John E. Van Dyke, Author & Investment Banker

Want to see an image that predicts  financial and industrial collapse on a global scale ?  What you’re looking at is a chart of lithium demand compared with lithium supply.  It’s as basic as it gets and illustrates a problem unlike any other the world has faced in modern history. Now, this chart comes with a companion, which you can see below: This graphic, tracking the price of lithium over the past decade or so, is the direct result of the first chart and proof that this catastrophe is already underway.  Now, to add some color to this theory,  let me draw a parallel from recent history .  Since the turn of the 20th century,  some of the biggest armed conflicts and some of our farthest-reaching policies have been guided by the quest for oil  in one way or another.  Oil is the reason behind all of our excursions into the Middle East. Oil is the reason Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, which plunged the U.S. into World War II.  Oil is a major ...

Understand what the world makes of China—and what China makes of the world. The rise of China has been one of the most important developments of the past half-century. Now it wants nothing less than to reshape the global order. But the years ahead hold many challenges for the ruling Communist Party, which has grown more authoritarian at home and more assertive abroad. The internet in China is often a brutal place. It offers little room for liberal voices: armies of censors crush them. Chest-thumping nationalists held sway. Yet look carefully and you can make out important differences among those who fill China’s social media with anti-Western, anti-liberal vitriol.  On one of the most popular messaging services, WeChat. Their members are nationalists. They are fiercely anti-Western, but they also criticize capitalist tendencies in China. They want the country to return to a more egalitarian path. On June 3rd I received an alert from one of these groups about an event later that...

  The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, who have been meeting in Johannesburg this week to talk economic shop, are thinking of letting others into their party. The BRICS bloc is, for all intents and purposes, the rival to the G7, and is looking to wield more power over the US and its allies. At least two dozen countries across a broad spectrum of the developing world are lining up with their CVs in hand—and an economically sluggish China and Russia are eager to get them on board. It is very realistic to see this bloc double in size by the time of their next meeting. The interesting information we are all waiting on is to see the blocs' entrance on the world stage with their own unified cryptocurrency. But not all of the BRICS boys (we’re groaning too)  are so sure about new members . India and Brazil have waffled on the idea. And in any case, Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin’s stand-in are probably having trouble talking about anything else except the ...

The consequences for Europe are significant, with potential erosion of the European Central Bank's credit and that of stronger nations like Germany and France. In parallel, there's an impending need for substantial bank recapitalization in Europe, perhaps concealed by purchasing distressed sovereign debt from peripheral nations at inflated prices. The burden of these bad loans will persist within the system. As the market detects this, the credibility of the euro could remain uncertain, leading to a potential uptick in investments in gold. The cost of bank recapitalization could reach trillions. At the grassroots level, there's considerable demand for owning gold driven by distrust in both banks and governmental policies. While some may seek triggers to stimulate the gold market, those buying for security and safeguarding their assets do so independently of such triggers. While the US dollar retains its role as the world's reserve currency, figures like Krugman advocate...

Raw, untapped energy,  Spontaneous adaptability,  The spirit of ancient warriors. While routines are essential, over-reliance is a trap. Have you ever had a day when despite your best preparations, things went awry? What if that day was your race day?  Would it be better to be consumed by doubt, that you have messed up your routine and were showing up in suboptimal shape? Or should you channel your inner monster, and know that you can turn it on anytime, anyplace, no matter what? As Mike Tyson wisely said, " Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth ." The lesson? Have a plan , but be bigger than it. Equip yourself with tools and rituals, but remember, " They serve you; you don’t serve them ". Unlock Your Ultimate Potential While the modern man worships schedules and routines, the primal warrior thrives in unpredictability, ready for battle at a moment's notice. The meticulous planning and routine are invaluable - but there is also a time and plac...

Corporations are increasingly being considered "persons" in the eyes of American law. With that shift, more and more rights are being attributed to them. But, with rights, don't responsibilities also follow? From an ethical perspective, if corporations are considered "persons," they are to be held accountable for their actions in the same manner as individuals . Business enterprises, more than they presently do, need to systematically be aware of, assess, and take responsibility for their impact on the individuals and communities affected by their strategies, values, decisions, and behaviors. Following this line of thought, should business organizations not have civic roles and be expected to assume reasonable responsibility for being good corporate citizens and organizational members of the communities where they reside as well as the larger global society whose markets they serve and profit from? If they are civic members, are they not to contribute to the ...

  Money Creation and Economic Growth One of the greatest pressures being placed on the environment today is due to the need to sustain the required economic growth that ensures the stable functioning of our current economic system. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, economic growth has been accompanied by increased resource use and pollution as well as more general environmental destruction. One of the fundamental system drivers that force economic growth on us is the debt-based money system. Under this system debt is not a choice – for there to be money, there has to be debt. The system is based on ensuring access to credit (i.e. debt) for government, businesses, and individuals, who all borrow money from the banks. Currently, the total debt owed to banks stands at £2.1 trillion. In order for a business or an individual to borrow they are required to present either collateral or evidence of future earnings. To then service that debt requires future earnings o...