Our current democratic capitalist system is close to imploding. This book is the first to reveal the secret financial system dominating capitalism today and shows how we can create accountability to restore our democracy. Over the last half century, capitalism has created the means for trillions of dollars, euros, pounds, and other stores of wealth to move invisibly-beyond the control of central bankers, law enforcement agents, and international institutions. With an entire financial secrecy system now dominating capitalist operations, riches move inexorably upward and accelerate economic inequality, directly obstructing and threatening democracy. In four parts, Invisible Trillions reveals how capitalism today functions outside the control of democracy and how we can link the two once again. Acknowledging the corruption and complacency of our institutions, Raymond W. Baker walks readers through covert financial operations, their instigators, and their impacts. He also argues for replacing financial secrecy with transparency via mechanisms such as mandated disclosure around corporate and financial entities and operations. This book takes the first step toward holding our systems accountable. After all, the very survival of the democratic capitalist system is at stake.

Our current democratic capitalist system is close to imploding. This book is the first to reveal the secret financial system dominating capitalism today and shows how we can create accountability to restore our democracy. Over the last half century, capitalism has created the means for trillions of dollars, euros, pounds, and other stores of wealth to move invisibly—beyond the control of central bankers, law enforcement agents, and international institutions. With an entire financial secrecy system now dominating capitalist operations, riches move inexorably upward and accelerate economic inequality, directly obstructing and threatening democracy. In four parts, Invisible Trillions reveals how capitalism today functions outside the control of democracy and how we can link the two once again. Acknowledging the corruption and complacency of our institutions, Raymond W. Baker walks readers through covert financial operations, their instigators, and their impacts. He also argues for replacing financial secrecy with transparency via mechanisms such as mandated disclosure around corporate and financial entities and operations. This book takes the first step toward holding our systems accountable. After all, the very survival of the democratic capitalist system is at stake.

For five years, Konrad has imprisoned himself and his crippled wife in an abandoned lime works where he’s conducted odd auditory experiments and prepared to write his masterwork, The Sense of Hearing. As the story begins, he’s just blown the head off his wife with the Mannlicher carbine she kept strapped to her wheelchair. The murder and the bizarre life that led to it are the subject of a mass of hearsay related by an unnamed life-insurance salesman in a narrative as mazy, byzantine, and mysterious as the lime works—Konrad’s sanctuary and tomb.

For over forty years in more than sixty countries, Raymond Baker has witnessed the free-market system operating illicitly and corruptly, with devastating consequences. In Capitalism’s Achilles Heel, Baker takes readers on a fascinating journey through the global free-market system and reveals how dirty money, poverty, and inequality are inextricably intertwined. Readers will discover how small illicit transactions lead to massive illegalities and how staggering global income disparities are worsened by the illegalities that permeate international capitalism. Drawing on his experiences, Baker shows how Western banks and businesses use secret transactions and ignore laws while handling some $1 trillion in illicit proceeds each year. He also illustrates how businesspeople, criminals, and kleptocrats perfect the same techniques to shift funds and how these tactics negatively affect individuals, institutions, and countries.

At the heart of developed societies lies an insatiable drive for wealth and prosperity. Yet in a world ruled by free-market economics, there are always winners and losers. The benefits enjoyed by the privileged few come at the expense of the many. In this important new book, Stephan Lessenich shows how our wealth and affluence are built overwhelmingly at the expense of those in less-developed countries and regions of the world. His theory of ‘externalization’ demonstrates how the negative consequences of our lifestyles are directly transferred onto the world’s poorest. From the destruction of habitats caused by the massive increase in demand for soy and palm oil to the catastrophic impact of mining, Lessenich shows how the Global South has borne the brunt of our success. Yet, as we see from the mass movements of people across the world, we can no longer ignore the environmental and social toll of our prosperity. Lessenich’s highly original account of the structure and dynamics of global inequality highlights the devastating consequences of the affluent lifestyles of the West and reminds us of our far-reaching political responsibilities in an increasingly interconnected world.

Sri Sanyassian Sunkara Sankacharya Amazing, shocking, overwhelming, fascinating, intriguing. Concepts which have eluded clear expression for thousands of years. Where did the race originate? Why are we here? Does Human personality survive the Death of the Body? Where will we be after Death? What is the purpose of the life experience? What to believe? Who has the Truth? Where is the evidence? “What is the Correct Philosophy”? 7 Sexes is not for the timid, or the easily offended. It is not the intent to give offence, however the contents are outside of one’s Educational experience, beyond Orthodox, Institutional Teachings. The Biblical Saviour taught, “Seek the Truth”, Mahatma Ghandi taught, “Hang on to Truth”, Sri Sunkara, Spiritual Philosopher of the age delivers, “Herein the Truth to set you Free.” The controversial author of “VEDANTA – Bhagavad- Gita 2000” and “ASK – Were you there?” asked “The Tree of Knowledge, How did ‘It’ start?” The Spirit in the Tree responded: “Out of Africa” they say. Nay! Nay, Nay, Tree does sway. Long afore, before any Country, world or Galaxy were; Far Beyond the Physical you will find Humanity’s Self-starter. Science, State & Religion, Restrict belief, leading to Disaster; Empowering, Feeding Confusion’s Charter.” Today’s Belief Systems offer several choices, none of which withstand the scrutiny of time. The youth are offered a God a Supreme Male Being, Darwin’s theory of Evolution from an Ape, a Science of Big Bang from a Black Hole or an end to physical Life leading to Nothingness. Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, internationally acclaimed Medium/Theosopher wrote 1,550 pages in a Doctrine, representing over 632,000 words. The dreaded word, SEX, appears three times. If mankind is not a race immersed in sexuality, then what is it? Knowledge of the complexities of the Spiritual Rounds, Rings, Chains and Sub races will not make the AIDS virus go away, nor solve the personal problems of the potential Suicide, nor bring you who read these words enlightenment or happiness. Sri Sunkara provides indisputable Evidence to support the Spiritual Reality of Existence; an intelligent fact based cosmic sense alternative to the Status Quo. Now Revealed to the outer world; the Hidden history of the ancient race of human Species. Be Free; armed with Perennial Wisdom, loaded with Truth, an exciting path for man’s exploration & discovery. Sunkara has no side agenda, no mortal ally, holds no specific group in awe, not affiliated with anyone, no vested interests to please; Spirit speaks directly to issues which affect us all; truthfully, candidly, where none have dared to tread. Please visit the Movement for Peaceful Social Change, Higher Spiritualism. http://www.hispirit.org.au. Mission & Purpose Spiritual Mission, “Freedom From Religion” to share the knowledge hidden from humanity.

Despite the prevalence of religious belief in the United States (nearly 200 million Americans belong to 350,000 congregations), a growing minority (14 percent) of U.S. adults identify with no religion whatsoever. Journalist James A. Haught addresses the secular segment of American society in this interesting collection of incisive essays that give voice to honest doubts about religious beliefs. Taken together, Haught''s essays endorse the idea that freedom of religion must include freedom to doubt as well as to believe. Individually, the articles present many different reasons to doubt: - Intellectual integrity demands that we express doubts about beliefs for which there is no scientific evidence.- The historical record, past and present, shows that religion is often the cause of evils, from the Inquisition and the burning of witches to current terrorist violence committed in the name of religion.- Natural evils, such as the 2004 Asian tsunami and devastating diseases, should make any thoughtful person question whether an all-powerful and all-merciful God governs the universe.- The sheer number and diversity of often-conflicting belief systems raise serious doubts about the philosophical coherence of religion as an approach to finding the truth.- Scandals among the clergy undermine the credibility of religion as a sound basis for morality.Written in a straightforward conversational style that makes clear the many scientific, philosophical, and ethical difficulties that plague religion, Haught''s thought-provoking essays will appeal to atheists, agnostics, and anyone with questions about religion.