In light of the unfolding global sovereign debt fiasco that has turned out to be less of a waterfall and more of an avalanche [than anticipated I present below a description of the 5 stages of collapse and discuss our preparedness. If you haven't read it yet, perhaps you should.] It has been read by 70,000+ people so far - and is still being read by an average of 1,500 people each month - on my site alone. Words: 2525

Despite the practical impossibility of real comparisons we know perfectly well that the value of a dollar or a pound, shekel, rouble or euro isn’t what it used to be...This fact, however, doesn’t stop us from almost exclusively focussing on how much money we have today rather than what it can purchase for us: we think about money in nominal terms rather than real ones [- and that is what is known as money illusion. Let me explain.] Words: 873

The stock market and inflation expectations remain joined at the hip. As the crowd anticipates higher inflation, the stock market rallies, and vice versa. This positive correlation between inflation and stock prices (a proxy for the economic outlook) won’t last forever and it’s anyone’s guess when [that will be but I have my views on it if you are so interested]. Words: 557

[I have identified] five "Great Deceptions" lurking out there that, individually and collectively, have the potential to wreck your portfolio. [That being said,] I also have five protective strategies to help you avoid getting slammed. Words: 998

The U.S. Dollar Index is signaling that this rally might have a bit more room to run. [Let me explain.] Words: 400

I respect many of the writers who believe that we will experience hyperinflation... but I think they are jumping the gun. Hyperinflation is something that is easy to say - and it certainly achieves the sensational headlines that so many financial writers seek - but it is much more difficult to achieve. At this point none of the economic or political factors required to set off hyperinflation are present. The question should not be whether or not it is possible, but whether or not it is probable in America today and in my opinion the probability of such happening is very low. [Let me explain why that is the case.] Words: 2695

Our government is broken. Our economy is broken. Our infrastructure is crumbling. Our major institutions — education, religion, culture — are inadequate to the tasks at hand. These are all signs of an old world passing away and clearing the way for a new one to arise in its place. The sooner we let go of our assumption that going back is desirable, or even possible, the sooner we’ll be able to fully embrace the new things that lie ahead. [Let me explain.] Words: 1891

We are trying to get out of a debt led crisis with more debt. The facts show this and we have compiled some of the more troubling data by putting the entire debt market into perspective here [and it clearly shows that] we flat out have an addiction to borrowing. [Read on!] Words: 600

The staggering debt situation throughout the industrialized world...will be terminal for the financial system we have known since the end of World War 2 [and, as such, have a major] impact...on the value of paper money and by extension, gold and silver. [Let me explain.] Words: 2328

This time is far worse than any other modern recession. What we are seeing now is a depression, despite what the NBER would have you believe. If you are still looking for the “Big One” to happen, you are too late. It happened here and it is still happening here and in Europe. They, like us, have tried to paper over most of the effects of the boom-bust business cycle malinvestment, and they have failed and the piper is at their door [as it is here in the U.S.]. The current economic “good news”, this supposed "recovery", is largely based on fiat money steroids and will not last without continuous injections of new fiat money into the economy. [Let me explain.] Words: 2300