What is Democracy?

Kia Ora,

Over the last week or so you have heard the governments of the west, in particular the US & Britain speaking out over the protests & riots in the Middle East saying let them have democratically elected governments.

But what is democracy?

It seems to be different things to different people.

I have raised this before about how an Iraqi team member when asked why he hadn't been to vote said he did. His Father did it for him & his mother did it for all the females in the family.

When we pointed out that is not democracy, that it is one person one vote & a government elected by the people, his answer was "you do not understand democracy.

When other Iraqis who worked at our villa were asked about their vote as they had been very pro one candidate did they vote for him. "oh no our Iman or our elders told us to vote for this or that person.

That is their idea of democracy. Though I see their preferred candidate technically won the last Iraqi election as he is a 'good strong man'.

In the dictionary it refers to as a government elected by the people, but the more I deleve into the world of financial education(real education not the education systems idea but self education looking to see what is really happening)that is all a myth where it is designed to divide & conquor then manipulate the masses.

It is also funny on how what is a democratic version of election in one country can be ruled undemocratic in another.

For example the US electoral system gives very little power to the voter(as seen in the election in 2000 of George W. Bush) but all power to the electoral college, but most people would regard the US as a very demoractic government.

Well my Iwi(tribe) uses the similar system to elect our representatives on TRONT(for want of a better definition ruling council) of which I was for a short time one(alternate representative). Everyone votes as too who is going to be on the electoral committee(in the US each state is different but it determines who sits on their electoral college)who then determine who of the candidates is to be elected(not the people). In my case it was pretty easy as I was the only one with my name in for that position.
Struggle for Democracy, The (8th Edition)
But then came the fisheries settlement between the New Zealand government & the Iwi of New Zealand. Our Iwi was initially left out as it required an Iwi to be represented by those democratically elected. Our system was said to be undemocratic even though it was quite obviously based on the US system.

You can see their point though as no one actually votes for the candidate. In the US votes determine how many votes go towards that candidate in the electoral college then we learn of the Super candidates in the electoral college who are not elected by any voters but have a huge say in who becomes the President of the USA.

So technically the people of the US can indicate they want one candidate but the electoral college can vote in another candidate.
Democracy in What State? (New Directions in Critical Theory)
Then the real manipulations begin once someone is in power. Governments always claim by been in power they have the mandate of the people to do certain things in their interest.

Actually they often don't. Here in New Zealand the governments can not have claimed that since about 1975 as under the first past the post system most governments often had less votes than the opposition just mroe electorates.

So we changed to MMP(a very dangerous system but if you tried to tell people at the time you were told you were wrong, I mean it is how Hitler got to power)& since then no government has been able to govern alone. Often the small parties have been able to exercise power well beyond their support base.

Just in this last week both major political parties here in New Zealand have shown how they are prepared to manipulate information to get those that do vote(which is getting less & less as people get disillusioned) to vote in their direction at the coming election.

The government claimed that New Zealand is in great debt, but only one financial commentator I have seen in the media has picked up on the figures used. They are right New Zealand is in a lot of debt but very little of it is government debt, it is the banks or personal debt so selling the governments assets to would be only to pay for the banks debt.

Meanwhile the opposition are jumping on the we will not tax the first $5000 & drop GST on food bandwagon. As has been pointed out this was similar to that tried by President of Tunisia & once the inflation caused by the US Federal reserve 'printing' currency hit is just made no difference.
Democracy, Inc.: The Press and Law in the Corporate Rationalization of the Public Sphere (History of Communication)
What is going to replace democracy as change sweeps the world & even these 'liberal' western forms of government are expected to fall?

The Singapore system of the benevolent dictatorship(lived there for two years & we came to the conclusion that is exactly what it is) or the Chinese capitalism in a controlled environment? At least the Chinese are more up front & honest about how their system works. This is the way it is! Much less manipulation through layers of bureaucracy. Less Crime too.

As one commentator said "do you go for the US or Chinese when you ask for a quote & whilst waiting for the first reply from the US supplier the Chinese have given not only their quote but have built a prototype."
Death of the Liberal Class
So what really is democracy & is it going to survive the upheaval the world is about to go through?

Can it survive in any form?

At the end of the day people only really care about looking after their families when it comes to the crunch.

The Chinese appear to be trying to learn from their history to stop it affecting them whilst the West seem to either forgotten or don't care.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

The Walls are starting to Tumble!

Kia Ora,

The world seems to be falling to pieces with protests & riots then the overthrow of the Tunisian President who has fled with 1.5 tonnes of the countries gold.

Riots in Eygpt & airport security has intercepted 59 shipments of gold destined for the Netherlands. The question was raised about how the Eygptian Presidents son is an international banker in regards to this gold.

Protests in Yemen.

Through out it all the US & Britain warn that the governments must respect the rights of the protesters. Will they be saying that when it is in their streets? Britain has already had protests & riots but it is about to get much worse.

This is why China has been going on its own course because it knows from its long history that when people start doing the likes of what the US & central banks have been doing it will not end well. They have been resisting raising the Yuan too quickly against the US dollar as this would put millions out of work, would mean millions starving or turning to crime to feed their families. Much like what is happening in the US.

But the worlds politicians just march on saying they are getting the best economic advice. Yeah right.

As has been noted when the US prints currency(or Quantitive ease) it causes inflation throughout the rest of the world, it causes inflation in the US when it monetizes that by buying debt as in bailouts or buying government bonds since no one else will.

When the meeting to take place at Davos proposes to create another US$100 Trillion in SDR's(the IMF-International Monetary Fund-equivalent to a currency) it will cause inflation world wide. Probably Hyperinflation. They say this US$100 Trillion will be over 10years with probably another US$100 Trillion needed, but the world is in so much debt it will need it quick.
Culture and Inflation in Weimar Germany (Weimar and Now: German Cultural Criticism)
The problem is the more currency that is created just making the coming problems worse. The only solution is to follow Iceland & let it fail but no country is likely to do that so there will be more riots, more governments overthrown & more people taking off with the only true Money gold or silver.

So since governments are going down the track of what advice they get the other option is with the created currency to put it into start up businesses to create jobs & create real wealth. If it goes into bailouts & government hand outs it creates no wealth what so ever(Ok apart from the central bankers & banking industry paying themselves for a job well done, but that is not real wealth).

Sir Robet Muldoon tried it here in New Zealand in the late 70's early 80's. Didn't quite take off but the idea was there. If you are going to have to do it then use it to create not keep the status quo or destroy.
Germany 1922 10,000 Mark, Pick 70. Large size "Vampire" note.
What is presently happening in the world has been referred too as the "Greatest transfer of wealth & power ever". Transfer of wealth because as central banks bail people & governments out they then can then claim those bailed out as their assets. Just like someone believes that China by buying European debt will be able to ask for the repayments in gold.

But then there are now issues over that gold. It is believed that the US no longer has any gold of its own although the US treasury claims to have 8000 tonnes. But then the IMF & Federal reserve claim to have that same 8000.

As shown in the movie Diehard 3 the worlds gold is held in the New York Federal reserve with an estimated 60% of Germany's gold held there. Already there is talk of the US seizing that & moving it to a military protected facility. If I was Germany I would be moving my physical gold home now.
Expectations, exchange rates, and monetary theory: The case of the German hyperinflation (Research paper)
Then we get to New Zealand where the government is proposing to sell assets. Since those assets give them a dividend they will actually lose out in the long run. They are better off trying to create jobs that create wealth. The New Zealand government is not seen as been that badly in debt actually so the reasoning behind it is flawed. Where New Zealand is in debt probably worse than anybody else is privately & in business. So when bailouts occur it is transferring that debt to the government.

But the opposition are no better. First whilst in government they had a finance minister with a degree in history who never studied financial history so made every mistake you could. Now they are trying to win favour by proposing tax changes that will give $10 a week extra! My grocery bill has doubled in the last year at least, $10 will not make one bit of difference.

Then they are saying they will take the GST off food. As the president of Tunisia found when the inflation is caused by the likes of the US creating currency out of thin air removing taxes will not make one bit of difference.
1918-1923 German hyperinflation,
So you either have to let it all fail with short term pain like Iceland or use any currency you create to try to create real wealth.

Otherwise crime will rise, there will be riots & possibly even the otherthrow of governments.

When people are struggling to feed their families then is when the situation leds to either extreme politics or coups. That was actually a strategy proposed in Iraq by a Colonel of the US Army Corp of Engineers when talking to him. He had seen how the British had succeeded initially in the South. If you create jobs, people are able to feed their families & have less time to get upset & join the insurgency. Same here if you create jobs people can feed their family, the government takes in more tax. Just giving the currency to the banks though is a recipe for failure.

Britain, the US & even New Zealand need to worry less about the rights of protesters in the Middle east & more about how they are going to stop it happening here. Seems that governments have not learnt from the French lesson that led to the revolution. To 'fix' the problem they just kept creating more currency.

Though it might give them more power to control the population. Interestingly overnight the Egyptians have suspened social media & even the internet with some people reporting the affects on twitter further a field.
Further evidence on expectations and the demand for money during the German hyperinflation (NBER working paper series)
We are already seeing the affects here in New Zealand of the inflation with a rise in armed robberies but many are not been reported by the authorities until days later. Sounds like been back in Iraq at times. Everyone sees the police flying past. Word goes out something has happened but it is not in the news. It never happened.

I know of one in the last couple of days but there has been no reports so far about it. It was just by word of mouth through the security industry that I came to know about it. When you get to that stage it is a very dangerous situation.

New Zealand is becoming like the US. On the face of it open & freedom of speech with good information flow but in reality much of the information is surpressed. Denial leds to people taking action at some stage.

Social Media & the internet are getting around this for now but already filters are been put in place like here in New Zealand that will limit what is said.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Media Hiding the Truth!

Kia Ora,

Over the last 24 hours I have read two articles showing how the mainstream media either are hiding the truth or just accepting what 'experts' or governments say without digging into the background.

First there was the article in the Washington Post commenting on how Dictators even those who have raised the countries standard of living as in Tunisia need to look after their people or they get overthrown.

It goes on to say how the Tunisian President took actions to put things right that looked like it was desperation.

What they don't say is his efforts were futile as I said in last post because the US is 'printing' currency which causes inflation. Now this inflation is caused outside the US not in the US until they monetize it by buying debt. Which is what the Bailouts are doing.

Not only that but when the US, since its dollar is the international reserve currency in which most trade is conducted, prints more currency it forces other countries such as China whom are large exporters to do the same therefore exporting inflation as well as goods.

But the Chinese can see this & so are selling US Debt or using it to buy real assets. But at the same time they have used some of their own currency they have been forced to print to buy European debt which confused people. That was until someone looked at it & combined an earlier Chinese statement.
Mises and Austrian Economics: A Personal View
China has said it wants to buy 5000 tons of Gold. It appears despite claims to the contrary the US actually doesn't have any Gold any more(US Treasury claims to have 8000 tons but the Federal Reserve(that private bank) & the IMF claim that same 8000 tons as theirs)as Ronald Reagan allegedly found out when he tried to go back onto the gold standard.

European nations (except Britain because Gordon Brown allegedly sold all theirs) have an estimated 11,000 tons. So If China owns their debt they could ask for repayment in Gold.

So the US are causing inflation now both outside & inside the US. So no matter what measures the President of Tunisian took it was never going to work.

The Washington Post does not ask the question what will happen when the US sees the same issues hit?
Economics of a Pure Gold Standard
But then New Zealand is no different with media outlets parroting the line that food prices have gone up here due to international price rises. No its due to inflation caused by the US printing currency & most of our trade has to be in US dollars(the Chinese have recently taken to doing any trade direct with countries bypassing the use of the US dollar as reserve currency).

Now New Zealand has had a couple of small bailouts by international standard but it would appear at least on the surface(sometimes when you are close to soemthing you can't see what is actually happening) that New Zealand is not carrying out quantitive easing. In fact I have been told that by the Minister of Finance. I gree with him it is not a good idea to carryout quantitive easing but unless the government are prepared to follow the best option & just let everything fail then start again, they will have no choice.

Of course very few governments will follow the course Iceland took because the people asked for it. Painful but less painful in the long run than carrying on the way things are.

Now at some stage as an exporting country we are going to have no choice but to 'print' some currency. The reason is if the New Zealand dollar gets to US85 cents to one New Zealand dollar it is expected businesses will start falling over left right & centre. Result increased crime. protests, riots & maybe the overthrow of a government.
The Gold Standard: Building a World-Class Team (Business Plus)
Already here in Christchurch many businesses are on the edge after the earthquake with many not expected to survive after May 2011. The West Coast many businesses are in a similar situation after the Pike River Mine Disaster.

Then you have the Australian floods expected to impact of food prices not to mention weather related issues with food supplies such as wheat world wide.

Failure of the Soviet wheat crop was always seen as a scenario that could trigger a nuclear war during the days of the cold war & was why despite the rhetoric & trade bans the US always supplied Wheat to the USSR.
The New Gold Standard: 5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
The Chinese understand this & know that should things get bad they won't have to worry about the US but their own people. It is why they have been on the course they have been including using US debt to buy access to commodities & stockpile other commodities.

Comments from Germans who suffered during the 1923 hyperinflation say that right until the last minute the government told them all was OK. That rising prices were just part of the world system, but when hyperinflation kicked in, it happened so fast that no one was prepared.

Right now opposition politicians are calling for the cutting of GST(Goods & Service Tax) on food(why didn't they do it when they were in government) but that didn't help the President of Tunisia when he allegedly tried a similar tax cut.
Gold: The Once and Future Money
But of course both in the US & here in New Zealand people will be saying "It will never happen here" just because it never has doesn't mean it never will.

Conversly it is the time of opportunity.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Finger on the Trigger!

Kia Ora,

To follow up on the previous post it is now evident that the finger is well & truly on the trigger to financial melt down & anarchy.

An old army mate sent me a message which pointed out that in the US over the next six weeks over 4 million people will be taken off the unemployment figures, not because they have jobs, there are no jobs, but because they have come to the end of their 99 weeks they are allowed on the unemployment benefit.

So they will still be unemployed just not in the system so umemployed figures might have one of those times when the figures actually go down. This is one of the proposed austerity measures for Ireland.

How will they survive?

Crime will defintely go up. You have to wonder how it will affect places like California which is basically bankrupt & was letting prisoners go early to try to save money. So more unemployed on the streets. Or Illinois which was having its police cars been repossesed a few at a time.

This was one of the reasons the paid for website shadow stats was set up to show how the figures are manipulated. A comment from someone who uses it would put US unemployment at actually 17% or higher right now.

It also has the true rate of inflation calculated, not the manipulated rates we get in general.

So what could be the trigger for financial meltdown or anarchy?

First the Irish could & may still refuse the bailout. Portugal has said it will refuse. If these two nations do that, then it has been forecast the financial system will collapse very quickly. That might not seem a good outcome but it has happened in history before & believe it or not though very painful it is the best option. Anarchy or social unrest would flare, but there is a chance for a good restart. Unlike the Amreican option which is print more currency which prolongs the collapse(as Japan has managed to do for 20 years), but history shows will make things worse in the long run.
Corruption and Government: Causes, Consequences, and Reform
Another trigger could be rising taxes.

One financial commentator mentions that if today you talk about paying less tax many American citizens will tell you it is your patriotic duty to pay tax. It is to be American to pay tax is a common comment they hear.

As they point out actually no it isn't. Tax used to be only something imposed to help pay for wars in most countries. They point out the US was actually formed over a war that started as a protest against a tax. The tax on tea, hence the Boston tea party.

It is also pointed out that until 1943 general taxation did not exist in the US.

In New Zealand there was much anger over the Dog tax in the 1800's until it was dropped.

More recently there were the demonstrations in Britain that forced the government to drop the poll tax.

Taxes are certainly about to rise world wide as shown in the proposed Irish austerity measures.
Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies
The Myth put out by governments is when they spend money it is tax payers money.

Incorrect!

First it is not money it is currency.

Second tax is taken in the first place not to pay for what the government does on peoples behalf, but to pay the interest on the loans to provide their budget. The governments take the loans from the central banks (Federal Reserve in the US, Reserve Bank in NZ & Australia, Bank of England in Britain etc) which are privately owned banks passed off as a statutory independant body that pays a return to governments to make it look like they are part of the government. So they justify their actions by manipulating the truth(many politicians will not actually know this is the truth).

With the internet in particular this information is becomng easier to access & as more people become aware that also could be a trigger to either financial meltdown or anarchy. I know some Americans are now refusing to pay tax as it is illegal under the constitution.
Fighting Corruption in Developing Countries: Strategies and Analysis
In New Zealand either anarchy or financial meltdown could also be triggerered by incidents such as those that have shown up in last few days.

First post the earthquake is the crime in particular in Christchurch, originally said to be down but now revealed as a huge jump. Most people knew it, but it was denied at the time.

Then as revealed yesterday the claim that many assessments for damage are been rejected because the assessors are been paid bonuses to reject claims.

So you are upsetting already stressed people by using excuses not to do something. This is better known as corruption as practiced by bureaucrats.
Economic Gangsters: Corruption, Violence, and the Poverty of Nations (New in Paper)
This will mean people loose the one thing most regard as their main asset(although by definition it isn't until sold), stress is likely to hamper earning ability if they haven't lost their job & so there is no cash to pay mortgages which flows on to the banks who are already not lending.

So more stress, crime levels go up, & in the end the government will have to 'bailout' as they did yesterday, which is essentially a transfer of wealth effectively to the privately owned central bank since governments owe them so much.
The Beijing Consensus: How China's Authoritarian Model Will Dominate the Twenty-First Century
At some point as the governments in Europe are finding, governments will come to the end of options. The US is now at what is seen as the tipping point into possible hyperinflation of 840% of debt to GDP.

Collapse, hyperinflation then collapse which ever way it happens will be fast. It will result in massive unrest although with more unrest it gives governments the excuse for more power, so the trasnfer not only of wealth will be in place but power.

Tax on tea triggered one revolution, hyperinflation triggered another one, what will happen this time when it involves the whole world?

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Descent into Hell begins!

Kia Ora,

The world is beginning its descent into Hell as predicted by a few economic commentators. The Sovereign debt crisis that first raised its head in Dubai nearly two years ago is starting to gather steam.

One commentator has compiled a list of the 30 countries currently living on a wing & a prayer. This was passed to me by a reliable source who like me keeps an eye on a certain group of commontators & we compare notes. In that list New Zealand ranks 13th & Australia is also in the top 30.

They did not mention who was top of the list actually, but I would wager it is the US with over US$200 Trillion(840% of GDP) in debt most of it 'off book' just like ENRON. Britain would be up around the top five. China could even feature though for different reasons.

New Zealand is estimated to be at 200% of GDP but there is a difference. Most of NZ's debt is private. But what bailouts do is transfer that debt to the government & from there to the central bank so transfer the wealth & power to the private bankers who really run things.

Even when you don't want a bailout or know it is bad for you.

Just look at Ireland. If as looks like will happen they accept the bailout then the International Monetary Fund & the European Union will control Ireland, not the Irish. Already the austerity plans been drawn up include a drop in the minimum wage.
The Dollar Crisis: Causes, Consequences, Cures , Revised and Updated
We already see what austerity measures result in. Riots & civil disorder. Britain has taken measures, but says it is not as badly off as Ireland. Not sure where they have got that from. The only difference between the European countries, Britain & the US is the later two are still able to print their own money(courtesy of the private banks better known as the central banks) which will be actually worse in the long run.

During this last week whilst New Zealand has been fixated on the tragedy in the mine, we had our credit rating outlook lowered. This will force the government to take more austerity measures. We already have teens challenging the police over gatherings & alcohol. It is only a short step from there to the riots in Britain as it has spread through social media & all are aware of it. In fact social media was used to organize one of the marches in Britain. One that got out of control in the most recent set of marches.
Rich Dad's Conspiracy of the Rich: The 8 New Rules of Money
For the average person what they will see is rises in food prices, jobs lost & unemployment will just sky rocket. It is already much higher than offical figures as those figures are manipulated or leave out the people no longer in the system.

As was pointed out in Ireland when as part of the austerity it is proposed to limit time on unemployment. Hey that's great but where are the job's?

This will all result in a rise in crime.
The Corruption of Capitalism: A strategy to rebalance the global economy and restore sustainable growth
So what sort of things could trigger a turn for the worse in regards to civil disorder? In France it has been the raising of the retirement age, in Britain the proposed raising of education fees & cutting cash flow to other education.

In New Zealand it could be frustration with the recovery from the Christchurch earthquake, the snow storm in Southland or the investigation into the mine incident(historically these inquiries result in a lot of anger & accusations). Even more so the holding back of information like the rupture of the gas pipe into the mine or yesterday after constant denials that anything was different about the earthquake an interesting article.
Rich Dad's Advisors: Guide to Investing In Gold and Silver: Protect Your Financial Future
That article first referred to the fact that though the first wee shake was 7.1 it actually realeased the energy of a 7.8 which has scientists a bit mystified, followed by the comment that a "spaghetti junction" of faults lay under the Canterbury plains & had been known about for years. New ones were forming & they all pointed at Christchurch. Now people have been feeling that this was the case but it has been denied since the wee shake with one 'expert' saying there would be no faults actually under Christchurch even though the media had the day before revealed the existance of the Addington fault from the 1869 earthquake.

So withholding information that shouldn't be then it coming to light could be a trigger to social unrest. Others have used the wee shake as an excuse for them commiting crime.

Combine natural disasters with a financial crisis & you have the ingredients for a time bomb. But it is also the time of opportunity & that is not criminal opportunity.
The Dollar Meltdown: Surviving the Impending Currency Crisis with Gold, Oil, and Other Unconventional Investments
One commentator has likened the current situation in the US with so much currency been printed as to the conditions in place in France prior to the French Revolution where many people ended up loosing their heads. The guilliotine was operated & executions carried out apparently by the Ministry of Public Safety.

Another commentator in the US has warned that people need to start stock piling food & buy a rifle then wait for the riots to stop. It is likely to be really that bad. This was from a financial commentator not a survivalist.
Crash Proof 2.0: How to Profit From the Economic Collapse

People are really starting to feel this is all true. It is the time of opportunity also, but most people are starting to feel this. It has been funny how people's attitude change towards you as they start to feel that though they had felt what you have been saying is incorrect because the government or experts tell them so, to what their gut feeling now tells them is starting to happen.

It is just like Health & Safety are supposed to be, prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. Look for the opportunity.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Society breaking down!

Kia Ora,

Something that has raised itself more in the last few weeks is the apparent break down in society.

From the out of control illegal gatherings in Auckland, New Zealand to the anarchy in Britain & demostrations/riots in France & a number of other countries.

What is leading to this?

First there is in the west this issue of personal rights, but people also forget they have responsibilities. As the police are finding at these gatherings in Auckland, although the gatherings are illegal as they breach the liquor bans the police are met with the attitude that they have no right to interfere with those at the gatherings fun.

We encounter it all the time in security when moving people on. We are the ones in the wrong or so these people seem to think.

The issues though showing in Europe in the main are the next step. These have mainly come about due to the austerity measures taken by European governments.

Those taking part have seen what they see as their rights to low cost education for example eroded even though countries can no longer afford it. Even less can countries afford the retirement packages promised in the past. This has all caused a descent into anarchy. But as the worlds financial system is expected to collapse in the next few years based on history, things are going to get a lot worse.
Is Belief in God Good, Bad or Irrelevant?: A Professor and a Punk Rocker Discuss Science, Religion, Naturalism & Christianity
In all cases it has been a result of our own mistakes.

First it has been the break down in discipline by this insistance no boundaries are set. We encounter it all the time now in security with "you can't touch me" or the attitude you are in the wrong, even though those in question are breaking the law, as you are interfering with their fun.

Second it is the ignorance of most people in as to how they were manipulated to believe governments would look after them. Slowly that has been eroded by use of excuses to then telling people they need to save for their retirement for example. The upset we see now is nothing when people start to find, as recently allowed to happen in the US, that retirement funds can refuse to pay out. The currency is going to be required to again bail out banks & financial institutions & their investments in the derivative markets.
(ANARCHY EVOLUTION)Anarchy Evolution by Graffin, Greg(Author)Hardcover{Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science, and Bad Religion in a World Without God}on 01 Oct 2010
This will mean a growth in at least one industry. Security & basic security at that will be seen as more & more a necessity.

As Winston Churchill said "the further back we look, the further forward we can see" or words to that effect.

That is why many predicted what is started to happen now & what will happen. Unfortunately those in charge of the worlds financial systems have only looked back as far as the last big up heaval, not further back in history & yet again they think they can beat what no man has ever been able too. The financial system doing its own cleansing.

So the upset will result in the transfer of wealth & power to those doing the manipulation. The more upset the more power transferred.
Order and Anarchy: Civil Society, Social Disorder and War
In fact it has been said what is about to happen is the greatest transfer of wealth & power ever.

The break down of society is allowing it to happen.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Could New Zealand really handle a terrorist incident at Rugby World Cup 2011?

Kia Ora,

Well the New Delhi Commonwealth Games are over & thankfully there were no terrorist attacks. But in saying that the terrorists have already achieved their aim. Just the measures that needed to be taken shows that.

It is actually as if the terrorists when planning 9/11 were taking a leaf out of Ronald Reagans book. His plan had always been to act all war like but in reality bankrupt the Soviet Union by engaging in an arms race. It worked & right now the same seems to be happening to the US(therefore by connection the world) due to the amounts having to be spent on security & wars.

So now here our attention really turns to the Rugby World cup 2011 & the security requirements.

New Zealand just doesn't have the resources India had to throw at it. So therefore we have to think of how to deploy our resources of NZ military, NZ police & NZ Security Industry.

But could New Zealand really handle a Terrorist attack?

Frankly I very much doubt it. It is hard to handle something you have never experienced before. We have had terrorist incidents & have them daily in issues with organized crime but a real terrorist attack there is no way we are ready. Even the recent earthquake here in Christchurch has not shown how bad things could be as no one was killed & emergency services were able to get access quickly to damaged areas.
Terrorism Today: The Past, The Players, The Future (4th Edition)
We have to only look at the recently released information on the London train bombings in Britain to show there was chaos & for sometime the authorities did not comprehend there was a terrorist attack. Of all the cities in the world expected to best handle a terrorist attack London would rank as number one.

So if they descended into chaos how is New Zealand going to handle it? Doubt it very much. Police officers I know said same thing happened here in Christchurch when the dry ice bottle bombs went off.

On the same day I was reading about the information now been released on the train bombings an incident happened as if to emphasize what has to be be prepared for.

In Yemen there were two bomb blasts. The second was detonated once the emergency services were on the scene.
Globalisation and The Future of Terrorism: Patterns and Predictions
It is a common terrorist tactic taken one step further by suicide bombers.

This of course brings in to question the recent issue of NZ police having more access to firearms. First there needs to be a huge increase in training, then the weapons need to be worn or more readily accessible than been in a lock box.

Why? The second part first is if a suicide bomber detonates as has been stated before you need to realize it within 30 seconds & be ready for the follow up. Not wait for an investigation or four investigations to decide.

It is the follow up that brings the lack of training into question.

Is that vehicle refusing to stop a suicide bomber or just some ignorant civilian who thinks they don't have to comply? Or even worse here a rubber necker.
Future Terror & Counter Terrorism ~ A World in Shadows: Terrorism (Volume Seven)
So the training has to be so much higher & as the police do now use rules of engagement, but again to a higher level where a split second decision to fire a warning shot or not has to be made! Coupled with the warning shot are the arguments over to where best put the warning shot because of the implications of what happens to the round after been fired.

From footage of NZ police trying to shoot a dog running around none of that was taken into account at the time. In fact those doing the shooting were lucky not to be shot by their mates.

To not shoot means on your call rest your & the lives of those you are protecting.
Portrait of a Decrepit Nation
So again the question is "Could New Zealand really handle a terrorist attack at the Rugby World Cup 2011". Again the answer is no. Most of what we hear is based on preparing for violence & drunkeness. Right now we should already be getting Kiwi's ready for the security that will be required to host such an event.

That organizers have not even thought about security has been shown in the fact that the USA has been scheduled to play on the tenth annivesary of 9/11. What more of a symbolic target do you want?
The New Jackals: Ramzi Yousef, Osama bin Laden, and the Future of Terrorism
I have said it before. It is going to take a huge change in mindset from the NZ police, the NZ Security Industry & most of all the NZ public to be ready for the type of security requirements now needed for an international tournament.

Yes the terrorists are achieving their aim by bankrupting the World, but what happens if you don't do anything? You need to be best prepared you can be.

NEW ZEALAND IS NOT READY!

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Has the West lost the will?

Kia Ora,

With the talk of mindset & how I have seen people react to what has happened here in Christchurch after the earthquake, it has reminded me of a conversation in Iraq.

The person who made the following statement had experience in several armies & a war or two.

They stated "the west will never beat these guys (Al Qaeda terrorists)as they are focussed, have a mission & are not waylaid by the false things in life" or words to that effect.

That is what I have seen over the last nearly two weeks(how time flies when you are having fun) on how by focussing on the false things in life, peole have not handled reality when it confronts them.

Don't get me wrong it has been traumatic for people, in particular those that have lost their houses, businesses or are in the worst affected areas.

But it could of been much much worse. The power of the earthquake could of levelled the city with many deaths. If people are not handling it now then what would of happened had it been worse?

That the city is mainly back on a relatively normal footing is mainly due to good building codes & luck.
Origins of Terrorism: Psychologies, Ideologies, Theologies, States of Mind
Although a suicide bombing does not have the power of an earthquake, its effects are more localized & much more traumatic. Bodies ripped apart, blood & bits of bodies everywhere to mention a few.

That requires a whole different mindset.
The Mind of the Terrorist: The Psychology of Terrorism from the IRA to al-Qaeda
Some people will say we just did after the earthquake what the British & Indian peoples did after their terrorist attacks.

No the British & Indian people been used to it, just wouldn't let it defeat them, where as what I saw even on the day of the quake was many in denial treating it like a family outing whilst the police & other services tried to get on top of the situation. Not to mention the good groups of volunteers & workers who have given a huge effort. But the wider good will in the community was a myth which had it been worse would of quickly turned to anarchy.

People ignored police requests to stay put & stay out of the worst affected areas as they were identified.
Inside the Mind of a Suicide Bomber (History Channel)
Had that been suicide bombings we know the usual tactic is one followed by a series of others targeting emergency services or bottle necks.

Many of those with issues here in Christchurch have had nothing more than putting up with a very violent earthquake (yes likely deadly & yes it felt like the buildings were going to collapse) & the aftershocks.

That is nothing to the fear you see when people have to deal with the prospect of dealing with suicide bombers everyday, sewage hardly ever working properly, power still not fully restored 7 years after an invasion yet everyday just getting on with life.
Inside Terrorism
Now the right mindset is what allowed the consultant to see the threats to the Commonwealth games village in India. It is how we see the threats to the Rugby World Cup 2011.

Unless people can understand the mindset of the suicide bomber or terrorists they will never see the threats. These guys are that committed, where as in the West we worry about false things.

What is your mission in life? Maybe if we all focussed on finding our mission in life to make this a better world, those who at present have a mission of death & destruction would change theirs.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

New Zealands vision of itself versus visitors perception once here!

Kia Ora,

Spent yesterday at an expo & talking to locals, we talked about the so called good security at the latest All Black Rugby test here in Christchurch. At the same time a letter to the editor of 'The Press' from a visitor to that test challenged the image of New Zealand.

Then today we have complaints against how police acted when clearing a party recently here in Christchurch with police response.

Just as i write this there is an item on TV about knife crime in Britain with the comment on how New Zealand could avoid it by been on top of things.

First thing first. The comments of locals who attended the Rugby test which was viewed as a test for the Rugby World Cup 2011.

After it was all played up they said they expected, with what they were carrying, to be searched but apart from been asked "do you have anything in there?" they were waived through.

So net result a big 'F' for fail again in basic access control. That will not or should not be acceptable to those who are in charge of Rugby World Cup Security.

Next was the letter from the visitor to the local newspaper. There was a lot of discussion around on how it was 'only a few bad eggs'.

Afraid not & the visitor would of seen a lot more of that behaviour had the All Blacks lost. When in the security industry you see too much of the idiot brigade in Christchurch often carried out by the last people you would expect & it has been getting worse.

New Zealand needs to grow up quickly if it doesn't want to embarrass itself if the Rugby World Cup takes place here. There is still enough time to transfer it to Australia if New Zealand can not get its act together in two related areas. Security & behaviour.
Visitors are generally shocked by the poor behaviour, especially once alcohol is involved, of these lovely Kiwis.

Speaking of behaviour in particular bad behaviour, it is now seen acceptable to question any actions taken by the police despite the fact that the people in question are more often than not breaking the law.

The situation this time was a party that someone had started a fire at, police were requested by the fire brigade & on arrival had bottles thrown at them.

I don't see the police had any option but to take aggressive action. The fact that some were apparently sitting quietly when hit & pepper sprayed is of no consequence.

If you associate with what are essentially criminal elements then you have no excuse to complain when the authorities take action. The police have no way of knowing who is what, when they move in on what appears to be a large party. Of course everyone is innocent after the fact. Guilty by association.
What are visitors going to make of the drunken violence that abounds in this country?

Of course the last item knife crime in the UK & the comment that NZ needs to keep on top of it.

Too late the horse has bolted on that one. A recent comment on police in Christchurch was that virtually every person they arrest these days has a knife on them.

So any visitor entering NZ thinking they are coming to a nice safe place needs to think again. It can be very enjoyable with a lot friendly people, but visitors need to take the normal precautions they take at home & maybe learn a few local things or places to avoid.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz

Is Security really one of the three Basic needs in life today?

Kia Ora,

They say that there are three basic needs in life. Food (& water), Shelter & Security.

But is Security really one of them in todays world?

You do have to wonder with recent events both here in New Zealand & in Britain as examples.



Just looking at what comes up in Amazon when you type in Basic needs of life you do really have to wonder.

In recent years it has become customary for any action taken by the police here in New Zealand to be questioned then at least four investigations take place.

Of course all actions need to be reviewed to see where or how it might of been carried out better, but as for all wasted times on exhaustive investigations when it is more often than not, quite plain the police acted in the right fashion.



Now after a gun man shot three people in the UK, threatened to shoot police & the general public there is first a facebook page supporting him even after he has shot himself & those police in the vicinity of him at that tme are under investigation.

So lets put ourselves in the line of fire to protect the public then get questioned over our actions. Sounds like the conditions the British Army in Northern Ireland operated under or we did even as private security in Iraq.



Then of course as the police vehicle who pulled over the crashed car here in Christchurch called it as a chase when vehicle took off, there is now an investigation.

Of what are they investigating?

It is simple. Vehicle took off, went through a red light then probably before the police vehicle had even started pursuit (if you know the area you know how short the distance travelled is to the crash site) it had crashed at high speed.

No police at fault so any investigation is a waste of time & money. It must also be having an effect on police morale.

This will come back to haunt us, if it already hasn't.

No one seems to want to support those that provide their security!

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz