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Image | It’s Official: The Economy Is Set To Starve
It’s Official: The Economy Is Set To Starve
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson

It’s Official: The Economy Is Set To Starve

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Executive Summary

  • The age of conventional oil is over, but energy demand will continue to climb.
  • Natural gas is the “silver” of energy plays.
  • The inexorable onset of Peak Oil will drive natural gas much, much higher.
  • A tipping point of awareness approaches.
  • Prepare for extreme market volatility.

Part I

It’s the End of the Oil As We Know It…

Please click here to read Part I of this report.

Part II

Scouring the Globe for Fuel

Please click here to read Part II of this report.

Part III

Okay, so we’ve come to the conclusion that by the time the IEA, which has every incentive to underplay the timing and impact of Peak Oil, has publicly done everything but hand the world an engraved invitation on a silver platter that reads You are cordially invited to accept the reality of Peak Oil, it’s already past time to begin making whatever adjustments you are going to make.

Remember, it is my view that when the changes finally arrive in full force, their speed will overtake most people’s, countries’, and companies’ ability to react gracefully. (Click here for a recent report on this subject). Which means that the time to begin these efforts, if you have not already started, is now.

But we’ve gone over this in quite a bit of detail recently, and so I will not rehash those thoughts here and now. This report begins with the assumption that you have taken care of the basics: food, water, energy, and shelter. Further, you have gold and silver. You’ve got enough spare goods, parts, and necessities to take care of yourself, your family, and a few others besides. You’ve safely removed a comfortable portion of your wealth from the paper-based banking and financial systems. You are diligently working on building your local community.

Okay, so you’ve done all of that.  Now what?

It’s Official: The Economy Is Set To Starve
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson

It’s Official: The Economy Is Set To Starve

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Executive Summary

  • The age of conventional oil is over, but energy demand will continue to climb.
  • Natural gas is the “silver” of energy plays.
  • The inexorable onset of Peak Oil will drive natural gas much, much higher.
  • A tipping point of awareness approaches.
  • Prepare for extreme market volatility.

Part I

It’s the End of the Oil As We Know It…

Please click here to read Part I of this report.

Part II

Scouring the Globe for Fuel

Please click here to read Part II of this report.

Part III

Okay, so we’ve come to the conclusion that by the time the IEA, which has every incentive to underplay the timing and impact of Peak Oil, has publicly done everything but hand the world an engraved invitation on a silver platter that reads You are cordially invited to accept the reality of Peak Oil, it’s already past time to begin making whatever adjustments you are going to make.

Remember, it is my view that when the changes finally arrive in full force, their speed will overtake most people’s, countries’, and companies’ ability to react gracefully. (Click here for a recent report on this subject). Which means that the time to begin these efforts, if you have not already started, is now.

But we’ve gone over this in quite a bit of detail recently, and so I will not rehash those thoughts here and now. This report begins with the assumption that you have taken care of the basics: food, water, energy, and shelter. Further, you have gold and silver. You’ve got enough spare goods, parts, and necessities to take care of yourself, your family, and a few others besides. You’ve safely removed a comfortable portion of your wealth from the paper-based banking and financial systems. You are diligently working on building your local community.

Okay, so you’ve done all of that.  Now what?

Image | Chris Interviews Ted Butler: The End of Silver Price Manipulation – Part 2
Chris Interviews Ted Butler: The End of Silver Price Manipulation – Part 2
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson

The second part of Chris’ interview with Ted Butler, noted commentator on the silver market, is reserved below for you, our enrolled members.

If you’ve not yet listened to Part 1, click here to do so.

Part 2 of the interview takes a deep dive into the mechanics of how the alleged manipulation of the silver price has been conducted, as well as Ted’s outlook on the future price for the metal.

Simply put, this interview (Parts 1 & 2) is a ‘must listen’ for anyone currently invested in silver or thinking about doing so.

Chris Interviews Ted Butler: The End of Silver Price Manipulation – Part 2
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson

The second part of Chris’ interview with Ted Butler, noted commentator on the silver market, is reserved below for you, our enrolled members.

If you’ve not yet listened to Part 1, click here to do so.

Part 2 of the interview takes a deep dive into the mechanics of how the alleged manipulation of the silver price has been conducted, as well as Ted’s outlook on the future price for the metal.

Simply put, this interview (Parts 1 & 2) is a ‘must listen’ for anyone currently invested in silver or thinking about doing so.

Image | Chris Interviews Ted Butler: The End of Silver Price Manipulation
Chris Interviews Ted Butler: The End of Silver Price Manipulation
by Chris Martenson

2010 has been an exceptional year for silver. The price has increased over 50% to-date, and the CFTC (the US commodity regulatory body) issued a statement last month admitting that the market price of silver may have been (and still may be) fraudulently manipulated. An investigation is underway.

Ted Butler is one of the pre-eminent commentators on the silver market. In addition to his decades following the metal, he's spent years raising suspicions about silver’s suppression by a few large banks taking on egregiously large short positions. The current CFTC action is a direct result of Ted’s activism.

In the podcast below, Chris conducts an in-depth interview with Ted focusing on the most important aspects that anyone interested in silver needs to know now. In short, Ted predicts the imminent end to the manipulation will ultimately send the price higher – much higher.

 
Chris Interviews Ted Butler: The End of Silver Price Manipulation
 by Chris Martenson

2010 has been an exceptional year for silver. The price has increased over 50% to-date, and the CFTC (the US commodity regulatory body) issued a statement last month admitting that the market price of silver may have been (and still may be) fraudulently manipulated. An investigation is underway.

Ted Butler is one of the pre-eminent commentators on the silver market. In addition to his decades following the metal, he's spent years raising suspicions about silver’s suppression by a few large banks taking on egregiously large short positions. The current CFTC action is a direct result of Ted’s activism.

In the podcast below, Chris conducts an in-depth interview with Ted focusing on the most important aspects that anyone interested in silver needs to know now. In short, Ted predicts the imminent end to the manipulation will ultimately send the price higher – much higher.

 
Image | Silver, Indecisive Markets, and You
Silver, Indecisive Markets, and You
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson

I recently conducted an interview with Ted Butler, the silver champion and analyst, and he got me really excited about what silver may do over the next few years. The podcast of that interview will have both a public portion and a private portion for enrolled members. In the exclusive part, you will learn about some of the reasons that silver may perform really, really well over the coming years.

I said I would be keeping any eye on the silver markets to see if/when the next buy point might come. While I was expecting a bounce, today’s actions caught me off-guard.

Silver, Indecisive Markets, and You
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson

I recently conducted an interview with Ted Butler, the silver champion and analyst, and he got me really excited about what silver may do over the next few years. The podcast of that interview will have both a public portion and a private portion for enrolled members. In the exclusive part, you will learn about some of the reasons that silver may perform really, really well over the coming years.

I said I would be keeping any eye on the silver markets to see if/when the next buy point might come. While I was expecting a bounce, today’s actions caught me off-guard.

Image | Straight Talk with James Howard Kunstler: “The World is Going to Get Rounder and Bigger Again”
Straight Talk with James Howard Kunstler: “The World is Going to Get Rounder and Bigger Again”
by Chris Martenson

"Straight Talk" features thinking from notable minds who the PeakProsperity.com audience has indicated that it wants to learn more about. Readers submit the questions they want addressed and our guests take their best crack at answering. The comments and opinions expressed by our guests are their own.

This week's Straight Talk contributor is James Howard Kunstler, author and social critic. His better-known works include The Long Emergency, in which he argues that declining oil production will result in the decline of modern industrialized society and compel Americans to return to smaller-scale, localized, semi-agrarian communities; World Made By Hand, and its sequel, The Witch of Hebron, all published by The Atlantic Monthly Press. He writes a weekly blog is also a leading proponent of the movement known as "New Urbanism." 

1. When will the average US citizen wake up to the perils of Peak Oil?

JHK:  When a crisis comparable to the 1973 OPEC embargo — with lines at the filling stations and hefty price-hikes —  whaps them upside the head.

Straight Talk with James Howard Kunstler: “The World is Going to Get Rounder and Bigger Again”
 by Chris Martenson

"Straight Talk" features thinking from notable minds who the PeakProsperity.com audience has indicated that it wants to learn more about. Readers submit the questions they want addressed and our guests take their best crack at answering. The comments and opinions expressed by our guests are their own.

This week's Straight Talk contributor is James Howard Kunstler, author and social critic. His better-known works include The Long Emergency, in which he argues that declining oil production will result in the decline of modern industrialized society and compel Americans to return to smaller-scale, localized, semi-agrarian communities; World Made By Hand, and its sequel, The Witch of Hebron, all published by The Atlantic Monthly Press. He writes a weekly blog is also a leading proponent of the movement known as "New Urbanism." 

1. When will the average US citizen wake up to the perils of Peak Oil?

JHK:  When a crisis comparable to the 1973 OPEC embargo — with lines at the filling stations and hefty price-hikes —  whaps them upside the head.

Image | Bond Market Rebels, QE II Under Attack?
Bond Market Rebels, QE II Under Attack?
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson

Oh my. What is the world coming to?

The bond market seems to have gone “off script” and is defying the Fed’s recent announcement of $600 billion in new Treasury purchases.

This would be a rather stunning rebuke of the Fed’s supposed omnipotence and leadership.  If it gets out of hand, it could be a real game-changer.

Yes, we had the international community condemn QEII as little more than banana-republic-style money printing, but for the domestic bond market to join into the fray seems rather ominous:

Bond Market Rebels, QE II Under Attack?
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson

Oh my. What is the world coming to?

The bond market seems to have gone “off script” and is defying the Fed’s recent announcement of $600 billion in new Treasury purchases.

This would be a rather stunning rebuke of the Fed’s supposed omnipotence and leadership.  If it gets out of hand, it could be a real game-changer.

Yes, we had the international community condemn QEII as little more than banana-republic-style money printing, but for the domestic bond market to join into the fray seems rather ominous:

Image | Chris on Max Keiser: Peak Oil Is About to Collide with Our Debt Crisis
Chris on Max Keiser: Peak Oil Is About to Collide with Our Debt Crisis
by Chris Martenson

Chris was recently interviewed by Max Keiser for his On The Edge program. The videos of this discussion were released over the weekend and are available for viewing below.

The interview starts with a look at the extreme debt levels of OECD nations and the probable (and painful) repercussions they will have for the global economy. Chris spends time explaining the contradiction of how, even though we’re now ‘technically’ experiencing deflation as this debt is being unwound, prices are rising – due to growing loss of faith in the underlying fiat currencies.

Chris on Max Keiser: Peak Oil Is About to Collide with Our Debt Crisis
 by Chris Martenson

Chris was recently interviewed by Max Keiser for his On The Edge program. The videos of this discussion were released over the weekend and are available for viewing below.

The interview starts with a look at the extreme debt levels of OECD nations and the probable (and painful) repercussions they will have for the global economy. Chris spends time explaining the contradiction of how, even though we’re now ‘technically’ experiencing deflation as this debt is being unwound, prices are rising – due to growing loss of faith in the underlying fiat currencies.

Image | Commodities, Stocks, and Bonds (?!) Slammed
Commodities, Stocks, and Bonds (?!) Slammed
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson

Well, it’s an interesting day on the markets; one that could signal an important change in trend.

The 10-year bond is down (and the 7-year and 5-year down even more, in terms of basis points), stocks are down, and commodities are down hard. And the dollar is down, too. Not by much, but it’s down. This breaks the inverse dollar correlation that’s been dominating the landscape for a while and has me wondering if a change in trend is not upon us.

Certainly this could all be part of the normal correction process for markets that have all been on fire (to the upside) for the past three months. But it’s also quite a departure from recent action, and it has my attention.

Before I go any further, let me reiterate my position on silver, gold, and the commodities.

Commodities, Stocks, and Bonds (?!) Slammed
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson

Well, it’s an interesting day on the markets; one that could signal an important change in trend.

The 10-year bond is down (and the 7-year and 5-year down even more, in terms of basis points), stocks are down, and commodities are down hard. And the dollar is down, too. Not by much, but it’s down. This breaks the inverse dollar correlation that’s been dominating the landscape for a while and has me wondering if a change in trend is not upon us.

Certainly this could all be part of the normal correction process for markets that have all been on fire (to the upside) for the past three months. But it’s also quite a departure from recent action, and it has my attention.

Before I go any further, let me reiterate my position on silver, gold, and the commodities.

Image | Alert: QE II Has Lit The Fuse
Alert: QE II Has Lit The Fuse
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson
Thursday, November 11, 2010

Executive Summary

  • The US is one failed auction away from economic meltdown.
  • OECD countries are not aligned on what battle they’re fighting.
  • ‘Emergency’ measures governments are now taking will become permanent.
  • Currency devaluation & higher prices are inevitable.
  • Time to prepare is running out. Use the time you have wisely.
  • Chris gives specifics of his personal preparations for use as a guide.

Part I

If you have not yet read Part I of this report, please click here to read it first.

Part II

To quickly review Part I, the US has embarked on a very dangerous strategy of trying to print its way to prosperity, and various countries have, in exceptionally strong terms, indicated severe displeasure with the move. Essentially, they’ve determined that the US is trying to export its difficulties to them, and this is not appreciated.

So what do we make of this, and what might happen next?

I’ll be honest with you here: I have been redoubling my efforts at personal preparation over the past few weeks (and they were already on set to “high” over the past six months). I now see a very high possibility that a fiscal and/or associated dollar crisis could happen in the next 12 months. How high? Right now it looks like 50/50 to me; it’s a coin flip (or Russian roulette with three in the cylinder, if you prefer).

All that would be required to set match to dry tinder would be a single failed Treasury auction. You may consider this unlikely due to the presence of the Fed backstopping all new government borrowing, and that’s certainly a valid consideration, but the wildcard here is that the Fed is merely backstopping all the new Treasury issuances. As I indicated in part one, above, while the US might be floating roughly $1.2 – $1.5 trillion in new Treasuries in 2011, there’s another $3 trillion or so of ‘rollovers’ that have to go off without a hitch as well.

Alert: QE II Has Lit The Fuse
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson
Thursday, November 11, 2010

Executive Summary

  • The US is one failed auction away from economic meltdown.
  • OECD countries are not aligned on what battle they’re fighting.
  • ‘Emergency’ measures governments are now taking will become permanent.
  • Currency devaluation & higher prices are inevitable.
  • Time to prepare is running out. Use the time you have wisely.
  • Chris gives specifics of his personal preparations for use as a guide.

Part I

If you have not yet read Part I of this report, please click here to read it first.

Part II

To quickly review Part I, the US has embarked on a very dangerous strategy of trying to print its way to prosperity, and various countries have, in exceptionally strong terms, indicated severe displeasure with the move. Essentially, they’ve determined that the US is trying to export its difficulties to them, and this is not appreciated.

So what do we make of this, and what might happen next?

I’ll be honest with you here: I have been redoubling my efforts at personal preparation over the past few weeks (and they were already on set to “high” over the past six months). I now see a very high possibility that a fiscal and/or associated dollar crisis could happen in the next 12 months. How high? Right now it looks like 50/50 to me; it’s a coin flip (or Russian roulette with three in the cylinder, if you prefer).

All that would be required to set match to dry tinder would be a single failed Treasury auction. You may consider this unlikely due to the presence of the Fed backstopping all new government borrowing, and that’s certainly a valid consideration, but the wildcard here is that the Fed is merely backstopping all the new Treasury issuances. As I indicated in part one, above, while the US might be floating roughly $1.2 – $1.5 trillion in new Treasuries in 2011, there’s another $3 trillion or so of ‘rollovers’ that have to go off without a hitch as well.

Image | Germany Attacks US Economic Policy
Germany Attacks US Economic Policy
 PREVIEW
by Chris Martenson

The title of this piece comes straight from a Financial Times article posted this morning. The German finance minister leveled the cannons and blasted away at US policy, daring to point out that emperor has no clothes.

In a vigorous and unflinching attack, he described US economic policies as “clueless” and pointed out that the US stance towards China’s exchange rate policy is hypocritical.

In several of the scenarios that I have written, I have used ‘words’ from a German official as the trigger for massive, disruptive change. So perhaps I am overly sensitized to this particular development, but I am convinced that this is exactly how the ball gets rolling; someone in a position of authority speaks the truth.

Germany Attacks US Economic Policy
 PREVIEW by Chris Martenson

The title of this piece comes straight from a Financial Times article posted this morning. The German finance minister leveled the cannons and blasted away at US policy, daring to point out that emperor has no clothes.

In a vigorous and unflinching attack, he described US economic policies as “clueless” and pointed out that the US stance towards China’s exchange rate policy is hypocritical.

In several of the scenarios that I have written, I have used ‘words’ from a German official as the trigger for massive, disruptive change. So perhaps I am overly sensitized to this particular development, but I am convinced that this is exactly how the ball gets rolling; someone in a position of authority speaks the truth.

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