KINGSTON, NY, 11 January 2012 - Are you ready for a 2012 that will be "Good" for the well-prepared, really "Bad" for wishful thinkers, and very "Ugly" for the see-nothings and do-nothings ­ those with their heads in the sand who blindly trust their leaders?

A few weeks ago we sent you a recap of the Trends Journal's "Top Trends 2011" forecasts. There is very little in today's headline news that was not in last year's Trends Journal forecasts.

The newly released Top 12 Trends 2012 cuts through the hype, confusion and political baloney. This Trends Journal provides directions for navigating through the turmoil along with practical advice on how to capitalize on the positive trends-in-the-making we have identified. Top 12 Trends 2012 runs the gamut from "Economic Martial Law" to "Safe Havens" to "Going Out in Style."

1. Economic Martial Law: Given the current economic and geopolitical conditions, the central banks and world governments already have plans in place to declare Economic Martial Law with the possibility of military martial law to follow.

2. Battlefield America: With a stroke of the Presidential pen, language was removed from an earlier version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), granting el Presidente authority to act as judge, jury and executioner. Citizens, welcome to "Battlefield America."

3. Invasion of the Occtupy: 15 years ago, Gerald Celente predicted in his book Trends 2000 that prolonged protests would hit Wall Street in the early years of the new millennium and would spread nationwide. The "Occtupy" is now upon us, and it is like nothing history has ever witnessed.

4. Climax Time: The financial house of cards is collapsing. In 2012, many of the long-simmering socioeconomic and geopolitical trends that Gerald Celente has been accurately forecasting will come to a climax. Some will arrive with a big bang and others less dramatically but no less consequentially. What's next for the world? Are you prepared?

5. Technocrat Takeover: "Democracy is Dead; Long Live the Technocrat!" A pair of financial coup d'états in Greece and Italy have installed two unelected figures as head of state. No one yet in the mainstream media is calling this merger of state and corporate powers by its proper name: Fascism, nor are they calling these "technocrats" by their proper name: Bankers! Can a rudderless ship be saved because a technocrat is at the helm?

6. Repatriate! Repatriate!: It took a small, but financially and politically powerful group to sell the world on globalization, and it will take a large, committed and coordinated citizens' movement to "un-sell" it. The "Repatriate! Repatriate!" trend will pit the creative instincts of a multitude of individuals against the repressive monopoly of the multinationals.

7. Secession Obsession: Winds of political change are blowing from Tunisia to Russia and everywhere in between, opening a window of opportunity through which previously unimaginable political options may now be considered: radical decentralization, Internet-based direct democracy, secession, and even the peaceful dissolution of nations (a "Genteel Revolution"), offering the possibility for a new world "disorder."

8. Safe Havens: As the signs of imminent economic and social collapse become more pronounced, legions of New Millennium Survivalists are, or will be, thinking about looking for ways to escape the resulting turmoil. The "on-trend" have already taken measure to implement Gerald Celente's 3Gs: Gold, Guns and a Getaway plan. Where to go? What to do? "Safe Havens" will guide the way.

9. Big Brother Internet: The coming year will be the beginning of the end of Internet Freedom: a battle between the governments and the people. We predict in 2012 governments will propose legislation requiring Internet users to present the equivalent of a driver's license and/or bill of health to navigate cyberspace. For the general population it will represent yet another curtailing of freedom and level of governmental control.

10. Direct vs. Faux Democracy: In every corner of the world, a restive populace has made it clear that it's disgusted with "politics as usual" and is looking for change. Government, in all its forms ­ democracy, autocracy, monarchy, socialism, communism ­ just isn't working. The only viable solution we foresee is to take the vote out of the hands of party politicians and institute Direct Democracy. If the Swiss can do it, why can't anyone else?

11. Energy 2012: After decades of lofty promises and trillions spent to bring clean, cost effective, sustainable alternative energy to market, the bright future envisaged has not lived up to expectations. In the near-term future, we'll be relying on conventional energy sources that now are undergoing their own technological transformations. We identify them in the Trends Journal.

12. Going Out in Style: In the bleak terrain of 2012 and beyond, "Affordable Sophistication" will direct and inspire products, fashion, music, the fine arts and entertainment at all levels. US businesses would be wise to wake up and tap into the dormant desire for old time quality and the America that was.

The future need not be all gloom and doom, nor need it be futile fantasy.

©MMXII Trends Research Institute®