Black Coffee: Buckle Up, It’s Going to Get Bumpy in 2015

It’s time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe …

Well another year has come and gone. I’ve been busy making some changes here at Len Penzo dot Com this weekend, which is why I have a very brief, super-concentrated, espresso edition of Black Coffee for you this week.

Don’t blink or you’ll miss it …

Credits and Debits

Credit: With one exception, 2014 was a good year for me. For their part, the Telegraph is claiming that 2014 was one of the best years ever. I know. Something tells me that 2015 will be anything but for most of us, financially speaking.

Debit: Signs of economic stress have reached a fevered pitch now, which is why I believe this will be the year where a lot of people finally figure out the difference between real wealth and paper promises. The question is: will they wake up in time?

Credit: Today, less than 1% of the population understand that the Federal Reserve Notes in our pockets and bank accounts are not real money; they’re actually a massive confidence game that’s rapidly falling apart.

Debit: What most folks don’t understand is that when currencies are built upon a foundation of unbacked debt and promises, then those who hold any kind of retirement, savings or other cash-based account in that system are, in reality, bankrupt from the beginning.

Debit: That’s because the current monetary system relies on an ever-increasing amount of debt to keep from imploding. Here’s the rub: After decades of relentless debt accumulation, the world is now quickly approaching its mathematical limit.

Credit: As we get closer to the dollar’s day of reckoning, that will become increasingly obvious. Eventually, everyone will finally understand that the whole system was a sham because, when push comes to shove, it’s impossible to settle promises that are, ultimately, only backed by more promises.

By the Numbers

The power of exponents is what will soon destroy our current debt-based money system. Of course, most people won’t see it coming because exponents build slowly — until they don’t. For an example of this, consider a penny in a bank account that doubles its value each day:

$0.02 Amount of cash in your bank account on Day Two.

$10.12 Account value after ten days.

$5242.88 Amount on Day 20.

$5,368,709.12 Account value after one month.

$1,374,389,400.00 Account balance (rounded) after 38 days.

Last Week’s Poll Results

Do you expect 2015 to be better or worse for you than 2014?

• Better (54%)
• About the same. (29%)
• Worse (17%)

More than 300 Len Penzo dot Com readers weighed in for this week’s survey and a slight majority are optimistic about what’s in store for them this year. I sure hope they’re right!

The Question of the Week

[poll id="42"]

Other Useless News

Programming note: Unlike most blogs, I’m always open for the weekend here at Len Penzo dot Com. There’s a fresh new article waiting for you every Saturday afternoon. At least there should be. If not, somebody call 9-1-1.

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Letters, I Get Letters

Every week I feature the most interesting question or comment — assuming I get one, that is. And folks who are lucky enough to have the only question in the mailbag get their letter highlighted here whether it’s interesting or not! You can reach out to me at: Len@LenPenzo.com

After reading about how I fought a parking ticket and beat city hall, Craig shared this:

I got a ticket for going 78 in a 55.

Be careful, Craig. I hear the cops have a new speeding ticket program: After you collect four of them you get a bicycle.

I’m Len Penzo and I approved this message.

Photo Credit: brendan-c