Simon Zadek on Debt, Sustainability and the Long Con

China's criticism that the US is failing to live within its means is a little rich given that it has benefited so much by the US's debt addicted, three decade long consumer binge. But that aside, China does have a point. And so does Standard and Poor in its historic downgrading of the US's credit worthiness, despite the dispute over an alleged US$2 trillion maths error deemed by S&P as 'neither here nor there'.

So how should sustainability geeks understand and respond as the world once more (or still) stands on the brink of a financial sector-precipitated economic and political crisis?

Read the rest of this fascinating article at Debt, Sustainability and the Long Con by BusinessGreen.com

Understanding credit scores and bank policies

After reading this article from the Wall Street Journal about how bankers spy on you to determine your credit worthiness I am more convinced than ever that we have a completely dishonest and broken system.
If you don't understand that the banking, loan, financial, and credit system of the United States is set up to work against individuals and only in favor of the companies that lend the money, you will suffer.
This article, plus the book Debt Cures, have taught me more about my own finances than any other place before.
Also, if you read this article and aren't disgusted with the US financial system, you didn't read it close enough!