friend, have no support. You are relying on “luck”. This is pure stupidity.
A strong community rarely attracts antagonism. On the contrary, strong communities dissuade attack, as has been proven in numerous national disasters. The risk of raiding the retreat of one man or one family is negligible compared to the risk of raiding an entire town. Most criminally minded people (this includes bloodthirsty bureaucrats), deliberately target the noticeably weak, and avoid any confrontation that might actually deal them a damaging blow.Believing that one can “hide” until the storm blows over is also a serious stretch. Again, assumptions kill.
Finally, fearing the potential actions of government so much that we refuse to take meaningful steps to even protect ourselves is such an affront to the principles of freedom and liberty that I shudder to imagine what it must be like to be stricken with such cowardice. The Founding Fathers didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence, “Anonymous”. We should have the same courage to openly organize against those entities and events which aim to harm us. As we like to say here at Alt-Market; grow a pair!
3) I Don’t Have To Organize, I Can Just Leave The Country…
This argument often includes references to WWII and the flight of more affluent Europeans to places such as South America and Australia to escape tragedy. First, let’s be clear; anyone who fields an argument like this must have at least some means to travel internationally without much warning, otherwise, they are kidding themselves. Second, they would have to leave before the crash reaches critical mass, and before transportation and infrastructure are affected, or they will be trapped in-country like the rest of us. Finally, I would venture to ask them where exactly they think they will flee to in order to avoid the effects of a GLOBAL economic crisis? Only the ASEAN trading bloc has taken measures to shield itself from both a European and U.S. financial crash, and those countries have their own problems; financial and social.
Strangely, I find China is often cited as a possible expatriate escape. If someone is dense enough to run away from possible totalitarianism in America just to live under assured totalitarianism in the land of the CPC, then I say good riddance. You can’t “escape” the destruction of globalization, you can only stand and fight it. All other solutions are a stop-gap at best.
4) There’s No Point In Organizing. We’re All Doomed Anyway…
Ah, the stench of nihilism strikes again! How often do we hear this from day to day? Good men and women have been confronting tyranny since the dawn of time, for the betterment of the future, and without fail, there’s always some group of quivering mental weaklings nearby to assert that “all hope is lost”. If liberty minded people didn’t pay these whining slugs any attention back then, why should we pay any attention to them today?
The origin of this argument springs from the average nihilist’s underlying feelings of inadequacy. For them, defiance IS impossible, because they lack the backbone and the will needed for success. Unfortunately, nihilists also lack the gumption to admit this to themselves.Thus, to compensate for their failings, they project their weaknesses onto everyone else.
“Surely”, they claim, “If I can’t fight back, then neither can anyone else”. You’ll find it is common for nihilists to react furiously and melodramatically when they are confronted with people who have the will to stand firm in their convictions. Nihilists feel highly threatened by men with solid character, because their feebleness is made more apparent when strong personalities are present. They also have a tendency towards eugenics, or overt religious zealotry to the point of obsession with apocalypse or rapture. They WANT the downfall of humanity, because they feel so isolated by their own pitiable existence and the desire to be proven correct in their wretchedness that they would actually be happy to see the end of millions of lives just to experience a fleeting moment of sour vindication.
Trying to speak plainly with anyone who makes this argument against community building or proactive organization is usually a waste of time. Most are simply incapable of hearing you…
Methods Of CommunityBuilding
Community networking is our best available solution in the wake of inevitable economic chaos.Ending the Fed is a noble goal. Changing government through reform and by running for office should be pursued. Reducing or completely negating the unchecked power of agencies like the DHS, FEMA, the CIA, the ATF, etc, is essential. But, none of these actions will undo the underlying damage to our economy, or prevent a collapse. At this point, nothing can turn back the tide on the dollar, or our national debt, and we will see a considerable downturn in markets, employment, and wages, along with severe inflation in prices. The dam has been broken, and the flood cannot be turned back. This means that more than ever, we must organize to lessen the injury to ourselves and each other as much a possible, so that we are better capable of repairing the damage done later on.
The following are a few different methods for actively constructing community groups and organizations. Some may fit particular situations more aptly than others, but the point is to get out of your house, and start meeting others face to face. Without this, there can be no community.
Meet-Up Groups: This is better than nothing. At the very least, we should be able to find the time to talk with others of like mind in a neutral setting away from our computers and express our concerns. Weekly or bi-weekly meetings are a must. Anything less frequent will probably go nowhere. If taken seriously, Meet Up groups can easily develop into the first strides towards real community.
Protest Groups: As I’ve said in the past, street protest alone is not enough to effect positive change. Governments today ignore the will of the people, and assert policy measures without regard for public outcry. However, a protest group could help in initiating wider political action and help build bonds of trust. It is a step in the right direction, but not the end of the journey.
Farmer’s Or Garden Co-ops: Now we’re actually producing something vital; food. This kind of organization creates tangible safety in the form of commodities which can cushion communities from hyperinflation or total breakdown. Notice the recent government crackdowns on smaller private farming, private gardens, and even Amish farm goods? Personal food growing and especially organized citizen growing is a threat to establishment and corporate systems. If you are no longer dependent on their food, you are less likely to be swayed or controlled.
Barter Networks: My personal favorite. Barter networks take farmer’s co-ops and other private entrepreneurial ventures and form living, breathing economies which decouple from the mainstream system. Now, not only does your community have its own food sources, but its own full fledged Alternative Market along with numerous options for currency and trade. A strong barter network with knowledgeable and skilled participants is like an oasis in the desert of economic disaster. It insulates and protects community, yet it refrains from centralizing or dominating community. Barter networking should be a number one priority for every American today.
Neighborhood Watch: No, not the kind of neighborhood watch where everyone on the block gets together for a barbecue and talks in hushed voices about all the devious criminals you think are hiding behind every neatly trimmed shrub. And, not the kind of neighborhood watch where you call the cops every time you see a car driving slowly down the street. Those types of groups only create paranoia and dependency. A real neighborhood watch is a move towards independence, and self defense. With municipal investment disintegrating, and states (like Wisconsin) on the verge of default, you cannot always count on local police to have the funding or the motivation to help you. Which means, you’ll have to help yourself. This is much easier when the rest of the neighborhood is behind you.
Survival Groups: Prep alone if you must, but build relationships with others if you can. Survival groups allow training with others who may have extensive knowledge in areas you do not. Also, Survival Groups can share the financial burden of stockpiling goods, and, they can coordinate the acquisition of supplies so that each person has less work load to carry in the long term.Hiking, hunting, and trips to the shooting range build team awareness. If worse comes to worse, and a full spectrum collapse takes place, you will have an organization of trusted friends with fundamental training ready to back you up.
State Or CountyMilitias: Yep, I used the “M-word”. Militias are perhaps the most criticized and demonized community type in America, and ironically, the only group on this list specifically mentioned in the Constitution as a national necessity. A county militia sponsored by a liberty minded sheriff would be the ideal situation, but this is, of course, not always possible. So, often these groups must form on their own accord without any support from local officials. Militias are an interesting breed of organization which I have a lot of respect for, despite the accusations of “domestic extremism”, and here’s why; militias aren’t just larger survival groups whose only concern is the extension of their own lives. Most militias very often take responsibility for the protection of the surrounding communities as well. They seek to ensure the safety of others in the event of collapse. This is an honorable endeavor, not “extremism”. The establishment is so threatened by militias because they supply another means of defense beyond standing military or law enforcement. Some militia members actually ARE standing military and law enforcement. Bad government needs the masses to remain dependent, or, it loses its source of influence. Militias take away that influence, and so, are constantly and maliciously scrutinized in the media.
Safe Haven States: A Safe Haven State, or a “Free State”, is a state that has nurtured so many alternative markets and liberty minded communities that it acts as a barrier to not only collapse, but also to aggressive and corrupt government. Today we have the beginnings of several Safe Haven States ready to be cultivated, but not any that could be called full fledged. A Safe Haven State is Tenth Amendment conscious, supportive of sound money measures, and restrictive of federal interference in its affairs. Barter networks are a normal part of daily life, and use of Federal Reserve fiat is minimal. It is a community that sets an example for the rest of the country.
Alt-Market and Oath Keepers are nearing launch of a project which we believe will help in the growth of Safe Haven States. The difference between this and most other communities is that it does not form through local effort alone, but is populated by independent people from around the nation seeking a more free way of life. Some areas of the U.S. already have considerable foundations for community, while others are sparse, or unreceptive. Liberty Movement participants in these places may decide that it is better to move to a more welcoming and productive environment. Safe Haven States could fulfill this role.
Make It Happen
All community efforts require one thing above all else; initiative. We have to be willing to put in the work. Plain and simple. The sooner this is done, the sooner we can reap the benefits of insulated commerce, sound money, mutual defense, and sincere associations and friendships. The most detrimental failing of the Liberty Movement today is its propensity for inaction, or the belief that internet research is “good enough”. Eventually, we will have to leave our comfort zones and do something with what we have learned. That means setting aside our jobs (which likely won’t exist in a couple years), our hobbies (which we likely won’t care about in couple of years), our habits and addictions (which we likely won’t be able to afford in a couple of years), our financial designs (which will be laughable in a couple of years), and ignore the skepticism of our immediate families (who will be thanking us in a couple of years). It means getting our priorities straight. This can be done, by everyone, and it can be done now. All that is required is the resolve to take action, and the determination to see it through.
You can contact Brandon Smith at: www.alt-market.com (http://www.alt-market.com/)
Join Alt-Market today, find a barter network in your area, or start your own. Insulate yourself and your family from economic collapse before it is too late.
Be sure to check out Operation Sleeping Giant (http://www.operationsleepinggiant.com/), an Oath Keepers project dedicated to getting veterans and communities prepared for the worst.

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<LI class=regularitem xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">Bread and Circuses: Poor and Broke Camp Out Overnight, Rush the Gates for Gov Rental Assistance (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SHTFplan/~3/ybwR2hcB2rw/bread-and-circuses-poor-and-broke-camp-out-overnight-rush-the-gates-for-gov-rental-assistance_07142011)

Posted: Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:22:41 +0000

The video clip below is reminiscent of the annual American version of the Running of the Bulls (http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/black-friday-americas-running-of-the-bulls_11262010) on the Friday following Thanksgiving Day. But on this particular day, people aren’t looking for deals on flat screen TV’s and video game systems. Having maxed out their credit cards to “save” money on must have technology items in November of 2010, many residents of the U.S. are finding it increasingly difficult to put food on the table and pay the rent.
This has led to increased government assistance all over the country. The latest giveaway in the growing trend of housing and rental entitlement expenditures comes to us from Dallas, TX, where broke and hungry residents (http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/broke-and-hungry-this-chart-says-it-all_01112011), many of whom camped out overnight, rushed the gates of the Jesse Owens Memorial Complex in an effort to get their piece of the entitlement pie.


For those familiar with the movie Gladiator starring Russel Crowe, you may be familiar with the scene where Caesar has loaves of bread thrown to the crowds. The actions of our government today are nothing more than the bread and circuses acts of the political elite in societies on the brink of collapse. Appease the masses with empty promises and satisfy the immediate shallow needs of the populace. Rinse, repeat. Until you run out of money to even throw them their bread.
This begs the question, what happens when the money stops flowing to Main Street? (http://www.shtfplan.com/gerald-celente/celente-when-the-money-stops-flowing-down-to-the-man-in-the-street-the-blood-starts-flowing-in-the-streets_02252011)
We suspect it will go something like Zbigniew Brzezinski forecast in a recent interview (http://www.shtfplan.com/forecasting/former-intelligence-chief-expect-intensified-social-conflicts-social-hostility-civil-unrest-extremism_07122011), suggesting that when the middle, working and welfare class run out of money society will slide into intensified social conflicts and hostility.
It’s obvious that more and more people are finding it increasingly difficult to pay for their housing, their food, and their energy needs. At some point the credit will run out – on a personal and governmental level – and the necessities for life will cost so much that no one will be able to afford them. When this happens, we can expect not hundreds, not thousands, but hundreds of thousands of angry, broke, and hungry people lining the streets of our major cities demanding justice.
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[Joe King]

Prepare for war?

Perhaps related to this? http://gold-silver.us/forum/showthread.php?52084-Iran-Opens-Oil-Bourse-–-Harbinger-of-Trouble-for-New-York-and-London

[Book]

Perhaps related to this?



http://weaselzippers.us/2011/07/18/norway-backs-palestinians-attempt-to-gain-statehood-via-un-vote/

Yep.

:)

[Cebu_4_2]

http://weaselzippers.us/2011/07/18/norway-backs-palestinians-attempt-to-gain-statehood-via-un-vote/

Yep.

:)'

Did you read the comments there? Makes me want to vomit... or send them all it Isreahell.

[Joe King]

That's a possibility too, Book.

Maintaining the status quo has never been more important than it is today. {for the elite, that is}

I support Palestinians having their own State. All people should have their equal Rights acknowledged no matter their origin creed or color.

[EE_]

I think a global war is very possible this year...in fact I have been telling people WWIII would begin in 2011, for four years now.

Some events taking place this year, outside of the financial state of the world in ruin...
Iran oil bource begins = bad for dollar (how dare they!)
Chinese metals exchange begins = collapse of criminal COMEX (take that sucka!)
UN vote on Palestinian state in September = criminal Jews get their panties in a big wad.
Gold and Silver to make big move = fucks the dollar but good!

[Book]

I support Palestinians having their own State.



When the jews finally slither out of Palestine they will.

::)

[Joe King]

You forgot the other part of that line, Book. Or do you and your tribe not believe in that part?

"All people should have their equal Rights acknowledged no matter their origin creed or color.

[osoab]

Iran shoots down U.S. spy plane over Qom: MP (http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=244358)
Tehran Times Political Desk