As a logistics coordinator for a few small transport operators I'm seeing things hit the wall rather quickly. Definitely faster than I thought. In the last 8 weeks the brakes went on big time. I dove tail in with many of the big transport operators and their stories are starting to get scary. We're all wondering if the current state of play is just a lull or a sign of things to come. 

One operator just dropped 5 subbies and parked up 4 of his own trucks. A few weeks ago they couldn't keep up. Two large construction companies we deal with are winding up in the Pilbara due to contracts finishing and one who has had 3 camp projects canned in the last 2 months.

Jan De Nul are pulling out of Hedland along with many other large operators. The work is starting to dry up and gas projects won't be enough to fill the gap I suspect.

I suspect the writing's on the wall and we'll simply see a continued slow down as projects complete or are canned.

Ziv take the blinkers off and shed the cotton wool you've rapped yourself in. There's a high probability of some serious grief coming our way.

The middle east is a real tinder box at the moment and your kith and kin are smack in the middle stirring the pot flat out. I don't expect anything to happen until after the US presidential election if at all but the odds of a strike against Iran if that idiot Romney gets in will go through the roof. Then again the pressure on Obama from your reli's is no small thing either. If that war monger Netanyahu gets his way it'll be all on for young and old and your people get to revisit holocaust version 2.

I hope not because all the big boys have got their fingers in this pot. Meanwhile I'll hope for the best prepare for the worst. 

JP I wasn't disputing how a positive mindset can enable you to survive after the event. The analogy was an example of employing a positive mindset inspite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. This isn't about being positive. It's about ignoring negative signals because that may taint one's positiveness. 

I have both a positive and negative outlook on a variety of things. I have a negative view of economies going forward but am positive on the opportunities that may eventuate. I have a hedging strategy in place that could do very well if things turn to custard so I am confident that whichever way things go I will for the most part do alright. 

I consider myself neither a positive or negative person but more along the lines of a realist who can assess situations logically and not be biased by virtue of membership of a particular group like property investors for example. Many of whom believe they have to project a positive outlook to be accepted within their peer group. Those whose careers are dependent upon the PI market are virtually compelled to be optimistic and positive. Negative pessimistic property people tend to not do very well in the industry.

1930/40 Jews paid a horrific price for placing their faith in eternal optimism in the face of compelling reality. That same characteristic is evident today. She'll be right, it won't happen to us, we're different, our leaders will solve the problem, it's fixable nothing to worry about etc etc. 

The 2008 GFC was a look into the future of things to come if you don't fix the system. To date the system is less stable than then, has no solution that can address the problems and systemic risks and is several magnitudes larger than 2008. In the last 5 years we have managed to over commit what limited resources we have just to contain the problem let alone solve it.

Yet it beggars belief that 90% of the sheeple out there still believe that there is a solution around the corner and that if a reset occurs it won't really affect them too much.

Ziv doesn't see the possibility of apocalypse as realistic. The Libyans, Egyptians, Syrians, Greeks, Spanish, and Bahrainis might disagree with him on that. Of course apocalypse is a personal thing. The Syrian with an mortar shell in his back yard probably thinks his world has collapsed. The Greek family living in a shelter might consider their situation a tad apocalyptic. Living in a mid west American town devastated by economic reform and plagued by a dysfunctional local government, crime and drug gangs might seem a little apocalyptic to some.

Then there's the 'bad guys', the shadow players who bring huge financial and influential forces to the big financial game being played out behind closed doors. Ziv doesn't really believe these boggy men exist yet theirs ample evidence they're there and that a financial war is raging behind the scenes along with a cyber war that steals secrets, technology, IP and wealth. Those theaters of war dove tail in with the ideological and religious wars masquerading as a 'war on terror'.

There'll be those who'll look to label me as a conspiracy nut. If so then they'll have to include the major western powers as conspiracy nutters as well because they're committing resources to counter these boggy men Ziv doesn't think exist.

Mark Mitchell makes compelling reading on the subject. His series of articles elaborating on many of these shadow players, their activities, impact on markets, penetration into financial organisations, what governments are doing, etc can be read on The Miscreants’ Global Bust-Out

It'll be an eye opener for many I'm sure.

This is an example of why your wrong and naive to think it's somehow our (the peoples) fault.

Admiral Dennis Blair, then Director of National Intelligence, said in his 2010 report to Congress….  there was “dangerous nexus” between terrorist groups, organized crime, and the governments of rogue states. Admiral Blair also said that organized crime “almost certainly will increase its penetration of legitimate financial and commercial markets, threatening U.S. economic interests and raising the risk of significant damage to the global financial system.”

On July 25, 2011, the White House not only reinforced this assessment, but also issued an unprecedented Executive Order declaring it to be a “national emergency.”

read the full article here

http://vastdom.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/the-miscreants-global-bust-out-chapter_9012.html

Abuse of power has been around since time immemorial. We all know and understand that. You only have to look at the global corruption index to understand much of the world is corrupt. The American constitution was designed around that understanding of how power corrupts and was an attempt to minimise it. The right to overthrow ones government is enshrined in that constitution because they knew that absolute power eventually corrupts so therefore the people should understand they have the right to throw out abusive leaders. What we teach our children (I certainly do mine) is that the potential for the corruption of power exists everywhere from the individual (the bully) to the the elite. Prevent and resist it where you can.

In the last 2 years I've had 3 legal run-ins with those who have abused their power at my expense. It cost me to stand up for my rights. I'm fortunate in that I have the skill, knowledge, tools and resources to stand up for myself. Many don't so cop it on the chin and move on. People like me are few and far between. We can't stop it but we can slow it down and hopefully limit its extent so others don't suffer.

It isn't about big business, men in black or illuminati. It's about, how over the decades, those in authority have eroded the safeguards within the system bit by bit until now we face a collapsing system.  How the cost of that collapse will be shifted to and borne by the 99% because the 1% have over decades manipulated the controls within the system to their advantage.

Big business, the men in black, illuminati etc are just the 'old boy network' doing their thing. Corruption and abuses are accelerating as they have done in previous civilizations. They eventually implode and the cycle starts all over again. We are nearing the implosion stage. It's the thing the Chinese fear the most. The US is preparing for it as we speak. FEMA's buying so called rescue vehicles that are simply armored urban warfare vehicles, millions of rounds of ammo, military units practicing crowd control, contracts for 30 000 small UAV's for domestic use – it goes on and on.

What world do you live in Ziv. Every message you get from govt and big business is specifically designed to manipulate you through propaganda. Why do think Gina wanted control of a newspaper? It sure as hell wasn't to run a garage sale at discount rates.

You're generalising to support your argument – straw man! The big business values we espouse don't include corruption and fraud.

I suppose you think the GFC was a conspiracy cooked up by the Occupy Wall Street mob.

Ziv you reflect the general naivety among the masses that big brother is benevolent and always has our best interest at heart above all else. History shows time and time again that to be a fallacy and that those who believe in it ensure we continually repeat mistakes of the past.