Panama has had it’s share of surprises that have impacted our financial market but nowhere as large and as devastating as what might happen in the rest of the world.  I really like reading John Mauldin’s newsletter as he likes to see the positive things around us rather than just focusing on the negatives and in this post he looks at 2016 forecasts from some professionals he trusts.  I warn you that some of this is upsetting but a must read if you want to survive and thrive in the potentially volatile new year.

That said, let me skip to the end of his post as I too believe we will also see some amazing things this year.  Plus, I get to see it all unfold from my tiny little village of Boquete!!

”… let me end on a positive note. Even with all our economic and geopolitical troubles, the progress of humanity in overcoming many persistent problems has been persistent and impressive. Technology and social understanding are advancing on dozens of different fronts.

Let me suggest you watch this short YouTube video. It shows Elon Musk’s Falcon 9 rocket landing on its pad. This rocket will cut the cost of space launches by 90% and perhaps eventually by 99% from today’s cost. If you can watch this video without your emotions jumping, if you can see the young men and women screaming in joy over their success and not want to join them in shouting as you watch the rocket deploy its fins at the last moment and touch down ever so gently, then you are probably an NSA spy cam linked to a computer and not a human being.

How can you not be an optimist? Really? How can you not be?

Full text here.    http://www.mauldineconomics.com/frontlinethoughts/2016-surprises-scenarios