4:25 PM
Simple Man
A big thank you to Best Prices Storable Foods aka The Internet Grocer for their timely renewal of their advertising contract with us here at Backwoods Survival Blog!
9.30.2010
The Oil Drum: The Oil 'Peak' Has Been Reached
The Oil Drum: Europe | The oil 'peak' has been reached: "'Peak' oil is no longer debatable. The projections for the year, the five-year period, or the decade when global oil production would start declining 'are now a part of history', says Luis de Sousa, member of ASPO-Portugal and contributor to the blog 'The Oil Drum', talking to the Expresso. 'The period of peak is already being lived. Predicting it is no longer relevant', he adds.
According to this specialist, the vast majority of the important mathematical and accounting models of oil production used by entities independent from the oil industry all point to a similar time period when oil production reaches a maximum and begins to decline. This is a period of about a decade centred between 2008 and 2010, and the maximum oil produced is between 78 and 85 million barrels daily.
Luis de Sousa emphasizes that since 2005 world liquids production has been bound between 80 and 82 million barrels per day, clearly in agreement with those models. This plateau 'has been sustained by the increase of natural gas liquids, with pure crude [petroleum] in decline since 2005'.
Recently, the 'peak' has returned to the spotlight because of a secret report by the Future Studies group of the German Centre for the Armed Forces Transformation, a military think tank working for the Berlin Ministry of Defence. The study was published by "Der Spiegel", causing considerable concern by those less used to the issue and its geopolitical implications...
... The report has an alarming tone: 'scarcity shall affect everyone' and 'oil price increases pose a systemic risk, not only for transport systems, but also for all other systems'. And left a message: 'It is vital to secure access to oil', for in a fairly short time-frame, between now and 2040, we may see 'a change in the international security panorama with new risks - like that of fuel transport - and new actors in a possible conflict around the distribution of an increasingly scarce resource'.
The German report concludes that 'oil exports available through the market of supply and demand will shrink' and that need for oil diplomacy will sky-rocket because of oil's geo-politization.
The increasing scarcity referred by the Germans is associated with 'an almost unchanging level of oil production, fixed within a band that began during 2004,' emphasizes LuÃs de Sousa..."
According to this specialist, the vast majority of the important mathematical and accounting models of oil production used by entities independent from the oil industry all point to a similar time period when oil production reaches a maximum and begins to decline. This is a period of about a decade centred between 2008 and 2010, and the maximum oil produced is between 78 and 85 million barrels daily.
Luis de Sousa emphasizes that since 2005 world liquids production has been bound between 80 and 82 million barrels per day, clearly in agreement with those models. This plateau 'has been sustained by the increase of natural gas liquids, with pure crude [petroleum] in decline since 2005'.
Recently, the 'peak' has returned to the spotlight because of a secret report by the Future Studies group of the German Centre for the Armed Forces Transformation, a military think tank working for the Berlin Ministry of Defence. The study was published by "Der Spiegel", causing considerable concern by those less used to the issue and its geopolitical implications...
... The report has an alarming tone: 'scarcity shall affect everyone' and 'oil price increases pose a systemic risk, not only for transport systems, but also for all other systems'. And left a message: 'It is vital to secure access to oil', for in a fairly short time-frame, between now and 2040, we may see 'a change in the international security panorama with new risks - like that of fuel transport - and new actors in a possible conflict around the distribution of an increasingly scarce resource'.
The German report concludes that 'oil exports available through the market of supply and demand will shrink' and that need for oil diplomacy will sky-rocket because of oil's geo-politization.
The increasing scarcity referred by the Germans is associated with 'an almost unchanging level of oil production, fixed within a band that began during 2004,' emphasizes LuÃs de Sousa..."
Study - World's 'Peak Coal' Moment Has Arrived
Study - World's 'Peak Coal' Moment Has Arrived - NYTimes.com: "Is the world about to begin running out of coal?
Two researchers say so. In a peer-reviewed article published in the journal Energy, they write that the world will hit 'peak coal' production next year or shortly thereafter, and then mining would begin a long, steep decline.
Bottom line, say the paper's co-authors, Tadeusz Patzek, a University of Texas engineering professor, and Greg Croft, a St. Mary's College of California earth science professor, is that the 7 billion tons of coal the world is now mining and burning each year is about the best it can do...
... The pair's prediction is based on the 'Hubbert Cycle,' the resource-depletion theory that American geophysicist M. King Hubbert used in the 1950s to correctly forecast that U.S. oil production would peak two decades later.
Patzek predicts coal will peak not because supplies are running out but because the remaining deposits are increasingly difficult to mine. Alaska's North Slope, for example, has coal reserves that rival those of the continental United States, but turning that coal into energy would be practically impossible, Patzek argues.
'It would take 10 or 11 of the largest coal terminals on the Earth operating 24-7, 365 to load ships above the Arctic Circle during the polar night,' he said.
Russia, China and other energy consumers face similar logistical difficulties with coal, Patzek said.
And while global supplies are set to trail off, the stage is set for demand to spike, Patzek said. U.S. consumers use slightly less than 1 billion tons of coal annually, the Chinese use an estimated 3.5 billion tons, and emerging energy giants like India and Indonesia are hungry for more..."
Two researchers say so. In a peer-reviewed article published in the journal Energy, they write that the world will hit 'peak coal' production next year or shortly thereafter, and then mining would begin a long, steep decline.
Bottom line, say the paper's co-authors, Tadeusz Patzek, a University of Texas engineering professor, and Greg Croft, a St. Mary's College of California earth science professor, is that the 7 billion tons of coal the world is now mining and burning each year is about the best it can do...
... The pair's prediction is based on the 'Hubbert Cycle,' the resource-depletion theory that American geophysicist M. King Hubbert used in the 1950s to correctly forecast that U.S. oil production would peak two decades later.
Patzek predicts coal will peak not because supplies are running out but because the remaining deposits are increasingly difficult to mine. Alaska's North Slope, for example, has coal reserves that rival those of the continental United States, but turning that coal into energy would be practically impossible, Patzek argues.
'It would take 10 or 11 of the largest coal terminals on the Earth operating 24-7, 365 to load ships above the Arctic Circle during the polar night,' he said.
Russia, China and other energy consumers face similar logistical difficulties with coal, Patzek said.
And while global supplies are set to trail off, the stage is set for demand to spike, Patzek said. U.S. consumers use slightly less than 1 billion tons of coal annually, the Chinese use an estimated 3.5 billion tons, and emerging energy giants like India and Indonesia are hungry for more..."
Japan Considering Possible Countermeasures in Event China Begins Drilling in Disputed Gas Field
Expect more and more of these types of disputes going forward, until such resources finally become so scarce that disputes become full-blown resource wars.
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Kan eyes countermeasures in event China begins drilling in gas field › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion: "Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Sunday began considering specific countermeasures to be taken in the event China commences drilling at a disputed gas field in the East China Sea, Japanese government sources said.
Possible countermeasures include a plan for Japan to conduct its own test drilling in the sea near the Chinese offshore facility under development at the gas field, over which both Tokyo and Beijing have claimed exploration rights, the sources said.
The move comes after aerial photographs taken by Japan’s Self-Defense Forces showed that China had recently transported what appears to be drilling equipment to the facility in the gas field, known in Japan as Shirakaba and in China as Chunxiao, according to the sources..."
Kan eyes countermeasures in event China begins drilling in gas field › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion: "Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Sunday began considering specific countermeasures to be taken in the event China commences drilling at a disputed gas field in the East China Sea, Japanese government sources said.
Possible countermeasures include a plan for Japan to conduct its own test drilling in the sea near the Chinese offshore facility under development at the gas field, over which both Tokyo and Beijing have claimed exploration rights, the sources said.
The move comes after aerial photographs taken by Japan’s Self-Defense Forces showed that China had recently transported what appears to be drilling equipment to the facility in the gas field, known in Japan as Shirakaba and in China as Chunxiao, according to the sources..."
Insecticides From Genetically Modified Corn Are Present in Adjacent Streams, New Study Reveals
Insecticides from genetically modified corn are present in adjacent streams, new study reveals: "A new study by University of Notre Dame ecologist Jennifer Tank and colleagues reveals that streams throughout the Midwest are receiving transgenic materials from corn crop byproducts, even six months after harvest.
Transgenic maize (corn) has been genetically engineered to produce its own insecticide, a delta endotoxin from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Bt endotoxins deter crop pests, such as the European corn borer.
In a 2007 paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), Tank and a group of researchers demonstrated that transgenic materials from corn (pollen, leaves, cobs) do, in fact, enter streams in the agricultural Midwest and can be subsequently transported to downstream water bodies..."
Transgenic maize (corn) has been genetically engineered to produce its own insecticide, a delta endotoxin from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Bt endotoxins deter crop pests, such as the European corn borer.
In a 2007 paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), Tank and a group of researchers demonstrated that transgenic materials from corn (pollen, leaves, cobs) do, in fact, enter streams in the agricultural Midwest and can be subsequently transported to downstream water bodies..."
9.29.2010
UN Warned of Major New Food Crisis at Emergency Meeting in Rome
Good article. But, of course, no one wants to talk about the true underlying cause behind most of our issues, including pollution, food shortages and even peak oil: overpopulation.
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UN warned of major new food crisis at emergency meeting in Rome | Peak Oil News and Message Boards: "The world may be on the brink of a major new food crisis caused by environmental disasters and rampant market speculators, the UN was warned today at an emergency meeting on food price inflation.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) meeting in Rome today was called last month after a heatwave and wildfires in Russia led to a draconian wheat export ban and food riots broke out in Mozambique, killing 13 people. But UN experts heard that pension and hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds and large banks who speculate on commodity markets may also be responsible for inflation in food prices being seen across all continents..."
UN warned of major new food crisis at emergency meeting in Rome | Peak Oil News and Message Boards: "The world may be on the brink of a major new food crisis caused by environmental disasters and rampant market speculators, the UN was warned today at an emergency meeting on food price inflation.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) meeting in Rome today was called last month after a heatwave and wildfires in Russia led to a draconian wheat export ban and food riots broke out in Mozambique, killing 13 people. But UN experts heard that pension and hedge funds, sovereign wealth funds and large banks who speculate on commodity markets may also be responsible for inflation in food prices being seen across all continents..."
Brazil Crops Shrivel as Amazon Dries Up to Lowest in 47 Years
First, crops failed in both Poland and Ukraine due to flooding, then it was the grain harvest in Russia, then more heavy flooding killed crops in Pakistan and India. Now this.
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Brazil Crops Shrivel as Amazon Dries Up to Lowest in 47 Years - Bloomberg: "Drought in Brazil, the world’s biggest producer of coffee, sugar and oranges, is harming crops and drying the Amazon River to its lowest in 47 years.
The Amazon’s 18-meter (59-feet) level on Sept. 20 was the least since 1963, disrupting transportation of food, fuel and medicines in northern Brazil, the National Water Agency said in an e-mailed statement. Growers in Brazil’s Southeast expect the drought will pare output of the nation’s key commodities.
Sugar rose to the highest price in seven months in New York today and has jumped 29 percent this month because of concern the South American drought threatens global supplies. Orange juice gained 15 percent this month and coffee soared 33 percent this year..."
Brazil Crops Shrivel as Amazon Dries Up to Lowest in 47 Years - Bloomberg: "Drought in Brazil, the world’s biggest producer of coffee, sugar and oranges, is harming crops and drying the Amazon River to its lowest in 47 years.
The Amazon’s 18-meter (59-feet) level on Sept. 20 was the least since 1963, disrupting transportation of food, fuel and medicines in northern Brazil, the National Water Agency said in an e-mailed statement. Growers in Brazil’s Southeast expect the drought will pare output of the nation’s key commodities.
Sugar rose to the highest price in seven months in New York today and has jumped 29 percent this month because of concern the South American drought threatens global supplies. Orange juice gained 15 percent this month and coffee soared 33 percent this year..."
'Credible But Not Specific' Threat of New Terrorist Attack
'Credible But Not Specific' Threat of New Terrorist Attack - ABC News: "US and European officials said Tuesday they have detected a plot to carry out a major, coordinated series of commando-style terror attacks in Britain, France, Germany and possibly the United States.
A senior US official said that while there is a 'credible' threat, no specific time or place is known. President Obama has been briefed about the threat, say senior US officials..."
Meat Tainted With Deadly Bacteria is Being Sold to Consumers
Meat tainted with deadly bacteria is being sold to consumers; government forms 'work group': "Meat contaminated by a potentially lethal infection is being sold to consumers -- creating a public health threat that has largely flown under the the radar due to powerful industry interests and lax accountability at the federal agency in charge of ensuring food safety, according to recent studies and a prominent investigative journalist.
'It makes salmonella look like a picnic,' is how David Kirby, an investigative journalist who has written about MRSA, a life-threatening pathogen, described it in an interview with Consumer Ally. MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is an antibiotic-resistant staph infection that kills about 20,000 Americans -- more than the number of people who die from AIDS -- each year.
MRSA affects livestock and ultimately supermarket meat. Previously associated mostly with infections acquired in hospitals, nursing homes or by people with compromised immune systems, for the past 15 years MRSA is increasingly being traced to industrial animal feeding operations, so-called factory farms, where much of the nation's protein comes from..."
'It makes salmonella look like a picnic,' is how David Kirby, an investigative journalist who has written about MRSA, a life-threatening pathogen, described it in an interview with Consumer Ally. MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is an antibiotic-resistant staph infection that kills about 20,000 Americans -- more than the number of people who die from AIDS -- each year.
MRSA affects livestock and ultimately supermarket meat. Previously associated mostly with infections acquired in hospitals, nursing homes or by people with compromised immune systems, for the past 15 years MRSA is increasingly being traced to industrial animal feeding operations, so-called factory farms, where much of the nation's protein comes from..."
Should Preschoolers Wear Tracking Devices?
Should Preschoolers Wear Tracking Devices? | Parentella: "A controversial new one year federal pilot program involving preschoolers has begun in Richmond, CA. At George Miller III Head Start program, over two hundred preschoolers in ten classrooms are being outfitted with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips that electronically track students’ whereabouts and what they eat. The tiny RFID chips are sewn into shirts worn by the children while on campus..."
9.28.2010
Robert Hirsch Told Not To Talk About Peak Oil
Exclusive interview: Robert Hirsch | Energy Bulletin: "James Schlesinger, President Carter’s Energy Secretary, wrote the foreword to a book written by Dr Robert Hirsch, an former US official who predicts a fall of the oil production within 5 years.
Never before has a high-ranking political figure like Schlesinger given his support to such a prognosis. The book will be published in the US on October the 1st. Here is an exclusive interview with its author.
Dr. Robert Hirsch has a unique place in the ‘peak oil’ issue. Back in 2005, he was the main author of the first pessimistic report ever published by a public administration (presentation on Wikipedia).
Not just any public administration : the Department of Energy of President George Bush.
Robert Hirsch has been a manager of petroleum exploratory research at Exxon, a senior staff member at the RAND Corporation, and director of the US research program on nuclear fusion energy.
His 2005 conclusions did not get any attention from the mainstream or financial media.
Today, Robert Hirsch perseveres. According to him, it’s now obvious : we will soon face a decline of world black gold supplies...
... What is your hypothesis ?
We will stay in this band, and within 2 to 5 years, world oil production will go into decline...
... What should we expect, before the world is able to catch up with the ‘peak oil’ issue ?
From a world standpoint, Growth Domestic Product will decline every year for over a decade, and could easily be down 20 or 30 % over this period of time. That’s what I mean when I say « catastrophic ».
Wherever you live, somebody has to get food to you. And modern farming is run by oil, because the tractors that plow the ground and plant the seeds, and do the harvesting, run on oil. And then you have to transport the food to some kind of processor, and from there to the consumer.
In 2008, when the price of the barrel of oil was above 130 dollars, there’s been hunger demonstrations in more that 20 countries all over the Third World. Do you believe that it is the kind of things that we have to expect a much larger scale and for many years ?
Yes. My background is physics. There’s a term that I love. It's called “non-linear”. Linear is like this (Dr Hirsch draws a straight line in the air).
Non-linear is this, or that, or this, that, that (he draws many lines and curves going into very different directions), and so many things feed back on other things, and so forth.
Getting in and trying to understand the problem in some kind of detail is impossible because it’s very non-linear : that will impact this, and that will impact that, and that will impact people.
And people may behave rationally, or they may strike and go out in the streets. There may be political chaos ! When that happens, the police have to get out and then, you know, wars may happen. It gets very messy...
... What happened after you published your 2005 report on ‘peak oil’ for the US Department of Energy (DoE) ?
The people that I was dealing with said : « No more work on peak oil, no more talk about it. »
People that were high in the administration hierarchy ?
The people that I was dealing with were high in the laboratory level. They were getting their instructions from people on the political side of the DoE, at high levels.
After the work we did on the 2005 study and the follow-up of 2006, the Department of Energy headquarters completely cut off all support for oil peaking and decline analysis. The people that I was working with at the National Energy Technology Laboratory were good people, they saw the problem, they saw how difficult the consequences would be – you know, the potential for huge damage – yet they were told : « No more work, no more discussion. »
That was in 2006, under Bush administration. Has anything changed with the Obama administration ?
It has not changed. I have friends who simply won’t talk about it now. So I have to assume that they are receiving the same kind of instructions..."
Never before has a high-ranking political figure like Schlesinger given his support to such a prognosis. The book will be published in the US on October the 1st. Here is an exclusive interview with its author.
Dr. Robert Hirsch has a unique place in the ‘peak oil’ issue. Back in 2005, he was the main author of the first pessimistic report ever published by a public administration (presentation on Wikipedia).
Not just any public administration : the Department of Energy of President George Bush.
Robert Hirsch has been a manager of petroleum exploratory research at Exxon, a senior staff member at the RAND Corporation, and director of the US research program on nuclear fusion energy.
His 2005 conclusions did not get any attention from the mainstream or financial media.
Today, Robert Hirsch perseveres. According to him, it’s now obvious : we will soon face a decline of world black gold supplies...
... What is your hypothesis ?
We will stay in this band, and within 2 to 5 years, world oil production will go into decline...
... What should we expect, before the world is able to catch up with the ‘peak oil’ issue ?
From a world standpoint, Growth Domestic Product will decline every year for over a decade, and could easily be down 20 or 30 % over this period of time. That’s what I mean when I say « catastrophic ».
Wherever you live, somebody has to get food to you. And modern farming is run by oil, because the tractors that plow the ground and plant the seeds, and do the harvesting, run on oil. And then you have to transport the food to some kind of processor, and from there to the consumer.
In 2008, when the price of the barrel of oil was above 130 dollars, there’s been hunger demonstrations in more that 20 countries all over the Third World. Do you believe that it is the kind of things that we have to expect a much larger scale and for many years ?
Yes. My background is physics. There’s a term that I love. It's called “non-linear”. Linear is like this (Dr Hirsch draws a straight line in the air).
Non-linear is this, or that, or this, that, that (he draws many lines and curves going into very different directions), and so many things feed back on other things, and so forth.
Getting in and trying to understand the problem in some kind of detail is impossible because it’s very non-linear : that will impact this, and that will impact that, and that will impact people.
And people may behave rationally, or they may strike and go out in the streets. There may be political chaos ! When that happens, the police have to get out and then, you know, wars may happen. It gets very messy...
... What happened after you published your 2005 report on ‘peak oil’ for the US Department of Energy (DoE) ?
The people that I was dealing with said : « No more work on peak oil, no more talk about it. »
People that were high in the administration hierarchy ?
The people that I was dealing with were high in the laboratory level. They were getting their instructions from people on the political side of the DoE, at high levels.
After the work we did on the 2005 study and the follow-up of 2006, the Department of Energy headquarters completely cut off all support for oil peaking and decline analysis. The people that I was working with at the National Energy Technology Laboratory were good people, they saw the problem, they saw how difficult the consequences would be – you know, the potential for huge damage – yet they were told : « No more work, no more discussion. »
That was in 2006, under Bush administration. Has anything changed with the Obama administration ?
It has not changed. I have friends who simply won’t talk about it now. So I have to assume that they are receiving the same kind of instructions..."
Gunman Opens Fire at University of Texas Library, Commits Suicide
University of Texas shooting: Gunman opens fire at library, commits suicide: "A shooting at the University of Texas has ended with a gunman's suicide.
An gun-wielding man fired several shots inside a campus library, and killed himself with a gunshot wound early this morning, according to The Statesman.
No one on the Austin campus was reported injured, and cops are looking for a second suspect after witnesses described the shooter differently.
SWAT officers and explosive-sniffing bombs were dispersed on campus.
University of Texas Police Chief Robert Dahlstrom told the newspaper that shots were fired from a second location..."
An gun-wielding man fired several shots inside a campus library, and killed himself with a gunshot wound early this morning, according to The Statesman.
No one on the Austin campus was reported injured, and cops are looking for a second suspect after witnesses described the shooter differently.
SWAT officers and explosive-sniffing bombs were dispersed on campus.
University of Texas Police Chief Robert Dahlstrom told the newspaper that shots were fired from a second location..."
Japan to Drill for Controversial 'Fire Ice'
Japan to drill for controversial 'fire ice' | Business | guardian.co.uk: "Japan seeks to improve energy security by drilling for frozen methane but environmentalists fear a leak of the greenhouse gas, which is 21 times as damaging as carbon dioxide.
In a bid to shore up its precarious energy security Japan is to start commercial test drilling for controversial frozen methane gas along its coast next year.
The gas is methane hydrate, a sherbet-like substance consisting of methane trapped in water ice – sometimes called 'fire ice' or MH – that is locked deep underwater or under permafrost by the cold and under pressure 23 times that of normal atmosphere...
... Concerns had been raised that digging for frozen methane would destabilize the methane beds, which contain enough gas worldwide to snuff out most complex life on earth. Methane itself is a greenhouse gas which is 21 times as damaging as carbon dioxide and any leakage from wells could be an environmental problem..."
In a bid to shore up its precarious energy security Japan is to start commercial test drilling for controversial frozen methane gas along its coast next year.
The gas is methane hydrate, a sherbet-like substance consisting of methane trapped in water ice – sometimes called 'fire ice' or MH – that is locked deep underwater or under permafrost by the cold and under pressure 23 times that of normal atmosphere...
... Concerns had been raised that digging for frozen methane would destabilize the methane beds, which contain enough gas worldwide to snuff out most complex life on earth. Methane itself is a greenhouse gas which is 21 times as damaging as carbon dioxide and any leakage from wells could be an environmental problem..."
Iceland's Baroarbunga Volcano Shows More Activity Lately
Iceland's Baroarbunga volcano shows more activity lately | Fromtheold: "Baroarbunga is a powerful stratovolcano in Iceland and is located under the ice cap of Vatnajokull glacier. With a massive high of 6591 feet above sea level that makes it the highest mountain in Iceland it also makes for some powerful volanic activity when it erupts.
Iceland's Baroarbunga volcano is said to erupt every 250-600 years if scientists are correct. What many dont know is that the most powerful volcano eruption on earth happened at Baroarbunga some time ago.
For those that believe in evolution it could be around 8000 years ago but for those that believe in creation it could be around 3000 years ago, no one knows exactly when but the last time Baroarbunga erupted it caused lava to cover an area of 950 square kilometers.
It is believed that Baroarbunga will erupt sometime in the near future..."
Iceland's Baroarbunga volcano is said to erupt every 250-600 years if scientists are correct. What many dont know is that the most powerful volcano eruption on earth happened at Baroarbunga some time ago.
For those that believe in evolution it could be around 8000 years ago but for those that believe in creation it could be around 3000 years ago, no one knows exactly when but the last time Baroarbunga erupted it caused lava to cover an area of 950 square kilometers.
It is believed that Baroarbunga will erupt sometime in the near future..."
9.27.2010
British Defence Secretary Warns of Electromagnetic Disruptions Due to Solar Flares in 2012 or 2013
Liam Fox warns of electromagnetic disruptions due to solar flares | TopNews United Kingdom: "Defence Secretary Liam Fox has highlighted the fear that once-in-a-century phenomenon of a large solar flare could cause electromagnetic disruptions which could paralyse the earth.
Earlier this year, NASA scientists had warned that large solar flares could be caused by a peak in the sun's energy cycle in 2012 or 2013, which would be powerful enough to leave many countries, including the UK, without crucial communication signals.
The electromagnetic disruptions could widespread power blackouts around the world by crippling electrical equipment as well as satellites that are orbiting our planet.
The super-flares that cause electromagnetic disruptions occur once in every hundred years. The last major flare had disrupted the early telegraph system in the mid-nineteenth century, and the scientists fear that a similar event now could paralyse modern life totally as it could hit computers, telephones and water & food supplies..."
Earlier this year, NASA scientists had warned that large solar flares could be caused by a peak in the sun's energy cycle in 2012 or 2013, which would be powerful enough to leave many countries, including the UK, without crucial communication signals.
The electromagnetic disruptions could widespread power blackouts around the world by crippling electrical equipment as well as satellites that are orbiting our planet.
The super-flares that cause electromagnetic disruptions occur once in every hundred years. The last major flare had disrupted the early telegraph system in the mid-nineteenth century, and the scientists fear that a similar event now could paralyse modern life totally as it could hit computers, telephones and water & food supplies..."
61 Trucks Loaded With 300 Tons of Explosives Go Missing in Central India
61 trucks loaded with 300 tons of explosives go missing in central India: "Some 61 trucks loaded with over 300 tons of explosives have gone missing in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, a senior police official said Friday.
'The trucks were sent from a state-owned factory, Rajasthan Explosives and Chemicals Limited, in Dholpur to a private company called Ganesh Explosives in the state's Sagar district. But it never reached there,' the official said.
A massive search is on to track down the trucks as fear is mounting that if the explosives, including detonators and gelatin sticks, reach the wrong hands it could be devastating, he added..."
'The trucks were sent from a state-owned factory, Rajasthan Explosives and Chemicals Limited, in Dholpur to a private company called Ganesh Explosives in the state's Sagar district. But it never reached there,' the official said.
A massive search is on to track down the trucks as fear is mounting that if the explosives, including detonators and gelatin sticks, reach the wrong hands it could be devastating, he added..."
Groundwater Depletion Rate Accelerating Worldwide
Groundwater depletion rate accelerating worldwide: "In recent decades, the rate at which humans worldwide are pumping dry the vast underground stores of water that billions depend on has more than doubled, say scientists who have conducted an unusual, global assessment of groundwater use.
These fast-shrinking subterranean reservoirs are essential to daily life and agriculture in many regions, while also sustaining streams, wetlands, and ecosystems and resisting land subsidence and salt water intrusion into fresh water supplies. Today, people are drawing so much water from below that they are adding enough of it to the oceans (mainly by evaporation, then precipitation) to account for about 25 percent of the annual sea level rise across the planet, the researchers find.
Soaring global groundwater depletion bodes a potential disaster for an increasingly globalized agricultural system, says Marc Bierkens of Utrecht University in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and leader of the new study.
'If you let the population grow by extending the irrigated areas using groundwater that is not being recharged, then you will run into a wall at a certain point in time, and you will have hunger and social unrest to go with it,' Bierkens warns. 'That is something that you can see coming for miles.'..."
These fast-shrinking subterranean reservoirs are essential to daily life and agriculture in many regions, while also sustaining streams, wetlands, and ecosystems and resisting land subsidence and salt water intrusion into fresh water supplies. Today, people are drawing so much water from below that they are adding enough of it to the oceans (mainly by evaporation, then precipitation) to account for about 25 percent of the annual sea level rise across the planet, the researchers find.
Soaring global groundwater depletion bodes a potential disaster for an increasingly globalized agricultural system, says Marc Bierkens of Utrecht University in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and leader of the new study.
'If you let the population grow by extending the irrigated areas using groundwater that is not being recharged, then you will run into a wall at a certain point in time, and you will have hunger and social unrest to go with it,' Bierkens warns. 'That is something that you can see coming for miles.'..."
Arctic Ice in Death Spiral
Arctic Ice in Death Spiral - IPS ipsnews.net: "The carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels have melted the Arctic sea ice to its lowest volume since before the rise of human civilisation, dangerously upsetting the energy balance of the entire planet, climate scientists are reporting.
'The Arctic sea ice has reached its four lowest summer extents (area covered) in the last four years,' said Mark Serreze, director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center in the U.S. city of Boulder, Colorado.
The volume - extent and thickness - of ice left in the Arctic likely reached the lowest ever level this month, Serreze told IPS..."
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On Thin Ice | Rolling Stone Politics: "... Most of the ice in the world is contained in two great, ancient ice sheets, each of them the size of a continent: One covers Antarctica and the South Pole, and the other, not nearly as big, covers Greenland. Both of these formations slope gently from high interiors down to the coast, with ice edging outward in vast frozen rivers known as glaciers. Snowfall at the top of the slopes presses down on the glaciers, helping gravity propel them toward the edges of the continent. There, when it meets the warmer water, some of the ice melts slowly into the ocean. Until a few years ago, scientists like Hamilton thought of the ice sheets as changing only imperceptibly, on the time scale of centuries. But as the planet has warmed, they have come to see the ice as far more volatile and nimble. The ice sheets no longer seem static; they are mysterious, complicated dams that help hold back entire continents, keeping coastal cities free from flood...
... As the helicopter headed toward the coordinates on the glacier where Hamilton wanted to land, he gazed out the window. His mind drifted absently across the landscape. The steep rock of the fjord rose above the dark, pooling water below, the glacier still miles upstream. Suddenly, Hamilton was startled out of his grogginess by a squawking in his headphones: The pilot was trying to tell him something. Hamilton asked the man to repeat himself. 'We're here,' the pilot said.
Hamilton looked down. They were over open water. The glacier had vanished.
Confused, Hamilton picked up the satellite image. Perhaps he had given the pilot the wrong coordinates. In the sketch, he could see two tributary glaciers that emptied into Kangerdlugssuaq right where he had wanted to land. He looked out the window. There were the two tributary glaciers. But they were emptying into the sea. In the few months since the image had been taken, the front end of Kangerdlugssuaq had disappeared. 'It was here for more than 50 years,' Hamilton says. 'And now it was gone.'..."
'The Arctic sea ice has reached its four lowest summer extents (area covered) in the last four years,' said Mark Serreze, director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center in the U.S. city of Boulder, Colorado.
The volume - extent and thickness - of ice left in the Arctic likely reached the lowest ever level this month, Serreze told IPS..."
On Thin Ice | Rolling Stone Politics: "... Most of the ice in the world is contained in two great, ancient ice sheets, each of them the size of a continent: One covers Antarctica and the South Pole, and the other, not nearly as big, covers Greenland. Both of these formations slope gently from high interiors down to the coast, with ice edging outward in vast frozen rivers known as glaciers. Snowfall at the top of the slopes presses down on the glaciers, helping gravity propel them toward the edges of the continent. There, when it meets the warmer water, some of the ice melts slowly into the ocean. Until a few years ago, scientists like Hamilton thought of the ice sheets as changing only imperceptibly, on the time scale of centuries. But as the planet has warmed, they have come to see the ice as far more volatile and nimble. The ice sheets no longer seem static; they are mysterious, complicated dams that help hold back entire continents, keeping coastal cities free from flood...
... As the helicopter headed toward the coordinates on the glacier where Hamilton wanted to land, he gazed out the window. His mind drifted absently across the landscape. The steep rock of the fjord rose above the dark, pooling water below, the glacier still miles upstream. Suddenly, Hamilton was startled out of his grogginess by a squawking in his headphones: The pilot was trying to tell him something. Hamilton asked the man to repeat himself. 'We're here,' the pilot said.
Hamilton looked down. They were over open water. The glacier had vanished.
Confused, Hamilton picked up the satellite image. Perhaps he had given the pilot the wrong coordinates. In the sketch, he could see two tributary glaciers that emptied into Kangerdlugssuaq right where he had wanted to land. He looked out the window. There were the two tributary glaciers. But they were emptying into the sea. In the few months since the image had been taken, the front end of Kangerdlugssuaq had disappeared. 'It was here for more than 50 years,' Hamilton says. 'And now it was gone.'..."
North and South Korea On The Brink of War, Russian Diplomat Warns
North and South Korea on the brink of war, Russian diplomat warns: "North and South Korea are on the brink of war, a top Russian diplomat has warned, calling for both countries to exercise restraint and sit down for talks.
In Moscow's bleakest assessment of the situation on the Korean peninsula yet, Russian deputy foreign minister Alexei Borodavkin said tensions between the two countries were running at their highest and most dangerous level in a decade.
'Tensions on the Korean Peninsula could not be any higher. The only next step is a conflict,' he told foreign policy experts at a round table on the subject in Moscow..."
In Moscow's bleakest assessment of the situation on the Korean peninsula yet, Russian deputy foreign minister Alexei Borodavkin said tensions between the two countries were running at their highest and most dangerous level in a decade.
'Tensions on the Korean Peninsula could not be any higher. The only next step is a conflict,' he told foreign policy experts at a round table on the subject in Moscow..."
FBI Raids Homes of Anti-War Protesters
Scary times we live in. Big Brother is alive and kicking it would seem.
----------
FBI Raids Homes of Anti-War Protesters - Truthdig: "The FBI has executed several search warrants (aka breaking down people’s doors) in Minneapolis and Chicago as part of an investigation into a handful of anti-war protest organizers on allegations of, we kid you not, 'activities connected to the material support of terrorism.'
The searches, which critics claim were politically motivated, occurred Friday morning. Agents seized electronics, photographs, address books and letters..."
FBI Raids Homes of Anti-War Protesters - Truthdig: "The FBI has executed several search warrants (aka breaking down people’s doors) in Minneapolis and Chicago as part of an investigation into a handful of anti-war protest organizers on allegations of, we kid you not, 'activities connected to the material support of terrorism.'
The searches, which critics claim were politically motivated, occurred Friday morning. Agents seized electronics, photographs, address books and letters..."
Pakistan Erupts Over Jailing of Lady Terrorist
Pakistan erupts over jailing of scientist Aafia Siddiqui | Perth Now: "PAKISTANI police used tear gas to disperse protesters who shouted 'Death to America' in outrage after a US court jailed a woman scientist for 86 years for attempting to murder US officers.
In a case that has been condemned across the nuclear-armed Muslim nation of 167 million, the government said it would petition Washington to secure the mother of three's repatriation on humanitarian grounds.
A New York court found Aafia Siddiqui, the once brilliant scientist dubbed 'Lady Qaeda' by the US tabloids, guilty of the attempted murder of US military officers in Afghanistan in 2008 - five years after she disappeared.
In Karachi, Siddiqui's home town and Pakistan's largest city, police fired tear gas shells to prevent scores of people from marching on the US consulate at the behest of the youth wing of Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).
The protesters shouted 'Death to America', 'Allahu akbar' (God is greater), 'Free Aafia Siddiqui' and 'Down with the US system of justice'..."
In a case that has been condemned across the nuclear-armed Muslim nation of 167 million, the government said it would petition Washington to secure the mother of three's repatriation on humanitarian grounds.
A New York court found Aafia Siddiqui, the once brilliant scientist dubbed 'Lady Qaeda' by the US tabloids, guilty of the attempted murder of US military officers in Afghanistan in 2008 - five years after she disappeared.
In Karachi, Siddiqui's home town and Pakistan's largest city, police fired tear gas shells to prevent scores of people from marching on the US consulate at the behest of the youth wing of Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).
The protesters shouted 'Death to America', 'Allahu akbar' (God is greater), 'Free Aafia Siddiqui' and 'Down with the US system of justice'..."
5 Arrested for Assault on Family in Car
5 arrested for assault on family in car: "Police arrested an 18-year-old man and four juveniles Thursday for an alleged gang assault on a man and two young children who were sitting in a parked car.
The suspects shouted gang challenges and threw rocks and bottles at the vehicle..."
The suspects shouted gang challenges and threw rocks and bottles at the vehicle..."
9.26.2010
U.S. Dollar Now Ripe For Catastrophic Devaluation
U.S. Dollar Now Ripe For Catastrophic Devaluation: "Normally when I cover subjects in the economy, I try to take a 'macro' approach, giving an overall view of various financial elements around the world and how they are clearly connected to one another in a greater synchronous social force...
... In this instance, however, I would like to focus chiefly on the U.S. Dollar, the private Federal Reserve currency which is now the basis for our entire financial system, not to mention a substantial basis for trade around the globe. For decades, the dollar (and by extension U.S. Treasury bonds) has been the standard by which foreign nations safeguard capital reserves, denominate debt, and in some cases have even pegged their own currency to maintain advantageous trade deficits. In the past, the Greenback has been treated as good as gold. Though many see this as a windfall for Americans, it is actually a very unfortunate circumstance.
The 'world reserve' status of our currency created a demand for dollars, but through this, it also created a glut of Treasury bond holdings in foreign central banks, and an unserviceable national debt here at home...
... Anyone who uses common sense would easily conclude that it is highly unreasonable if not outlandish to expect that other countries will continue to pump more and more money every year into our very unstable system...
... Many people have at one time or another been caught up in their own debt race, trying to dodge bills and pay off one credit card with another credit card. They understand well that this terrible circle ends in ruin. This is the situation we are in as a nation.
Strangely though, some mainstream economists and analysts still contend that America will never face consequences for its fiscal debauchery. Why do they believe this despite all the evidence to the contrary? Because of a magical machine called a 'printing press'...
... the strength of our currency is waning, and nearing outright collapse. It is something we have been talking about for the past two years at least, which has drawn some into a false sense of security. The signs have been muddled in the MSM fog, but now the picture is becoming clear. Will the dollar crash tomorrow? That’s hard to say. What I do know, is that all the elements necessary for a catastrophic dollar devaluation have moved into place..."
... In this instance, however, I would like to focus chiefly on the U.S. Dollar, the private Federal Reserve currency which is now the basis for our entire financial system, not to mention a substantial basis for trade around the globe. For decades, the dollar (and by extension U.S. Treasury bonds) has been the standard by which foreign nations safeguard capital reserves, denominate debt, and in some cases have even pegged their own currency to maintain advantageous trade deficits. In the past, the Greenback has been treated as good as gold. Though many see this as a windfall for Americans, it is actually a very unfortunate circumstance.
The 'world reserve' status of our currency created a demand for dollars, but through this, it also created a glut of Treasury bond holdings in foreign central banks, and an unserviceable national debt here at home...
... Anyone who uses common sense would easily conclude that it is highly unreasonable if not outlandish to expect that other countries will continue to pump more and more money every year into our very unstable system...
... Many people have at one time or another been caught up in their own debt race, trying to dodge bills and pay off one credit card with another credit card. They understand well that this terrible circle ends in ruin. This is the situation we are in as a nation.
Strangely though, some mainstream economists and analysts still contend that America will never face consequences for its fiscal debauchery. Why do they believe this despite all the evidence to the contrary? Because of a magical machine called a 'printing press'...
... the strength of our currency is waning, and nearing outright collapse. It is something we have been talking about for the past two years at least, which has drawn some into a false sense of security. The signs have been muddled in the MSM fog, but now the picture is becoming clear. Will the dollar crash tomorrow? That’s hard to say. What I do know, is that all the elements necessary for a catastrophic dollar devaluation have moved into place..."
Repent -- The End Is Near
American Thinker: Repent -- The End Is Near: "... William Black, a former no-nonsense regulator, described in that statement everything that has happened and continues to happen. It represents the federal government's approach to 'saving' the economy -- subterfuge and no limits. Mish went on to add:
'To address the situation, the FDIC is going to start selling U.S.-guaranteed FDIC senior certificates. However, it has no Congressional authority to do so according to former thrift regulator William Black.'
These quotes summarized the double-speak, unconstitutional acts, bullying, outright lies, and trampling of the Rule of Law that now describes our government.
As I reflect on the country and where it is headed, it not easy to be optimistic. I have children and grandchildren who will not have the opportunities or amenities that I had. That is not my or their fault. No one has meaningful input as to what is happening. Everything is imposed, whether it is popular or not. We have become mere pawns in the Ponzi scheme of government. The Great Parasite has drained most of the life from its host (the country, its citizens, and its private sector)..."
'To address the situation, the FDIC is going to start selling U.S.-guaranteed FDIC senior certificates. However, it has no Congressional authority to do so according to former thrift regulator William Black.'
These quotes summarized the double-speak, unconstitutional acts, bullying, outright lies, and trampling of the Rule of Law that now describes our government.
As I reflect on the country and where it is headed, it not easy to be optimistic. I have children and grandchildren who will not have the opportunities or amenities that I had. That is not my or their fault. No one has meaningful input as to what is happening. Everything is imposed, whether it is popular or not. We have become mere pawns in the Ponzi scheme of government. The Great Parasite has drained most of the life from its host (the country, its citizens, and its private sector)..."
20 Signs That The Economic Collapse Has Already Begun For One Out Of Every Seven Americans
20 Signs That The Economic Collapse Has Already Begun For One Out Of Every Seven Americans: "For most Americans, the economic collapse is something that is happening to someone else. Most of us have become so isolated from each other and so self-involved that unless something is directly affecting us or a close family member than we really don’t feel it. But even though most of us enjoy a much closer relationship with our television sets than we do with our neighbors at this point, it is quickly becoming undeniable that a fundamental shift is taking place in society...
... Unfortunately, most Americans don’t really care because it has not affected them yet.
But this year, millions more Americans will discover that the music has stopped playing and they are left without a seat at the table.
Meanwhile, neither political party has a workable solution. They just like to point fingers and blame each other..."
... Unfortunately, most Americans don’t really care because it has not affected them yet.
But this year, millions more Americans will discover that the music has stopped playing and they are left without a seat at the table.
Meanwhile, neither political party has a workable solution. They just like to point fingers and blame each other..."
US Government 'Hiding True Amount of Debt'
US Government 'hiding true amount of debt' | News.com.au: "THE actual figure of the US' national debt is much higher than the official sum of $US13.4 trillion ($14.3 trillion) given by the Congressional Budget Office, according to analysts cited by the New York Post.
'The Government is lying about the amount of debt. It is engaging in Enron accounting,' said Laurence Kotlikoff, an economist at Boston University and co-author of 'The Coming Generational Storm: What You Need to Know about America's Economic Future'
..."
'The Government is lying about the amount of debt. It is engaging in Enron accounting,' said Laurence Kotlikoff, an economist at Boston University and co-author of 'The Coming Generational Storm: What You Need to Know about America's Economic Future'
..."
Canadian Company Develops Subconscious Screening Technology
Canadian Company Develops Subconscious Screening Technology -- OTTAWA, Canada, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ --: "The National Mental Health Association reports that over 65 million Americans suffer from some type of mental illness and that 1 in 5 people will experience some mental illness during their life... Northam Psychotechnologies, a Canadian-based company, holds the North American patent pending to futuristic technologies that provide a profoundly powerful solution to this impending problem.
Semantic Stimuli Response Measurement (SSRM) is one of many powerful psychological screening tools they have developed. It is the world's first technology designed and utilized to meticulously measure the response of the subconscious mind outside of a laboratory setting. Internationally renowned brain researcher Dr. Semyon Ioffe has adapted and further developed this technology, which is the direct result of a worldwide body of scientific knowledge, to accommodate the North American conglomerate..."
Semantic Stimuli Response Measurement (SSRM) is one of many powerful psychological screening tools they have developed. It is the world's first technology designed and utilized to meticulously measure the response of the subconscious mind outside of a laboratory setting. Internationally renowned brain researcher Dr. Semyon Ioffe has adapted and further developed this technology, which is the direct result of a worldwide body of scientific knowledge, to accommodate the North American conglomerate..."
Two “Mad Max” Sequels Shooting Back To Back
DOUBLE THE ANGER: Two “Mad Max” Sequels Shooting Back To Back | NBC New York: "The last time there was a 'Mad Max' movie was 25 years ago. Since that time, Mel Gibson has gone on to universal acclaim as the director of 'Braveheart,' followed by universal disdain as the guy who badmouthed Jews during a DUI stop. These are still dark days for Mel, but the character that made him into a worldwide megastar is about to experience a considerable rebirth. In fact, not only is original 'Max' director George Miller prepping a fourth film in the series (with actor Tom Hardy now in the title role), he’s planning a FIFTH as well, as filming the two sequels back to back..."
Millions of Americans Risk Exclusion From the Job Market Forever, OECD Warns
Millions of Americans risk exclusion from the job market forever, OECD warns - Telegraph: "Millions of Americans risk falling out of the job market forever, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said today, as it cautioned a full recovery will take years.
This recession has left the US with a long-term unemployment rate - a measure of those without work for more than six months - of 4.5pc, almost double that seen in the downturns of the 1980s and 1990s...
... The wide-ranging analysis also urged the US to consider a Value Added Tax to tackle its deficit, to radically reshape its housing policy and for the Federal Reserve to begin withdrawing the stimulus that has cushioned the economy in the past two years.
A more urgent priority, the OECD says, is for President Obama to marshall support across the capital for measures, including tax incentives for companies to hire and retraining programmes, to help ease the growing crisis in the labour market..."
This recession has left the US with a long-term unemployment rate - a measure of those without work for more than six months - of 4.5pc, almost double that seen in the downturns of the 1980s and 1990s...
... The wide-ranging analysis also urged the US to consider a Value Added Tax to tackle its deficit, to radically reshape its housing policy and for the Federal Reserve to begin withdrawing the stimulus that has cushioned the economy in the past two years.
A more urgent priority, the OECD says, is for President Obama to marshall support across the capital for measures, including tax incentives for companies to hire and retraining programmes, to help ease the growing crisis in the labour market..."
9.25.2010
The Coming Famine
Books of The Times - ‘The Coming Famine’ by Julian Cribb - NYTimes.com: "Fifty years ago, a billion people were undernourished or starving; the number is about the same today. That’s actually progress, since a billion represented a third of the human race then, and 'only' a sixth now.
Today we have another worry: roughly the same number of people eat too much. But, says Julian Cribb, a veteran science journalist from Australia, 'The era of cheap, abundant food is over.'
Like many other experts, he argues that we have passed the peak of oil production, and it’s all downhill from now on. He then presents evidence that we have passed the peaks for water, fertilizer and land, and that we will all soon be made painfully aware that we have passed it for food, as wealthy nations experience shortages and rising prices, and poorer ones starve..."
Today we have another worry: roughly the same number of people eat too much. But, says Julian Cribb, a veteran science journalist from Australia, 'The era of cheap, abundant food is over.'
Like many other experts, he argues that we have passed the peak of oil production, and it’s all downhill from now on. He then presents evidence that we have passed the peaks for water, fertilizer and land, and that we will all soon be made painfully aware that we have passed it for food, as wealthy nations experience shortages and rising prices, and poorer ones starve..."
Investors Seeing Farmland as Safer Bet Than Stocks
Investors seeing farmland as safer bet than stocks - Los Angeles Times: "Investors seeing farmland as safer bet than stock. Wary of fluctuations on Wall Street, more wealthy Americans, private funds and foreigners are putting money into parcels of cornfields, fruit orchards and other U.S. agricultural products..."
Police Give Up The Fight As Yobs Take Over
Police give up the fight as yobs take over - Telegraph: "Police have lost control of the streets, the forces' watchdog warns as new figures show that an estimated 14 million incidents of anti-social behaviour take place each year – one every two seconds.
Sir Denis O'Connor, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, says the rowdy and abusive behaviour of yobs is a 'disease' within communities that has been allowed to 'fester' because police have retreated from the streets in the past two decades...
... Earlier this year, Sir Denis disclosed that just one in 10 police officers was free to tackle crime at any given time because the vast majority were either off work or tied up on other duties.
He raised fears this morning that cuts in front line policing had left communities at the mercy of antisocial youths..."
Sir Denis O'Connor, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, says the rowdy and abusive behaviour of yobs is a 'disease' within communities that has been allowed to 'fester' because police have retreated from the streets in the past two decades...
... Earlier this year, Sir Denis disclosed that just one in 10 police officers was free to tackle crime at any given time because the vast majority were either off work or tied up on other duties.
He raised fears this morning that cuts in front line policing had left communities at the mercy of antisocial youths..."
Computer Worm 'Targeted High-Value Iranian Assets'
BBC News - Stuxnet worm 'targeted high-value Iranian assets': "One of the most sophisticated pieces of malware ever detected was probably targeting 'high value' infrastructure in Iran, experts have told the BBC.
Stuxnet's complexity suggests it could only have been written by a 'nation state', some researchers have claimed.
It is believed to be the first-known worm designed to target real-world infrastructure such as power stations, water plants and industrial units..."
Stuxnet's complexity suggests it could only have been written by a 'nation state', some researchers have claimed.
It is believed to be the first-known worm designed to target real-world infrastructure such as power stations, water plants and industrial units..."
Release of Red Dawn Remake Gets Delayed... Indefinitely?
Release of Red Dawn remake gets delayed... indefinitely? - JoBlo.com: "As we recently heard, some members of the Chinese press aren't too happy about the country's depiction as invaders in the RED DAWN remake.
Turns out they may not have a movie to worry about -- the update of the kid-guerrilla classic was originally scheduled for release in November, but as of now it's nowhere in sight.
No, the studio didn't flinch after the negative feedback. In truth, there's not really a studio at the moment -- RED DAWN was an MGM production. And MGM's widely publicized problems means that until the studio stabilizes and/or its existing projects find a new home, the movie is in limbo..."
Turns out they may not have a movie to worry about -- the update of the kid-guerrilla classic was originally scheduled for release in November, but as of now it's nowhere in sight.
No, the studio didn't flinch after the negative feedback. In truth, there's not really a studio at the moment -- RED DAWN was an MGM production. And MGM's widely publicized problems means that until the studio stabilizes and/or its existing projects find a new home, the movie is in limbo..."
Homebuilding Industry Years Away From Recovery
Homebuilding industry years away from recovery - Yahoo! Finance: "The homebuilding industry is years away from recovering from the excesses of the housing boom.
Even with a modest rise in construction last month, the pace of building would need to at least double to signal a healthy market and contribute in a meaningful way to job growth, according to most economists. They don't see that happening until the middle of the decade.
Builders are competing with millions of foreclosures and other distressed properties that show no signs of abating. They are unlikely to ramp up construction until those are cleared away and demand for new homes picks up..."
Even with a modest rise in construction last month, the pace of building would need to at least double to signal a healthy market and contribute in a meaningful way to job growth, according to most economists. They don't see that happening until the middle of the decade.
Builders are competing with millions of foreclosures and other distressed properties that show no signs of abating. They are unlikely to ramp up construction until those are cleared away and demand for new homes picks up..."
9.24.2010
9/11 Words by Iran Leader Lead to U.S. Walkout
9/11 words by Iran leader lead to U.S. walkout - World news - msnbc.com: "The U.S. and several European delegations walked out of the U.N. speech of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday after he said most people believe the U.S. government was behind the Sept. 11 terror attacks in order to assure Israel's survival.
In his speech to the annual General Assembly, Ahmadinejad said it was mostly U.S. government officials who believed a terrorist group was behind the suicide hijacking attacks that brought down New York's World Trade Center and hit the Pentagon..."
In his speech to the annual General Assembly, Ahmadinejad said it was mostly U.S. government officials who believed a terrorist group was behind the suicide hijacking attacks that brought down New York's World Trade Center and hit the Pentagon..."
Study: Industrial Failure in 10 years
Study: Global warming, energy & food shortages, recession to cause 'industrial' failure in 10 years: "In the first peer-reviewed study of its kind, a new report by a Westminster think-tank warns that abrupt climate change, energy shortages, food scarcities and economic turmoil could plunge industrial societies into chaos after 2020.
The study, A User’s Guide to the Crisis of Civilization: And How to Save It (Pluto Press/Macmillan, 2010), predicts that converging crises may trigger resource short-falls leading to political and economic failure in the West, while accelerating international conflict including ‘intercommunal’ warfare in less developed countries.
Authored by international security analyst Dr. Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed – Executive Director of the IPRD and Associate Tutor at the University of Sussex School of Global Studies – the study is the first systematic review of data, evidence and theory across physical and social sciences, including academic research and industry reports, assessing the connections between different global crises including the danger of violent conflict...
... The study predicts the ‘terminal depletion’ of the world’s traditional mineral energy reserves – oil, gas, coal, and uranium – within the first quarter of the 21st century, and warns of ‘catastrophic convergence’ between energy, food and water shortages due to abrupt global warming as early as 2018. Developed economies could consequently experience a ‘collapse’ in public services, while large states such as the US, Russia and China would struggle to maintain territorial integrity, potentially becoming embroiled in geopolitical conflict for land and resources.
The study also shows that public anxieties about global crises are already fuelling the break-down of community cohesion. Author Dr. Ahmed, an expert on the systemic causes of mass violence who predicted the global banking crisis in August 2006, said: ‘Crisis convergence will magnify the probability of civil wars and cross-border conflicts. The chaos would be ideal breeding ground for Islamist, far-right, and other forms of extremism. We could even see a resurgence of conflict between major powers, including the spectre of genocidal violence’.
The report warns that without drastic change – akin to ‘a post-carbon industrial revolution’ – industrial civilization cannot survive by the end of this century..."
The study, A User’s Guide to the Crisis of Civilization: And How to Save It (Pluto Press/Macmillan, 2010), predicts that converging crises may trigger resource short-falls leading to political and economic failure in the West, while accelerating international conflict including ‘intercommunal’ warfare in less developed countries.
Authored by international security analyst Dr. Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed – Executive Director of the IPRD and Associate Tutor at the University of Sussex School of Global Studies – the study is the first systematic review of data, evidence and theory across physical and social sciences, including academic research and industry reports, assessing the connections between different global crises including the danger of violent conflict...
... The study predicts the ‘terminal depletion’ of the world’s traditional mineral energy reserves – oil, gas, coal, and uranium – within the first quarter of the 21st century, and warns of ‘catastrophic convergence’ between energy, food and water shortages due to abrupt global warming as early as 2018. Developed economies could consequently experience a ‘collapse’ in public services, while large states such as the US, Russia and China would struggle to maintain territorial integrity, potentially becoming embroiled in geopolitical conflict for land and resources.
The study also shows that public anxieties about global crises are already fuelling the break-down of community cohesion. Author Dr. Ahmed, an expert on the systemic causes of mass violence who predicted the global banking crisis in August 2006, said: ‘Crisis convergence will magnify the probability of civil wars and cross-border conflicts. The chaos would be ideal breeding ground for Islamist, far-right, and other forms of extremism. We could even see a resurgence of conflict between major powers, including the spectre of genocidal violence’.
The report warns that without drastic change – akin to ‘a post-carbon industrial revolution’ – industrial civilization cannot survive by the end of this century..."
Whopper of a Wind Farm Opens Off Britain
Whopper of a wind farm opens off Britain - U.S. news - Environment - Green Machines - msnbc.com: "The world's largest offshore wind farm had its grand opening Thursday — and its location on the estuary of the Thames River makes it a showcase for Britain's push to move beyond fossil fuels.
So far, 100 wind turbines have been planted in waters up to 80 feet deep across the estuary in southern England. The idea is to produce enough electricity, 300 megawatts, to power the equivalent of 200,000 homes...
... Up to 341 turbines will be installed over the next four years.
With Thursday's opening, which tops a 91-turbine farm off Denmark, Britain now has more offshore wind capacity than the rest of the world combined..."
So far, 100 wind turbines have been planted in waters up to 80 feet deep across the estuary in southern England. The idea is to produce enough electricity, 300 megawatts, to power the equivalent of 200,000 homes...
... Up to 341 turbines will be installed over the next four years.
With Thursday's opening, which tops a 91-turbine farm off Denmark, Britain now has more offshore wind capacity than the rest of the world combined..."
Welcome To Hyperinflation: They Are Printing too Much Money
Kitco Commentator's Corner: "There is too much money being printed. No rocket science is needed to reach that conclusion. The markets are giving us a clear message.
For example, gold is trading at a record high, while silver has reached a 30-year high. Those new high prices are happening for a reason. The precious metals are sensitive to changes in inflation, both actual as well as future expectations.
Rising precious metal prices tell us that there is a lot of inflation in the pipeline..."
For example, gold is trading at a record high, while silver has reached a 30-year high. Those new high prices are happening for a reason. The precious metals are sensitive to changes in inflation, both actual as well as future expectations.
Rising precious metal prices tell us that there is a lot of inflation in the pipeline..."
UK Proposes All Paychecks Go to the State First
UK Proposes All Paychecks Go to the State First - CNBC: "The UK's tax collection agency is putting forth a proposal that all employers send employee paychecks to the government, after which the government would deduct what it deems as the appropriate tax and pay the employees by bank transfer.
The proposal by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) stresses the need for employers to provide real-time information to the government so that it can monitor all payments and make a better assessment of whether the correct tax is being paid..."
The proposal by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) stresses the need for employers to provide real-time information to the government so that it can monitor all payments and make a better assessment of whether the correct tax is being paid..."
Montana Woman Fends Off Bear Attack With Zucchini
Mont. woman fends off bear attack with zucchini - U.S. news - Weird news - msnbc.com: "Police say a Montana woman used an unlikely weapon to fend off a charging bear — a zucchini.
Missoula County Sheriff's Lt. Rich Maricelli says a 200-pound black bear attacked the woman's 12-year-old collie just after midnight Wednesday on the back porch of her home about 15 miles west of Missoula.
When the woman, whom police did not name, screamed to draw the bear's attention, it charged her and swiped at her leg.
Maricelli says the woman jumped back into the doorway and reached for the nearest object on her kitchen counter — a 12-inch zucchini from her garden.
The woman flung the vegetable at the bear, striking it on top of the head and causing it to flee.
Maricelli says the woman did not need medical attention. Wildlife officials were trying to locate the bear on Thursday."
Missoula County Sheriff's Lt. Rich Maricelli says a 200-pound black bear attacked the woman's 12-year-old collie just after midnight Wednesday on the back porch of her home about 15 miles west of Missoula.
When the woman, whom police did not name, screamed to draw the bear's attention, it charged her and swiped at her leg.
Maricelli says the woman jumped back into the doorway and reached for the nearest object on her kitchen counter — a 12-inch zucchini from her garden.
The woman flung the vegetable at the bear, striking it on top of the head and causing it to flee.
Maricelli says the woman did not need medical attention. Wildlife officials were trying to locate the bear on Thursday."
9.23.2010
Modern Bread Lines
Wal-Mart's CEO Provides The Starkest Visual Of The Modern Bread Line Yet | zero hedge: "In today's Art Cashin Comments there is a stunning admission by none other than the CEO of Walmart on what modern day bread lines look like...
'... it's real interesting to watch, about 11 p.m. customers start to come in and shop, fill their grocery basket with basic items – baby formula, milk, bread, eggs – and continue to shop and mill about the store until midnight when government electronic benefits cards get activated, and then the checkout starts and occurs. And our sales for those first few hours on the first of the month are substantially and significantly higher...'
... The country is collapsing everywhere and all the leaders can do is lie to their electorate that things are great. Images of the Titanic come to mind..."
'... it's real interesting to watch, about 11 p.m. customers start to come in and shop, fill their grocery basket with basic items – baby formula, milk, bread, eggs – and continue to shop and mill about the store until midnight when government electronic benefits cards get activated, and then the checkout starts and occurs. And our sales for those first few hours on the first of the month are substantially and significantly higher...'
... The country is collapsing everywhere and all the leaders can do is lie to their electorate that things are great. Images of the Titanic come to mind..."
Jeff Rubin: "... The age of cheap oil is over..."
Jeff Rubin - The Globe and Mail: "... What’s being overlooked is that last cycle’s rate of growth was fueled for the most part with cheap oil—oil was below $30 a barrel for the first half of the period. Even today’s oil prices weren’t encountered until the last year of growth. That’s not incidental to the performance of the U.S. economy, which relies on imports for over half of its 19-million-barrel-a-day requirement.
Feed the U.S. economy cheap oil, and you’ll see robust growth rates and a drop in the jobless rate to four-decade lows—no matter who’s in the White House. But throw in $147-per-barrel oil, and the U.S. economy stops dead in its tracks.
Unfortunately, President Obama can’t bring back the cheap oil prices that fueled most of last cycle’s growth. The recent BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico probably drove the final nail into the coffin of the last frontier of untapped domestic supply— deep water.
He may be able to get oil from Canadian oil sands (provided the Environmental Protection Agency approves Transcanada’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline) before China can siphon it off through the competing pipeline Enbridge wants to build to the west coast. But even if he is able to secure tar sands fuel for American motorists, the price of that oil will have to be very near triple digits or it won’t flow in nearly the quantities needed.
The age of cheap oil is over, and that means recalibrating the speed limit for the world’s largest oil-consuming economy. In a world of $75–per-barrel to triple-digit oil prices, the U.S. economy is not likely to grow more than by 1 to 2 per cent per year until it can curb its oil appetite significantly.
Trying to substitute fiscal stimulus for cheap oil won’t make the American economy grow any faster. It will just make an already record-sized deficit that much bigger."
Feed the U.S. economy cheap oil, and you’ll see robust growth rates and a drop in the jobless rate to four-decade lows—no matter who’s in the White House. But throw in $147-per-barrel oil, and the U.S. economy stops dead in its tracks.
Unfortunately, President Obama can’t bring back the cheap oil prices that fueled most of last cycle’s growth. The recent BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico probably drove the final nail into the coffin of the last frontier of untapped domestic supply— deep water.
He may be able to get oil from Canadian oil sands (provided the Environmental Protection Agency approves Transcanada’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline) before China can siphon it off through the competing pipeline Enbridge wants to build to the west coast. But even if he is able to secure tar sands fuel for American motorists, the price of that oil will have to be very near triple digits or it won’t flow in nearly the quantities needed.
The age of cheap oil is over, and that means recalibrating the speed limit for the world’s largest oil-consuming economy. In a world of $75–per-barrel to triple-digit oil prices, the U.S. economy is not likely to grow more than by 1 to 2 per cent per year until it can curb its oil appetite significantly.
Trying to substitute fiscal stimulus for cheap oil won’t make the American economy grow any faster. It will just make an already record-sized deficit that much bigger."
GM Looks to Put Used Volt Batteries to Work in Power Grid
GM looks to put used Volt batteries to work in power grid | detnews.com | The Detroit News: "Used-up batteries on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt could find a second-life storing energy for the power grid after their usefulness in consumer cars subsides, General Motors officials said today.
The Detroit-based automaker has partnered with ABB Group to explore whether the Volt's lithium-ion batteries can be used for this purpose, entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Switzerland-based engineering firm, GM officials said..."
The Detroit-based automaker has partnered with ABB Group to explore whether the Volt's lithium-ion batteries can be used for this purpose, entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Switzerland-based engineering firm, GM officials said..."
Terror Groups Using New Attack Strategy
Terror groups using new attack strategy - U.S. news - Security - msnbc.com: "As terror groups move away from planning complex 9/11-style attacks, involving months of planning and a large group of participants, it's more difficult to detect and disrupt plots against the United States, according to three of the nation's top counterterrorism officials.
The past year has brought the largest number and quickest pace of attempted attacks since 9/11, said Michael Leiter, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, even though 'al-Qaida in Pakistan is at one of its weakest points.' U.S. and Pakistani offensives against al-Qaida have reduced the freedom of movement and sense of security of its leaders, he said..."
The past year has brought the largest number and quickest pace of attempted attacks since 9/11, said Michael Leiter, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, even though 'al-Qaida in Pakistan is at one of its weakest points.' U.S. and Pakistani offensives against al-Qaida have reduced the freedom of movement and sense of security of its leaders, he said..."
North Dakota Lake Swallows Land and Buildings
North Dakota lake swallows land and buildings - Yahoo! News: "It's been called a slow-growing monster: a huge lake that has steadily expanded over the last 20 years, swallowing up thousands of acres, hundreds of buildings and at least two towns in its rising waters.
Devils Lake keeps getting larger because it has no natural river or stream to carry away excess rain and snowmelt. Now it has climbed within 6 feet of overflowing, raising fears that some downstream communities could be washed away if the water level isn't reduced..."
Devils Lake keeps getting larger because it has no natural river or stream to carry away excess rain and snowmelt. Now it has climbed within 6 feet of overflowing, raising fears that some downstream communities could be washed away if the water level isn't reduced..."
