The Swedish ‘Statistics Sweden’, a government agency meant to supply statistics for decision making, debate and research, announced today that Swedes total fortune have increased. Among other things the report includes numbers that say that at the end of June 2009 households' wealth in shares was worth SEK 412 billion - an increase of SEK 77 billion since the end of last year. And, during the second quarter, households' financial assets increased by SEK 348 billion and amounted to SEK 4 996 billion. The statement says that; the positive development on the stock market contributed to the increased value of, among other things, households' holdings of shares, equity funds and insurance. Households’ financial savings amounted to SEK 28 billion in the second quarter of 2009. This is a somewhat higher figure than the second quarter of last year when the corresponding figure was SEK 25 billion. Households had slightly positive net savings in shares, that is, they purchased more shares than they sold. Households' debts increased by SEK 57 billion during the second quarter. This a lower increase of debt than the same quarter of last year when the figure was SEK 62 billion, but it is the highest figure since then. In the three quarters in between, the increase in debt was between SEK 33 and 36 billion, which is a lower figure than others in the last four years. As usual, loans in housing finance institutions and banks comprise the largest part of the increase in debts; loans with these two creditors amounted to SEK 55 billion.
Now, this is highly interesting in several ways.
If we break down these numbers we have a couple of positive things, a couple of negative ones and a couple of very valuable advice to hand out. Although nothing of this says who actually got richer and which ones really have benefited - I would guess, among other things, that financial institutes are some of the main winners – but I also suspect many common people have some winnings to collect.
On the positive side we have higher levels of savings, which is great. Even despite very low interest rates many people have realised that they need to save for a rainy day. To bad the central bank baboons convey lower intellect then the populace and scheme to try to get people to borrow and spend. The higher value of the stock market is, properly handled, also a good thing, and here is were one advice comes in. Collect your winnings, now. Don’t wait. I’m absolutely sure that the stock market will continue to go up and down for several months more, so you could probably stay and collect more winnings, but that is risky business. If you really feel the urge to continue with this very volatile affair, invest in commodities like food - which will have an increase in prices in the near future. Gold and silver are still great buys; don’t believe in that crap about precious metals having reached their peak, they haven’t. I would also recommend oil. The next time oil prices dip down a bit, buy. Within a year the dollar will in all likelihood collapse which will throw oil-prices up towards $200 a barrel or even higher. But the best advice is really to sell, pay of any mortgage or loan, buy Gold and sit tight. The crash will, according to me, probably not happen until February/Mars next year, but better to be safe then sorry.
On the negative side we have higher levels of borrowing, mainly curtsey of the central banks idiocy. If you have borrowed to buy stocks or real-estate you are utterly fucked if you don’t sell very soon. If you have just spent the money on useless items then you’re an idiot, and you will be one of the main losers in the future. Prepare to beg for food, standing in line at the soup-kitchen and roam the countryside without any hope.
Since most of you seemingly have borrowed from housing finance institutions I hope you did so early on in this depression so you now can sell at a higher price. Having large chunks of money in assets like real-estate or housing is not really a good idea; there is a boom right now. If you really need to, at least make sure you have your mortgages at fixed interest rates, they are still low, so go do that if you haven’t already. I would also recommend buying seeds to grow your own crops and stock up on oil and similar commodities that will come with a higher price and be scarcer in the future. Banks should be avoided as much as possible. If you want to stay with a regular big banking institution, change to Handelsbanken that seems to have at least some economists with a working brain.
All in all, it depends what you do now. Advices aside, please go and check numbers and all the facts floating around out there. There is enough information and the math doesn’t lie. 1+1=2 and 2-1=1, always. So do not believe in me, or anyone else, find it out for yourself. Don't let any cornflake economist or politician dictate your decisions.
I might be wrong about the timing, but I’m not wrong about the end result. There is a very bumpy road in front of us and around a turn, just up ahead, is a deep chasm of depression-stupidity, please do not jump down the abyss. Well, for my amusement, please do, but for your own and your families safety; don’t.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Another one bites the dust
Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat and liberal who was the last surviving brother of a legendary political family, died late Tuesday at his home in Hyannis Port, his family announced. He got to live as long as to 77.
Kennedy had been in declining health since having a seizure in May 2008. Subsequent tests determined that he had a malevolent brain tumour. As the standard-bearer for the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, "Teddy" believed in government's ability to help solve people's problems, and over the decades he learned how to wield power in the Senate to move the government in that direction. In other words a leftie nut-job.
I think I leave Obnoxio The Clown to cover this news in his own little way:
Obnoxio The Clown
Eddie's Teddy
From the day he was born, he was trouble.
He was the thorn in his country's side.
They tried in vain, but he never caused them nothing but shame.
He lost shame when they tried...
From the day she was gone, all he wanted
Was left-wing porn; to fund the IRA
Shooting up junk
He was a low-down, cheap little punk.
Taking Mary-Jo for a ride...
When Teddy said he didn't save Kopechne you knew he was a no-good kid
But when he threatened her life with a sinking car
When he died
Makes you smile
Und I did.
Everybody shoved him, I very nearly loved him
I said hey listen to me, stay sane inside insanity
But he locked the door and threw away the key...
But he must been drawn into something
Making him warn me in a note which reads (what's it say, what's it say?)
"I'm outta my head, O hurry or I may be dead.
They mustn't carry out their evil deeds..."
When Teddy said he didn't save Kopechne you knew he was a no-good kid
But when he threatened her life with a sinking car
When he died
Makes you smile
Und I did.
Rest in absolute misery, you murdering scum.
Obnoxio The Clown
Kennedy had been in declining health since having a seizure in May 2008. Subsequent tests determined that he had a malevolent brain tumour. As the standard-bearer for the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, "Teddy" believed in government's ability to help solve people's problems, and over the decades he learned how to wield power in the Senate to move the government in that direction. In other words a leftie nut-job.
I think I leave Obnoxio The Clown to cover this news in his own little way:
Obnoxio The Clown
Eddie's Teddy
From the day he was born, he was trouble.
He was the thorn in his country's side.
They tried in vain, but he never caused them nothing but shame.
He lost shame when they tried...
From the day she was gone, all he wanted
Was left-wing porn; to fund the IRA
Shooting up junk
He was a low-down, cheap little punk.
Taking Mary-Jo for a ride...
When Teddy said he didn't save Kopechne you knew he was a no-good kid
But when he threatened her life with a sinking car
When he died
Makes you smile
Und I did.
Everybody shoved him, I very nearly loved him
I said hey listen to me, stay sane inside insanity
But he locked the door and threw away the key...
But he must been drawn into something
Making him warn me in a note which reads (what's it say, what's it say?)
"I'm outta my head, O hurry or I may be dead.
They mustn't carry out their evil deeds..."
When Teddy said he didn't save Kopechne you knew he was a no-good kid
But when he threatened her life with a sinking car
When he died
Makes you smile
Und I did.
Rest in absolute misery, you murdering scum.
Obnoxio The Clown
Lies, lies, lies and a murderess
Today (or yesterday if you not live in Sweden where you consequently read translated stuff from English papers) it’s announced in several newspapers that Honduras interim government promises that there will be an election in November. This is, of course, very old news; the current establishment have been saying that from the very start. Throwing out the dictator wannabe Manuel Zelaya was according to the constitution and consequently a democratic move and already back then the parliament and the temporarily leader, Roberto Micheletti, announced that the coming election would be held and a new government to be chosen. The only reason our journalists write this crap now and in the way they do it, is to further throw suspicions over the peace loving Honduran people. It’s disgusting to see and read. How can journalists get away with not only ignoring their jobs, but in actuality hide and cover the actual facts?
We can also read that American households are getting more optimistic. This is taken as a good sign by our lovable journalists, further spreading the lie that the recession is easing off. However, if one actually read the report things look a bit different. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index stands, according to the report, at 54.1 (1985=100), up from 47.4 in July. The Present Situation Index improved somewhat to 24.9 from 23.3 last month. This is what the idiots refer to, but looking inside the report (you can find it here) you notice that the amount of consumers expecting an increase in their incomes is only 10.6 percent. Slightly up, but is that really a sign of confidence? 10.6%? Wait, it gets better. The Richmond manufacturing index was expected to rise to 16 from 14, but didn't - it instead remain unchanged. You don’t need to be an economist to understand the implication of this fact. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, these increases all comes from the current “easing off” or “halting” of the depression. Since this temporarily “stop” is because of humongous government spending and the fictively low interest rates both which either is due to end or need further boosting (more bail-outs and stimulus). If it were to end now it would mean that it would totally wipe out the slight positivism shown in this report. In fact, the actual numbers, without the trickery, would in all likelihood be lower than before. All in all this is just another example of horrible bad journalism.
In a editorial article in one of Sweden’s leading papers, meant to be a contribution to the debate about road-taxation, a couple of inbred three hugging freaks argues that the Swedish governments suggestion not really saves the environment since the money is mainly meant to be spent to improve existing roads or build new roads. Both these groupings are, of course, lying. The whole thing is about taxation, period. The government knows it cannot increase regular taxation to pay for this scam and since the money being stolen through normal taxation needs to go to useful projects like art students pretending to be mad, government jets, fish-cultivation in the Baltic and increased wages for elected frauds; it does not leave enough money to cover something like new roads. Consequently this is just another way to bring in money to the treasury and has nothing whatsoever to do with the environment. But the biggest lie is the scaremongering madness they use as argument, namely manmade global warming - the biggest hoax there is of which there is not one single fact or scientific evidence for. The entire debate is subsequently pointless, but they got to be in the paper at least, good for them.
And finally, Annika Östberg seems to be close to getting released. This woman helped murder a couple of people in California and was turned over to Swedish authorities earlier this year. And, of course, the Swedish so called justice-system is about to let her out. It might be a good thing that the government have another person to throw welfare at, it would increase GDP slightly, but it is hard to call this anything else than murderess-import. Why should the Swedish tax payers pay for the trip, the temporarily incarceration and now, most likely, her rehabilitation and welfare? It makes no sense. She should have been left rotting in a Californian prison cell, but rationality isn’t on the agenda. Maybe her 28 years so far is enough and maybe she can contribute in some way, if so kudos to her, but this seems like just another mad scheme from the oppressive class.
We can also read that American households are getting more optimistic. This is taken as a good sign by our lovable journalists, further spreading the lie that the recession is easing off. However, if one actually read the report things look a bit different. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index stands, according to the report, at 54.1 (1985=100), up from 47.4 in July. The Present Situation Index improved somewhat to 24.9 from 23.3 last month. This is what the idiots refer to, but looking inside the report (you can find it here) you notice that the amount of consumers expecting an increase in their incomes is only 10.6 percent. Slightly up, but is that really a sign of confidence? 10.6%? Wait, it gets better. The Richmond manufacturing index was expected to rise to 16 from 14, but didn't - it instead remain unchanged. You don’t need to be an economist to understand the implication of this fact. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, these increases all comes from the current “easing off” or “halting” of the depression. Since this temporarily “stop” is because of humongous government spending and the fictively low interest rates both which either is due to end or need further boosting (more bail-outs and stimulus). If it were to end now it would mean that it would totally wipe out the slight positivism shown in this report. In fact, the actual numbers, without the trickery, would in all likelihood be lower than before. All in all this is just another example of horrible bad journalism.
In a editorial article in one of Sweden’s leading papers, meant to be a contribution to the debate about road-taxation, a couple of inbred three hugging freaks argues that the Swedish governments suggestion not really saves the environment since the money is mainly meant to be spent to improve existing roads or build new roads. Both these groupings are, of course, lying. The whole thing is about taxation, period. The government knows it cannot increase regular taxation to pay for this scam and since the money being stolen through normal taxation needs to go to useful projects like art students pretending to be mad, government jets, fish-cultivation in the Baltic and increased wages for elected frauds; it does not leave enough money to cover something like new roads. Consequently this is just another way to bring in money to the treasury and has nothing whatsoever to do with the environment. But the biggest lie is the scaremongering madness they use as argument, namely manmade global warming - the biggest hoax there is of which there is not one single fact or scientific evidence for. The entire debate is subsequently pointless, but they got to be in the paper at least, good for them.
And finally, Annika Östberg seems to be close to getting released. This woman helped murder a couple of people in California and was turned over to Swedish authorities earlier this year. And, of course, the Swedish so called justice-system is about to let her out. It might be a good thing that the government have another person to throw welfare at, it would increase GDP slightly, but it is hard to call this anything else than murderess-import. Why should the Swedish tax payers pay for the trip, the temporarily incarceration and now, most likely, her rehabilitation and welfare? It makes no sense. She should have been left rotting in a Californian prison cell, but rationality isn’t on the agenda. Maybe her 28 years so far is enough and maybe she can contribute in some way, if so kudos to her, but this seems like just another mad scheme from the oppressive class.
Swine flu and GDP
I have been thinking about this horrifying, very scary, death-dealing, murderess disaster and main killer of all humans that is Swiney flu. Do you remember that some cornflake economist and some smug politicians mentioned that this could be bad for the economy? Well, that doesn’t need to be the case. Imagine that unemployment is very high, which it already is, and the only ones, or a clear majority, of those that gets the Hog pestilence have no jobs. It would be fantastic! Doctors and nurses with more to do, more staff needed, machines and equipment being bought, more soap being used, enforcing quarantines with police and military, reporters being sent here and there, politicians need to travel more, forced inoculations, more pills being eaten and so on and so on. If this is done for, oh, let’s say, borrowed money, it means higher GDP! And since all that the enemy class talk about, in regards to the economy, is GDP numbers as being the magical pixie dust needed to cure us from reality and basic math, how can anyone be against such a scenario?
Of course this is contingent on that most people getting sick are the none working ones or that the actual cost for treatment goes over the cost of the alternative i.e. welfare or working instead. The later, regarding price tag, shouldn’t be an issue, those machines and doctors are pretty expensive. So a welfare-case being emitted to a hospital just for a couple of days will end up as a big plus in government’s book-keeping, but even a hard working individual, just laying there for a while costing mucho dinero, can very well be a huge boost to GDP. All the government needs to see to is that the actual cost of keeping a certain individual is higher than the alternative, and, of course, see to it that the money comes from somewhere exiting like borrowing from China, taking people savings to spend it or making use of that oh so funny printing machine.
And maybe, just maybe, since the interest rates are unnaturally low at the moment hence cheap to borrow, the government could urge people to borrow lots of cash to pay for such treatment themselves. This scenario would also boost GDP, and it wouldn’t nibble on politician’s spending-pile so the politician can have a nice dinner, take a trip to the countryside or buy a new jet, all of which would also increase GDP.
Another good thing, that we could learn from the past - that also would be great for GDP, is to burn clothes or even houses where that awful plague have been. Those things need to be replaced, well not straight away, people can stand a little cold or stay at a shelter for a while, but rebuilding is fun and it would improve GDP.
Oh, I could go on for a long while giving more magnificent examples, but I’m sure one of those cornflake economists or some journalists can cook up another scheme just as efficient as any of mine, because, Satan knows, they have been fantastic at it so far...
What did you say? People dying? Well, that can also be turned into something positive. As long as the person in question ended up costing more than the alternative which means, in the short run, that GDP still would flourish. Of course, in the longer perspective, the person might have been a productive part of society, but when that shows up at the state accountant department, the government may have been replaced (they can blame the successors) or they simply borrow more money to cover the potential loss. Also, GDP is often referred to according per capita, per head, so one head less isn’t necessary a bad thing. A paraplegic you say? Fantastic! How much doesn’t such a person cost each year? So keep taking those injections, if you (the government really) gets lucky, you will be needing a nurse and constant care for the rest of your life and the longer you live in such a condition (better start as a child), the better for GDP.
All in all, properly handled, the Piggy virus can be a virtual gold-mine for our elitists. Remember I said it first; I’ll be waiting for that Nobel Prize they usually hand out to suggestion like this.
Of course this is contingent on that most people getting sick are the none working ones or that the actual cost for treatment goes over the cost of the alternative i.e. welfare or working instead. The later, regarding price tag, shouldn’t be an issue, those machines and doctors are pretty expensive. So a welfare-case being emitted to a hospital just for a couple of days will end up as a big plus in government’s book-keeping, but even a hard working individual, just laying there for a while costing mucho dinero, can very well be a huge boost to GDP. All the government needs to see to is that the actual cost of keeping a certain individual is higher than the alternative, and, of course, see to it that the money comes from somewhere exiting like borrowing from China, taking people savings to spend it or making use of that oh so funny printing machine.
And maybe, just maybe, since the interest rates are unnaturally low at the moment hence cheap to borrow, the government could urge people to borrow lots of cash to pay for such treatment themselves. This scenario would also boost GDP, and it wouldn’t nibble on politician’s spending-pile so the politician can have a nice dinner, take a trip to the countryside or buy a new jet, all of which would also increase GDP.
Another good thing, that we could learn from the past - that also would be great for GDP, is to burn clothes or even houses where that awful plague have been. Those things need to be replaced, well not straight away, people can stand a little cold or stay at a shelter for a while, but rebuilding is fun and it would improve GDP.
Oh, I could go on for a long while giving more magnificent examples, but I’m sure one of those cornflake economists or some journalists can cook up another scheme just as efficient as any of mine, because, Satan knows, they have been fantastic at it so far...
What did you say? People dying? Well, that can also be turned into something positive. As long as the person in question ended up costing more than the alternative which means, in the short run, that GDP still would flourish. Of course, in the longer perspective, the person might have been a productive part of society, but when that shows up at the state accountant department, the government may have been replaced (they can blame the successors) or they simply borrow more money to cover the potential loss. Also, GDP is often referred to according per capita, per head, so one head less isn’t necessary a bad thing. A paraplegic you say? Fantastic! How much doesn’t such a person cost each year? So keep taking those injections, if you (the government really) gets lucky, you will be needing a nurse and constant care for the rest of your life and the longer you live in such a condition (better start as a child), the better for GDP.
All in all, properly handled, the Piggy virus can be a virtual gold-mine for our elitists. Remember I said it first; I’ll be waiting for that Nobel Prize they usually hand out to suggestion like this.
Another day with more lies
It is almost like our journalists need to debunk every negative economic report they are “forced” to print/show, and this they do with 2 or 3 positive ones, all the while ignoring the truly negative.
The whole thing is really very easy. On one side you have lots of economists, financiers, bankers, politicians, journalists and other frauds. None of which predicted this crisis, none of which have had a single right so far. In fact, for these people every prediction, every expected number and the very depth and severity of this crisis has gone wrong. They were totally of the mark before this crisis, they have been way off during it, and so why on Beelzebub’s green earth would you listen to them now?
On the other side you have people that predicted this crisis many years before it happened. Most of which continues to get it right all throughout. In many cases it’s almost uncanny how some predicted almost to the exact number the value of Gold, the price of oil and so on. I do take pride in being one of those people. Although I’m perhaps a tad “out there” so you might instead wanna go listen to Gerald Celente, Marc Farber, Rand Paul or (my favourite) the Market ticker instead.
But isn’t the crisis turning around like all our enemies say?
No. What we are seeing is a boom and bust situation were lots of fiat money have been thrown to certain financial institutes that put those money to “good use”, were massive debt accumulations in practically every country on earth have lead to slight increases or halting of the fall of GDP, and it’s a situation were stock manipulations and investors increasing risk-taking (read this in LA Times) have altogether contributed to a temporary halt. In some cases, like France, Germany and Japan, trade surpluses also helps with the scam. You need to understand that people whom actually know what they are talking about is saying that many markets is so overvalued its almost impossible for them not to burst.
Our total situation is not getting better, in fact its lots worse today then it was a couple of years ago. Although it is true that some countries (Sweden for one), are better off then others, at least temporarily, but the coming crashes will not save those from going down with the rest. And if you really want good indications on how the economy really is going, take a look at the sex-industry that is supposedly ‘recession proof’ – the sex-trade have never slumped like this ever before, not during the Great Depression, never. Or have a look at the total figures on protectionism that is still on much higher levels then before the crisis, and take a look at the Baltic Dry Cargo index that hasn’t been this low since the dot.com bubble burst. Or look the number of actual pirates sailing the seas. These examples are not scientific proof, but they are hell of a lot more on the spot than any cornflake economist.
Think of our situation like this (this is fact, not an imaginative example). You are Swedish, and you have, yourself, borrowed and spent to a level that is equivalent of 150% of what you earn per year i.e. you are so deeply in debt that you hardly can afford to pay the interest, and that’s today at the fictive very low levels the interest rates are at. Unemployment is very high and very few are actually in a safe position, job-wise. Looking at the stock-exchange and all those big companies around you, you notice that they go up and down. Some companies show very bad results, some do pretty well (just follow the news ticking in, almost funny to watch. Every other company shows “surprising winnings” and others show very bad numbers). The stock market goes up to new heights one day and goes down the next. In such a situation, which we are in now, don’t you feel a bit uneasy? A bit worried? And do you really think that buying a house in this situation with the current and tampered low interest rates is a good idea?
But then throw a glance towards America and the UK, two of Sweden’s main trading partners, and there you will find even worse numbers and much more of the same uneasy tension you are feeling about Sweden. After that; take a look at China that supposedly has a growing economy, counted in GDP. China is the main drive force for everything our enemies are saying right now. They are the main lender to the US and without China Bernanke and the rest of the buffoons wouldn’t have money at all. China is the main reason for the increase in Japanese and German export numbers and China is also one of the main reasons why the stock markets around the world are doing pretty well at the moment. Do you have this scenario in your head now? Okay, now what you need to know is that China is about to tighten their protectionism further, and that one of the main sources of income, the government selling land to people, is not doing so well and falling. Got the picture?
Now, before we get to the conclusion, what is GDP?
This is how GDP is normally counted:
GDP = private consumption + gross investment + government spending + (exports − imports), or,
GDP = C + I + G + (X − M).
If you understand this simple equation, which 99% of our politicians, economists and journalists don’t, you soon realize that this can very easily be tampered with. Government spending for one – all the government need to do is to borrow and/or print a shit-load of money, throw them around and presto! Higher GDP! And what are our governments doing? That’s right…
On point after point after point, this equation, that is supposed to show economic growth, becomes idiotic at best. Higher GDP does not mean higher values! Higher GDP does not mean that we are producing more! Higher GDP does not mean more money in your pocket! It can show all those things, but most of the time it doesn’t. Now, take a look around again, watch, learn, listen, read and, from our situation above, where do we stand today? What does higher GDP really means for those countries that are “out of the recession”?
Maybe you come to the same conclusion as I do after this little session, but wait! It gets better! I haven’t even mentioned how the dollar is doing and what that will do to oil prices, the coming commercial real-estate crash in the US and many other things. ...Well... just put it altogether and I’ll see you out on that deserted island far away from this entire apocalyptical scenario. I may even give you a sip of my freshly brewed vodka and we can nibble on some popcorn together watching the sun go down while listening to the radio hearing how journalists, politicians and economists is trying to explain why we need another stimulus while the world is crumbling under them and people take to the streets with ropes they start throwing around lamp-posts. Yepp, come on over. We can have fun together.
The whole thing is really very easy. On one side you have lots of economists, financiers, bankers, politicians, journalists and other frauds. None of which predicted this crisis, none of which have had a single right so far. In fact, for these people every prediction, every expected number and the very depth and severity of this crisis has gone wrong. They were totally of the mark before this crisis, they have been way off during it, and so why on Beelzebub’s green earth would you listen to them now?
On the other side you have people that predicted this crisis many years before it happened. Most of which continues to get it right all throughout. In many cases it’s almost uncanny how some predicted almost to the exact number the value of Gold, the price of oil and so on. I do take pride in being one of those people. Although I’m perhaps a tad “out there” so you might instead wanna go listen to Gerald Celente, Marc Farber, Rand Paul or (my favourite) the Market ticker instead.
But isn’t the crisis turning around like all our enemies say?
No. What we are seeing is a boom and bust situation were lots of fiat money have been thrown to certain financial institutes that put those money to “good use”, were massive debt accumulations in practically every country on earth have lead to slight increases or halting of the fall of GDP, and it’s a situation were stock manipulations and investors increasing risk-taking (read this in LA Times) have altogether contributed to a temporary halt. In some cases, like France, Germany and Japan, trade surpluses also helps with the scam. You need to understand that people whom actually know what they are talking about is saying that many markets is so overvalued its almost impossible for them not to burst.
Our total situation is not getting better, in fact its lots worse today then it was a couple of years ago. Although it is true that some countries (Sweden for one), are better off then others, at least temporarily, but the coming crashes will not save those from going down with the rest. And if you really want good indications on how the economy really is going, take a look at the sex-industry that is supposedly ‘recession proof’ – the sex-trade have never slumped like this ever before, not during the Great Depression, never. Or have a look at the total figures on protectionism that is still on much higher levels then before the crisis, and take a look at the Baltic Dry Cargo index that hasn’t been this low since the dot.com bubble burst. Or look the number of actual pirates sailing the seas. These examples are not scientific proof, but they are hell of a lot more on the spot than any cornflake economist.
Think of our situation like this (this is fact, not an imaginative example). You are Swedish, and you have, yourself, borrowed and spent to a level that is equivalent of 150% of what you earn per year i.e. you are so deeply in debt that you hardly can afford to pay the interest, and that’s today at the fictive very low levels the interest rates are at. Unemployment is very high and very few are actually in a safe position, job-wise. Looking at the stock-exchange and all those big companies around you, you notice that they go up and down. Some companies show very bad results, some do pretty well (just follow the news ticking in, almost funny to watch. Every other company shows “surprising winnings” and others show very bad numbers). The stock market goes up to new heights one day and goes down the next. In such a situation, which we are in now, don’t you feel a bit uneasy? A bit worried? And do you really think that buying a house in this situation with the current and tampered low interest rates is a good idea?
But then throw a glance towards America and the UK, two of Sweden’s main trading partners, and there you will find even worse numbers and much more of the same uneasy tension you are feeling about Sweden. After that; take a look at China that supposedly has a growing economy, counted in GDP. China is the main drive force for everything our enemies are saying right now. They are the main lender to the US and without China Bernanke and the rest of the buffoons wouldn’t have money at all. China is the main reason for the increase in Japanese and German export numbers and China is also one of the main reasons why the stock markets around the world are doing pretty well at the moment. Do you have this scenario in your head now? Okay, now what you need to know is that China is about to tighten their protectionism further, and that one of the main sources of income, the government selling land to people, is not doing so well and falling. Got the picture?
Now, before we get to the conclusion, what is GDP?
This is how GDP is normally counted:
GDP = private consumption + gross investment + government spending + (exports − imports), or,
GDP = C + I + G + (X − M).
If you understand this simple equation, which 99% of our politicians, economists and journalists don’t, you soon realize that this can very easily be tampered with. Government spending for one – all the government need to do is to borrow and/or print a shit-load of money, throw them around and presto! Higher GDP! And what are our governments doing? That’s right…
On point after point after point, this equation, that is supposed to show economic growth, becomes idiotic at best. Higher GDP does not mean higher values! Higher GDP does not mean that we are producing more! Higher GDP does not mean more money in your pocket! It can show all those things, but most of the time it doesn’t. Now, take a look around again, watch, learn, listen, read and, from our situation above, where do we stand today? What does higher GDP really means for those countries that are “out of the recession”?
Maybe you come to the same conclusion as I do after this little session, but wait! It gets better! I haven’t even mentioned how the dollar is doing and what that will do to oil prices, the coming commercial real-estate crash in the US and many other things. ...Well... just put it altogether and I’ll see you out on that deserted island far away from this entire apocalyptical scenario. I may even give you a sip of my freshly brewed vodka and we can nibble on some popcorn together watching the sun go down while listening to the radio hearing how journalists, politicians and economists is trying to explain why we need another stimulus while the world is crumbling under them and people take to the streets with ropes they start throwing around lamp-posts. Yepp, come on over. We can have fun together.
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