Chris Martenson is a guy from nearby Montague Mass. He appears from time to time in Brattleboro. He’s a very bright guy with a PhD in neurotoxicology, but his real strength is economics.
Currently he is a writer and trend forecaster interested in macro trends regarding the economy, energy, finance and the environment. He is the founder of PeakProsperity.com and creator of the “Crash Course” which is available free on his website: www.peakprosperity.com (you can buy it on DVD as well).
Here’s his take on what’s really happening with ISIS et al in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East, the Ukraine, the “market” and the economy. Pay attention! (30 minutes).
http://www.peakprosperity.com/blog/86004/iraq-oil-coming-wealth-transfer?utm_campaign=weekly_newsletter_134&utm_source=newsletter_2014-07-04&utm_medium=email_newsletter&utm_content=node_title_86004
Short version: Chris is not an optimist. His favorite saying is: “The next 20 years will be very different from the last 20 years”.
The long story is this: “The world has physical limits that we are already encountering, but our economy operates as if no physical limits exist. Our economy requires growth. I don’t mean growth is required as if it’s written in a legal document somewhere, but is required in the sense that our economy only functions well when it’s growing. With growth, jobs are created and debts are serviced. Without growth, jobs, opportunities, and the ability to repay past debts simply and mysteriously disappear, causing economic pain and confusion.” (from Wikipedia)
