The US is nearly $16 Trillion dollars in debt, which is approximately one year's GDP. The US borrows nearly a trillion and a half each year, primarily to support the military, its hundreds upon hundreds of foreign military bases (blatant gunboat commerce), and its many wars for profit for the few. Don't mention to me that the military budget is "only" 600 billion a year (for now). By the time all military expenditures are included (such as the private mercenary army operated by the State Department) the US is spending trillions. So what's my point? See Greece? Get ready. Austerity in support of warfare is coming here. But do not stockpile food, because that will mark you as a potential terrorist.

The European bankstas recently decided to ease up a bit on austerity (only a bit, mind you) because they see in Greece, that after years of recessions, they're afraid of what a depression will do to their bottom line. In the meantime back at the ranch, the S&P is catching blowback for downgrading the European Rescue Fund. The rescue fund needs rescuing (LOL). Eurocrats are now focusing on an alternative Rescue Fund. As long as only southern Europe suffers, the north can sit back and pretend everything is normal. The north will continue to bend fiscal-monetary debt until something gives and that will be the poor of the south. Social media has taught Arab Spring rebels that they are not suffering alone. Rebellions start when population disaffection goes over 50%. 50% of the U.S. population is now impoverished. The only hope for the 1% is that our social media narcissism will continue to overcome our political sensibilities. In a military/business society, we are too afraid to share beliefs. Culture, it's a wonderful thing.

The global depopulation has started. Saw on the MSM that Greece, which has had the lowest rate of suicide in all of Europe has had a 16% increase in suicides. Suicide has become a reasonable solution to the alternative offered by the 1%, which is just go away and die quietly (and slowly might I add). MEL

Goldman-"Sacks" world economy!

It won't be long now. Stock markets rise today on news that the European Central Bank has found a way to shovel money through the back door to buy Spain's debt for reasonable rates. Hurray!!! All the while banks' earnings are down. Gee, what will those guys think of next?

Austerity is to economics what bloodletting is to medicine. Doctors gave up the medieval practice before the 20th Century, but our economist-priests still prescribe it in the 21st, despite its patent failure.

Why? Not only does austerity benefit the ruling elite, it also helps keep the masses on their knees. The elite not only set policy, they also control the means of propaganda, from Fox News to the New York Times. They are helped by an army of professionals, including lawyers, pundits and virtually the entire economics profession.

The time is now to Occupy that area between your ears. Train yourself to filter out the lies and to note the omissions.

The wealthy have never been wealthier. The financial problems in Europe and the U.S. have nothing to do with the workers and everything to do with a barbaric economic system that needs to be uprooted and replaced.

Yeah. It always sucks wen the beach party is over, you have hangover and have to go back to work.... That's the feeling the Greeks are experiencing right now.

Wealthy jones'n for a money fix makes the market go down so the poor will suffer more. IF we can't even fix the political eCONomy, what hope do we have for the environment? Create a carbon tax that pays a dividend directly to the poor in a new world currency run by a new International Central Bank. The new money flows directly from rich C02 user down to the poor CO2 user. But, don't hold your breathe.

A shared vision can become reality. Imagine transforming destruction via endless war into world-wide public education at any age or scholastic level, add public transportation, make life even nicer. We have known for over a century that education leads to a gently declining population. The ever elusive enigma has been how to secure prosperity within a slowly declining population and a gradual reduction of economic intensity. Observable past history proves that education more than pays for itself monetarily. Will it also provide reduced environmental stress and opportunity for Earth to begin healing ? That is a verifiable experiment. Will planetary health bring an increase in natural bounty and an increase in the quality of life, including health ? We can see this future reality as logical. How to get there ? Mass scientific application of quantum mechanics in the minds of progressive independent clear thinkers can envision a just reality and then bring it into being by mentally measuring, comparing and communicating observations of justice. This creates the time space where democracy is used to focus human intelligence and affect the outcome with purpose. Practice makes perfect, we will know a sustainable culture has arrived when we find ourselves living in a fully functional modern democracy that includes the economy. Consciousness is part of creation, expanding with the big bang. Forget endless war, instead, heal the planet that will feed and house us if we let it. Universal public education, transportation and health care are human rights equal with water, food, sanitation and clean water. Perhaps we do live in a multiverse, more likely we live in a wave of possibilities that includes infinite choices and the choice is what makes reality in our particular universe. Ignore the drumbeats of war, destruction and hatred. Choose healing the planet with human rights and nurture its bloom. Push. Perhaps when there is no other way to live, then the physical space where self-sheltering and feeding can occur must also be projected into reality. The cosmos backs good health, democracy, and creative freedom. ¡ Viva la Evolution !

Good for the Greeks. I wish that Americans had this same sense of self-preservation!

the cutting edge of the new world slave state

Many thoughtful comments - must be something about the Greek legacy -

I've reached a personal impasse.

Having determined to my own satisfaction that you actually can't change the spots on the proverbial leopard (human nature), I have been reduced to hoping for a good-hearted military takeover of the criminal organization now in place in the United States, or, a complete financial collapse.

Neither is even close to an ideal solution, but the first is possible, if unlikely - and the second, while even more undesirable than the first, has the advantage at least of being more likely.

I'm pretty tired of listening these days to other than the comments on these threads.

The people who have managed to make protest pay, even though their intentions appear sterling - somehow something just doesn't feel right?

You know, Wade Davis, National Geographic explorer in residence, or even Sylvia Earle, or Lester Brown...

Or just lately, Bill Moyers, returned to save us.

It's a long list, and includes Naomi Klein, Maude Barlow, David Suzuki from my own country, and I won't bore you with making it longer - I'm hopeful I've made the point crystal enough?

I know that this is a bit much - there are many reasons we should be glad they are contributing as best they can - everyone was caught by surprise, and you just have to act from your own "place."

But the doubts linger - "they" are still "they" - and then there is "us."

And so the world turns, or more rightly, continues on its prescribed path of implosion - a scene played out many times before - in mankind's illustrious and very civilized past.

Following the implosion comes the main event - the explosion - wherein the remains of the dying star are scattered to space - and the process begins again.

Manysummits in Calgary

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