I thought someone would have brought this subject by now – they haven’t – so here’s a-go, and I’m no expert! And what is an ex-spurt anyway: X being an unknown quantity and spurt a drip under pressure!! (No offence to the REAL experts i.e. those with a consciousness who believe in the greater good for all)

I think this global financial meltdown is fascinating to watch.

I’ve been there. In 1987 N.Z. changed from a basket of currencies to floating the N.Z. dollar. I was involved in several investments and my interest rates leapt to 28% on borrowings of $500.000. Then it crashed, and I lost hundreds of thousands. I never thought of myself as greedy when I entered these deals – it was what you did, the culture of that time. In other words, you didn’t sit on your assets you used it to create more. I have since learned that lesson: it’s ignorance if one does it with only the self in mind. That is what we are seeing now on a huge global scale. And it has to be exposed so as we can confront it. We can no longer have 580 of the world’s wealthiest men owning more than the 460 million poorer people.

I believe we are seeing the beginning of the end of a financial structure- the money-god- that has ruled this planet for so long. A system that has made money from creative accounting. They must have all been asleep to continue believing that debt could be a commodity that could be bought and sold. Those that bought these debt commodities, showed it on their balance sheets as an asset.
And I believe the test here, for those wanting to stay on a spiritual path, is ‘Don’t Panic Mr Mannering’ and feed the money-god, because ‘nothing survives if it is not fed’. As for a practical solution – reduce your credit borrowings as much as you can and live within your means, and think of the global greater good.

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N.Z. born actor Russell Crow could have the answer with his novel idea. He gave, during, a US TV talkshow appearance, a plan to cure America's financial crisis.
"I have been intently watching the political process," Crowe told talkshow host Jay Leno.

Crowe believes the US government should give each American US$1 million

His reasoning is the US has a population of about 300 million, so the US$300 million outlay is a fraction of the US$700 billion financial bailout package rejected by politicians in Washington DC yesterday."

"I was thinking," Crowe said. "If they want to stimulate the economy and get people spending so they can look after their mortgage ... give everyone US$1 million."

Oops, Russell or Sydney Morning Herald - what's $300 million x $1 million?? 300 trillion, isn't it?

A loving thought, anyway!

Last edited: 1-10-2008 08:49:52 AM

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It sure is! The only thing I'm surprised by is that it's taken so long for this to happen. Many people have been predicting the dollar to crash for many years now and it's easy to understand why.

And as much as this crash needs to happen it's unfortunately going to hurt the 'ordinary' person the most. I don't know how bad things are going to get, but I suspect that things are going to get a lot worse before they ever start to get better.

Although I hold an optimistic outlook for the future and a belief that we are heading towards a much more peaceful and heart-centred world, I think the transition is going to be very difficult for many people. The entire capitalist economy has been built on a foundation of greed, lies and deceit and it's a good that it's all starting to collapse (it's the death of the global ego, as Stuart Wilde calls it), however it could take many many years for something to take its place and there could be a lot of chaos in the meantime.

I don't want to spread fear and cause panic, but I think it's time people start preparing for some very difficult times ahead. The people who will adapt the easiest to the coming changes will be the people who have prepared - both mentally and physically.

I hope to create a section of Holistic Local about all this soon - about what is likely going to happen and how people can prepare, because this is going to be the biggest issue facing all our lives over the next 10 years and beyond.

One of the best recommendations I can make is to move outside of major cities and move close to smaller communities that are making plans to become self-sufficient and sustainable. www.transitiontowns.org list many such places in the UK.

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I agree with you both, this is fascinating stuff, I was gripped watching Newsnight last night when ordinarily politics, relgion or finance would bore me rigid

Andy, I feel that's a great idea to create a new section on how to help and support ourselves in getting through this, looking forward to reading it!

Overall I feel strangely optimistic about the whole thing..... maybe I spent too much time on the yoga mat lol

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Namaste,

I would love to believe this is the end of it, but I'm very doubtful. I think what we are seeing is a collapse in the western industrial nations, though more so the US, than Europe, but also a shift towards economic power being shifted towards the middle east and the east. Two or three years ago when multi-nationals starting relocating their head quarters to places such as Dubai, when the likes of Dick Cheney transferred his assets out of dollars into other currencies, when the Bilderberg group were discussing energy and the subprime issue in 2006, and plenty more examples, it was all indicators of rats leaving a sinking ship and the rest of us sailing towards the rocks. So I personally don't think it is the end but just a relocation.

It also seems to be the beginning of the a big shift towards the centralisation of both economic and political power. Last week in the Financial Times of London there was a call for a "Global Monetary Authority" which would govern the global economy far more than the likes of the IMF, WTO and the World Bank presently do. Add to that the bully tactics of the EU on Ireland and the EU's refusal to back down, and the fact that EU laws are going to become a domineering factor over the next couple of years when changes are due to come into effect. Then we are looking at a very different economic and political landscape by 2010, if not much sooner.

Speaking in terns of gross generalizations, spiritually this could be a good thing. It seems that poorer cultures are far more spiritual than the affluent. So maybe with a large economic downturn, meaning a recession and probably a big bad depression, then it might fan the flames of spirituality in the west. For those already walking a spiritual path it would seem than a great abundance of opportunity to practice it might grow out of the other tough times we look like we are facing for the foreseeable future.

I agree with both yourself and Andy. I would also add if you can start growing your own food as much as you can, learn to eat cheaper (and chances are better too). I was talking about the effects of agflation 18-24 months ago and I don't think we have seen the end of it. I do think that if things don't go belly up economically over the next couple of months and if oil doesn't go nuts again then we will see some degree of stability in it. But I would anticipate another round of agflation by spring next year and therefore more increases in food prices.

Also if anyone has large sums of money doing nothing - everybody stop laughing, someone here might - then invest it in either gold, silver, or land (though not necessarily property). As far as I can see these are about the only things that are likely not to reduce in value and chances are will only continue to increase in value. Gold and silver have sky rocketed in the last three months. Where as paper monetary continues to drop and drop.

And while I'm here churning out this post I might as well spitball this notion too just for the hell of it -- any chance of Bush and co declaring an economic emergency and suspending the election in November? Either way October is likely to be the most dramatic month the world stage has seen for a few years.

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Hi guys
I'm also fascinated watching it all roll out.
We have lots of children, so pretty much living hand to mouth. I'm busy saving seeds and planting veg in my garden, and stockpiling lentils!

We've never been poorer than this year, and I've never felt happier. We have what we need, no more. It suits me fine!

Will we start offering treatments in return for sacks of grain? Stick that to the taxman!!

Stay balanced!
Anna x

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Here's a really good blog that is worth reading, just in case the proverbial shit really does hit the fan.

http://sharonastyk.com/

It's all about living sustainably off the grid. There's heaps of useful information. Check out the archives.

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I so agree with that Andy, and even though today, 7th October 2008, has been described as the darkest day in world financial history, I believe it is all part of trying to show us that the money-god, whom we have put all out power into, is not the answer. Thank goodness for your web site – so I can express what I feel without being locked up. I believe people have forgotten that they have a Higher Self which has the inbuilt guidance for all aspects of our life –including our monetary needs.
This brings up another point. I don’t believe money is evil - it is the energy we’ve attached to it that has created the imbalance. If we accrue a lot and spread it out for the greater good that can only be positive. Christianity and Bhuddism, that has had as huge influence on our thinking worldwide, has infered that it is the root of all evil, hence many countries are poor. But money must have at some stage been a nutural energy (i.e. when it first came onto the planet) and somewhere along the line, through insecurity or whatever, we have given our energy to it and turned it into what it has become - a god.

Conculusion: As we change so the world changes. And, as a P.S. - I believe we will be continue to be bombarded until we get the message.So be prepared for some tough times ahead as we are way off track.

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Hello everyone,

Have been thinking along the same lines as most of you it seems - living within our means, growing food as much as possible and coming back to our essence, spiritually speaking. It can really focus us on what's important.

We've got a Transition Town meeting here this evening. At each meeting, it seems more and more relevant to our immediate circumstances rather than planning for the future, which is how it was when we started.

Namaste,

Sally

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I personally believe energy is the biggest commodity - even greater than gold. Everything is energy.

Do read this. http://www.odemagazine.com/blogs/editors_blog/3305/don_t_worry_about_oil (I always have trouble activating links – not your fault Andy.) Do copy and paste if I’ve failed again.

“Don’t worry about oil
Don’t worry about oil. With oil and gas prices at all time highs, that seems a strange thing to say. Yet, we really shouldn’t worry. Solutions are available and well under way”.
I remember hearing re 20 years ago that new technologies were being worked out behind the scenes for alternative fuels. That they had the technologies but the oil barons were in control – Nexus mag, I think
Here’s hoping! Everything is energy and our whole economy is energy based. You can’t create a product without energy – whether it is a natural healing remedy or a bomb. Daily, with so much doom and gloom confronting us it can be quite difficult to climb above it – don’t buy into it. My only concern with this statement is that if those behind the projects do not have the greater good as their ultimate aim – that is they are seeking self interest and gains rather than the greater good; if so it will rightly fail. But then, so what! Another learning curb. I truly believe master souls are being born at this time who will be in positions of power as the way-showers - and then we really will see changes. For those that believe the Golden Age is not far off i.e. 2012, I have to say ‘think again, be in the NOW. We are at a time when our negativity is confronting us to bring about balance – and we are very imbalanced, and rather slow at recognising it.

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Hi suzzanne I was just taking a cursory look over Jaynes shoulder and saw what you said just now ....and in a fundamental way I agree with you entirely, but we would not probably agree on how we manifest it ..if at all.

Some of us have known for years this was going to happen and have watched the underlying dynamic build up to the point I warned lot of people last year it was on its way and it s going to be the biggy ....but sadly people tend not to see what they dont want to see .

Society as a natural organism has taken a shift ...just like a woman giving birth...trouble is everyone wants to put the baby back..

The world has changed ...but heads havent ....but then consciousness lags behind reality anyway so there is now a job to do.

The media has been "describing"it when it thinks its " explaining" it .But its not .

.Ive been on a number of radio programs trying to deal with this and on a number of blogs the penny is starting to drop ....trouble is you need to develop a crtical mass on this ...as there is a limit to any" individual solution" .

Whether we like it or not ..we're in this together .

Last edited: 11-10-2008 06:44:25 PM

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Hey John, good to see your still around.
Here is a quote that I think fits
Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men, for the nastiest of reasons, will somehow work for the benefit of us all. - John Maynard Keynes.

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Hi Jon..long time no hear ....Like the quote .....yep shits hitting the fan big style .


Is it more peaceful around here these days?.......perhaps I should COME BACK !!!!!!!!!

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Of course you 'should'.

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Hahaha...is that a threat John??

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Not only energy, but water is going to be a depleting commodity, specially in the US. We can't do owt without water.

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