Tag Archives: Economy

Car sales in eurozone plummet

  By Hans Verbeek | October 15, 2012 - 11:43 | ,
10 Comments

In the summer of 2012 sales of new passengercars in the Eurozone dropped to less than 750.000 per month.

Not many Europeans have saved enough to buy a new car. Most Europeans just borrow money to buy a new car. But the banks don’t trust the borrowers anymore: the economy is shrinking, unemployment on the rise. Without new car-loans, the carsales will continue to drop.

Some governements will consider subsidies to increase the sale of green cars, like electric cars and plugin-hybrids. They will give away taxpayers money to ‘save the climate’ and save the automobile-industry at the same time.

At the same time, traffic jams are vanishing, because Europeans drive less.
In Spain motorists are avoiding the expensive tollroads. The unused asphalt is baking in the sun waiting in vain for cars that have not yet been sold.

Price of Russian natural gas 38% higher in one year

  By Hans Verbeek | February 10, 2012 - 08:42 | ,
2 Comments

In january 2011 1000 m³ of Russian natural gas cost 247 euro. One year later that price is 343 euro: an increase of 38%.
Many European countries import large quantities of gas, mainly from Russia. Paradox made an overview:

Gas-import 2010 miljard m³
Germany 84
Italy 75
France 49
Poland 11
Portugal 5
Greece 4


In 2011 and 2012 those countries will import roughly the same amounts of natural gas. Using the price of january 2011 (247 euro per 1000 m³) and january 2012 (343 euro per 1000 m³) we can roughly calculate the gasbill over 2011 and 2012.


 2011 2012
Germany 20,7 28,6
Italy 18,5 25,6
France 12,1 16,7
Poland 2,7 3,7
Portugal 1,2 1,7
Greece 1,0 1,4

in billion euros

In 2012 Germany will have to come up with an extra 8 billion euro for the same amount of natural gas. And guess what, they didn’t put any money aside in the bank for that higher gasbill. It will cost every single German 100 euros extra this year.
The average Italian will have to pay 120 euros more than last year. For the average Italian family it will be 480 euros more.

It is very smart to use less natural gas in these desperate times. If Germany wants to keep the natural gasbill the same: 20,7 billion euro. Then Germany will have to cut its natural gas-use by 28% (!!!). Which of course is impossible.

Maybe Greece can manage a reduction of 28% in their gas-use. IMF, ECB and the gang of European Finance-ministers will twist the arms of Greece until it’s economy has shrunken by 28%.
Germany will have no trouble at all to loan another 8 billion euros to pay for the increased gasbill.
The banks, backed up by the ECB, will gladly lend the billions to Germany and the German people at a very low interest of 2%.

But this cannot be sustained very long.
Maybe the ECB should stop stimuating the economy and the burning of fossil fuel. Let’s be very wise and save some natural gas for the next generation.

Banks+Governments = 1 package

  By Mystic | October 31, 2011 - 12:02 |
14 Comments

Central banks get their charters (license to print) from governments.
This is a pact between devils, the banks and the government, who both get what they want – They both get a sugar daddy.
The banks pay by having to submit to governmental regulation.
The government pays with the promise of tax-payer money if things get way out of control.
Audio –

19:15 min.

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A Solution to Our Broken Economy

  By Gary S | October 6, 2011 - 18:23 | ,
10 Comments

Mystic encouraged me to post this so I’m going to “Give it a Go”

A Resource Based Economy – A New Idea    (on this website at least)

The Idea of a Resource Based Economy (RBE) has been around for several years but has become more popular since being promoted by the Zeitgeist Movement starting around 3 years ago. For those of you not familiar with the Zeitgeist Movement (ZM), there are many websites referring to it and promoting it on the internet.

As can be read on ZM’s global website – TheZeitgeistMovement.com

The world today has become very detached from the physical world, with techniques of production and distribution that have no relationship to the environment. Our use of a profit based, “growth” driven monetary system has become one of the greatest destroyers of the natural world and sustainable human values. It is important to understand that the entire global economy requires “cyclical consumption” to operate, which means that money must constantly be circulating. Thus, new goods and services must be constantly introduced regardless of the state of the environment and actual human necessity. This “perpetual” approach has a fatal flaw, for resources as we know it are simply not infinite. Resources are finite and the Earth is essentially a closed system.

 As with anything new, there are those who are opposed to a RBE. Personally, I agree with most of what ZM is advocating. No system is perfect, least of all the one we are currently living under.

Looking around the globe, it is easy to see that Capitalism, Socialism, Communism, or any other “ism” does not work. They are all based on the monetary system. We need to get rid of the old antiquated monetary system and start fresh with a totally new and modern system built around a RBE. Once again, as can be read directly from the ZM global website – A Resource-Based Economy utilizes existing resources rather than money, and provides an equitable method of distribution in the most humane and efficient manner for the entire population. It is a system in which all natural, man-made, machine-made, and synthetic resources would be available without the use of money, credits, barter, or any other form of symbolic exchange. A Resource-Based Economy would utilize existing resources from the land and sea, and the means of production, such as physical equipment and industrial plants, to enhance the lives of the total population. In an economy based on resources, conservation and the most advanced methods of science and technology, we could easily produce all of the necessities of life and provide a high standard of living for all. To do this, we have to overcome our current, outdated, established practices. This is the purpose of The Zeitgeist Movement- to create a global awareness to thus transition into a new, sustainable direction for humanity as a whole.

Since the beginning of the technological era, there is a trend that has been developing, and it is starting to have a profound impact on the current economic system. This trend has been termed ‘technological unemployment’ and is the rapid destruction of jobs by machines, robots, ATMs, etc. Currently, the monetary system relies on people to have jobs to earn a living, but also encourages employers to seek ways of reducing labour costs in order to boost profits. As a result of this, many jobs are gradually being eliminated by machinery or shipped overseas. By doing away with employees, companies are able to maximize profit, but if unemployed consumers aren’t making money, then who is buying the products? So if the natural tendency is to replace humans with machines then we should not fight it, but promote it, to the point where no one needs to work for a living. The RBE embraces modern technology and uses it to free people from having to work to survive. Not having to worry about finding or keeping a job would relieve a lot of stress, and we know how much stress affects one’s mental and physical health.

A video explaining how a Resource Based Economy works…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxr51DrzdrE&feature=related

 

 

What is EROI in German~?

  By Mystic | September 19, 2011 - 11:35 |
15 Comments

It is still all about debt….
….and how it is not going to be paid back.
And who is preparing for the future….
….and who is just spinning round.

[audio:http://overthepeak.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Tue20Sept-11.mp3|titles=Tue20Sept '11]
16:10 min.

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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