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

Much of what we see and don’t see regarding the modern-day tragedy that is Greece, is all about perserving the dream of a pan EU/European nation state, a United States of Europe if you will, rather than about bailing out the foreign bank holders of European sovereign debt. Let me explain my perspective. Words: 627

The smart people are (buying gold) and more and more people are waking up to it. So the people that are going to survive and thrive are going to be the ones that are prepared, the ones that are going to see history before it happens and get ready for it and there are very few.

The primary obstacle to economic recovery is widespread insolvency among households and banks (meaning liabilities exceed assets). A consumer who is broke cannot spend, and a bank that is broke cannot lend. Devaluing the dollar would reduce the real value of the debt (increase the nominal value of the assets), rendering millions of households and most banks instantly solvent. [Let me explain.] Words: 590

That governments will want - and will NEED - much, much higher gold and silver prices in the future is counter intuitive, given that they have done everything within their power to throttle back and to keep a lid on bullion prices. Let me explain why. Words: 1300

George Soros...is more concerned with surviving than staying rich...He doesn't just mean it's time to protect your assets. He means it's time to stave off disaster. As he sees it, the world faces one of the most dangerous periods of modern history—a period of "evil." Europe is confronting a descent into chaos and conflict. In America he predicts riots on the streets that will lead to a brutal clampdown that will dramatically curtail civil liberties. The global economic system could even collapse altogether. [Perhaps] we should be, too, [but as] we have often explained, [such comments ar nothing more than] the fear-based promotions of the power elite to frighten the middle classes into giving up power and wealth to globalist institutions. Let us explain.

Back in 2009 I began keeping track of those financial analysts, economists, academics and commentators who were of the opinion that it was just a matter of time before gold reached a parabolic peak price well in excess of the prevailing price. As time passed the list grew dramatically and at last count numbered 140 such individuals who have gone on record as saying that gold will go to at least $3,000 – and as high as $20,000 - before the gold bubble finally pops. Of more immediate interest, however, is that 8 of those individuals believe gold will reach its parabolic peak price in the next 12 months - even as early as February, 2012. This article identifies those 8 and outlines their rationale for reaching their individual price expectations. Words:1450

This post initiates what I hope will become a multi-year tradition of listing what, according to munKNEE.com readers, were the most read articles from a longer term perspective which makes all of them still VERY relevent today. Interestingly, the 12 most popular articles as determined by you, the visitor, covered the full spectrum of what munKNEE.com covers, i.e. the Economy; the Financial Crisis; the U.S. Dollar and the future of Gold and Silver. Introductory paragraphs and links to each article are provided in descending order of popularity. Enjoy!

This analyst sees the perfect storm of converging criteria almost perfectly timed and aligned with the 2012 election cycle. When the moment arrives, the financial earthquake will rapidly demolish the existing highly precarious financial system. Government will stand by helpless, unable to shield itself, much less its vulnerable citizens or private financial institutions from the tsunami of debt and currency destruction. 2012 is shaping up to be the blockbuster main event of the ongoing financial crisis. Massive amounts of new debt, vast quantities of additional digital dollars and the spark of higher interest rates will set off version 2.0 of the credit-driven financial implosion. Let me explain. Words: 1443

Do we really honest-to-God no-fingers-crossed cherry-on-top believe that the powers-that-be will simply allow us to mosey up to the cashiers cage and redeem or convert our Gold for whatever monetary unit reigns supreme or is created [should our current financial system and currencies collapse? As such,] IF there comes a time when the best move forward is to sell most of our Gold and switch to another asset class, one more likely to survive the transition intact, will we be able to see this as obvious and a no brainer? [Let me explain what could well happen and the effect such a development would have on all things Gold.] Words: 3037