Saturday, July 31, 2010
News Links, August 1, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
Scotland 'needs financial powers' to grow economy
Scotland 'needs financial powers' to grow economy
"Cuts in the Scottish public sector could see up to 60,000 job losses."
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
-- Energy/resources --
Solar panels: Not so bright an idea
-- Got food? --
-- Intelligence/security --
"New whistleblowers said to provide 'significant' documents on BP spill, military abuses"
Biometric and Other Locks Fail to Foil Hackers at DefCon
Hacker builds $1,500 cell-phone tapping device
Hacker builds $1,500 cell-phone tapping device
-- Japan --
-- Oil accidents --
When will oil spill be cleaned up? Maybe never
Oil-soaked waste worries Gulf Coast landfills' neighbors
Oil-soaked waste worries Gulf Coast landfills' neighbors
"They wanted the oversight authority to keep us from publishing things if, for whatever reason, they didn't want them to be published. People were muzzled as part of the contract."
-- US --
Friday, July 30, 2010
News Links, July 31, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
Europe Crisis Is Not Over, May Lead to Fiscal Union, UBS Says
Europe Crisis Is Not Over, May Lead to Fiscal Union, UBS Says
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
Al-Shabab threatens AU peacekeepers (Somalia)
-- Intelligence --
-- Energy/resources --
Cautioned by BP oil spill, Brazil continues deep-sea drilling
Solar Energy Still Has a Long Way to Go
Solar Energy Still Has a Long Way to Go
-- Environment/health --
-- Oil blowout --
For 'oiled' marshlands, time may be the only balm
New BP delay a warning: Don't write obituary on Gulf oil spill yet
New BP delay a warning: Don't write obituary on Gulf oil spill yet
-- US --
Homes keep falling into foreclosure as programs fail to help
Economists Expect Slower Growth in Second Half
Economists Expect Slower Growth in Second Half
Housing: The Liquidation Isn't Over
Thursday, July 29, 2010
News Links, July 30, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
Vietnam's Debt Rating Lowered by Fitch on Foreign Borrowing, `Weak' Banks
Vietnam's Debt Rating Lowered by Fitch on Foreign Borrowing, `Weak' Banks
Taleb: Government Deficits Could Be the Next 'Black Swan' (Businessweek interview)
"The problem is getting runaway. It's becoming a pure Ponzi scheme. It's very nonlinear: You need more and more debt just to stay where you are."
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
"Arab unity tour": Assad 'to attend summit' in Lebanon
House Republicans Giving Green Light for Israeli Strike on Iran (Israel National News)
-- Intelligence --
Russia to introduce 'draconian' Minority Report-style law
"Legislation will give security services powers to arrest people for crimes they have yet to commit"
"Legislation will give security services powers to arrest people for crimes they have yet to commit"
-- Energy/resources --
"They are running short of gas, especially in the U.A.E and in Saudi Arabia, where they require gas for power generation as well."
"Qatar's power generation is expected to increase by a demanding 193.5 per cent before the year 2018."
The Risks Of Deep Water Drilling (a good read)
"As oil executives say, at such depths, the seabed is as remote as the moon."
-- Got food? --
-- Environment/health --
-- Oil blowout --
BP Gulf Disaster Act Two: The Corexit Calamity
"[Marine toxicologist] Riki Ott says that if her family lived along the Gulf Coast, based on what she has seen these past three months, she would evacuate them immediately."
"[Marine toxicologist] Riki Ott says that if her family lived along the Gulf Coast, based on what she has seen these past three months, she would evacuate them immediately."
BP May Have Broke Law By Signing Scientists To Non-Disclosure Agreements
Scientists Find Evidence That Oil And Dispersant Mix Is Making Its Way Into The Foodchain
Scientists Find Evidence That Oil And Dispersant Mix Is Making Its Way Into The Foodchain
-- UK --
-- US --
Federal Debt and the Risk of a Fiscal Crisis (Congressional Budget Office)
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
News Links, July 29, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
All ministries face 10% budget cut (Japan)
All ministries face 10% budget cut (Japan)
-- Intelligence --
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
US 'Fully Prepared' for New Nuclear Talks With Iran (Voice of America)
-- Military --
-- Oil blowout --
Oil spill's economic damage could take years to identify
Gulf spill raises long-term beach safety questions
More than 40M gallons of oil MIA
Gulf spill raises long-term beach safety questions
More than 40M gallons of oil MIA
"What we're trying to figure out is: Where is all the oil at?" said retired Coast Guard admiral Thad Allen, the oil response's federal overseer. "There's still a lot of oil that's unaccounted for."
-- Energy/resources --
Collecting rainwater now illegal in many US states as Big Government claims ownership over our water
"The video... [shows] a gas explosion and water so toxic that a lighter can set tap water on fire."
President vows end to blackouts (Indonesia)
-- Environment/health --
-- Got food? --
-- UK --
-- US --
Gov orders more state furloughs (California)
It Looks Like This Recovery Is Already Over
Wealth transfer: Income of very richest shot up by 281% since 1979
Wealth transfer: Income of very richest shot up by 281% since 1979
And finally... Five Ways to Profit BIG from Global Collapse
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
News Links, July 28, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
Developers cut property prices to jumpstart sales (China)
Developers cut property prices to jumpstart sales (China)
-- Energy/resources --
A World Without Petroleum (bears reading)
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
WikiLeak: U.S. Battling Militants from Turkey, Its NATO Ally
Japan Must Prepare for 'Contingencies': Panel
Japan Must Prepare for 'Contingencies': Panel
-- Military --
-- Intelligence --
-- Oil blowout --
-- Environment/health --
Global warming: NASA says it's the hottest year on record
Forest fires in Portugal sparked by heat wave
Forest fires in Portugal sparked by heat wave
-- US --
Heading for retirement, some N.C. boomers are fat and flat broke
Many fear job loss, but have no savings for it
Many fear job loss, but have no savings for it
"To require all persons in the United States between the ages of 18 and 42 to perform national service, either as a member of the uniformed services or in civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, to authorize the induction of persons in the uniformed services during wartime to meet end-strength requirements of the uniformed services, and for other purposes."
Monday, July 26, 2010
News Links, July 27, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
The Death of Paper Money (Ambrose Evans-Pritchard)
The Death of Paper Money (Ambrose Evans-Pritchard)
"The new normal for the world economy may be arriving as the U.S., Europe and China all decelerate simultaneously."
Retailers Pay More to Get Cargo, or Not Get It (the slow-motion collapse of shipping)
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
-- Intelligence/security --
" An ongoing Pentagon review of the massive flood of secret documents made public by the WikiLeaks website has so far found no evidence that the disclosure harmed U.S. national security or endangered American troops in the field, a Pentagon official told NBC News on Monday."
*Which is the opposite of what the White House says.
-- Energy/resources --
A Power Shortage in The Midst of Plenty (Indonesia)
-- Oil blowout --
*Says Corexit is "like dish soap."
-- Military/space --
-- Environment/health --
-- Spain --
-- Mexico --
-- Japan --
-- UK --
Connaught shares plunge on funding woes
"Shares in Exeter-based social housing firm Connaught have slumped 76% after it said it had identified an "urgent" need for extra funds."
"Shares in Exeter-based social housing firm Connaught have slumped 76% after it said it had identified an "urgent" need for extra funds."
-- US --
*A thoughtful essay with major implications for long-term economic decline.
And finally... Man robs bank in clown pants, fake breasts
Sunday, July 25, 2010
News Links, July 26, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
Interest rates will stay low until 2014, predicts E&Y
Interest rates will stay low until 2014, predicts E&Y
"Every day, people find their way to the Manhattan store with one thing in mind: getting their hands on gold bullion coins, as soon as possible and as much as possible, before the financial Armageddon they fear renders the dollars in their pockets worthless."
-- Military --
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
-- Energy/resources --
*Paints a grim picture of electric power availability around the world.
-- Intelligence/spying --
-- Food --
-- Japan --
-- Oil blowout --
-- Environment/health --
-- UK --
-- US --
Saturday, July 24, 2010
News Links, July 25, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
Brown says global economy reliant upon growth in Africa
Brown says global economy reliant upon growth in Africa
-- Intelligence/spying --
-- Military --
-- Energy/resources --
-- Food --
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
-- Oil blowout --
Work resumes on capping runaway Gulf of Mexico oil well
BP Hires Prison Labor to Clean Up Spill While Coastal Residents Struggle
BP Hires Prison Labor to Clean Up Spill While Coastal Residents Struggle
-- Environment/health --
-- UK --
-- US --
Friday, July 23, 2010
News Links, July 24, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
Morgan Stanley: European Stress Tests Will Sorely Disappoint The Euro
Will Your Children Grow Up To Be Servants And Nannies?
Morgan Stanley: European Stress Tests Will Sorely Disappoint The Euro
Will Your Children Grow Up To Be Servants And Nannies?
-- Energy --
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
-- Environment/health --
-- Military --
"Secretary of Defense Robert Gates insists that the Kopassus are 'sufficiently committed to human rights' to allow the US military to restore direct ties with the group."
-- Oil blowout --
-- UK --
-- US --
Architects imagine Los Angeles in 2030 (I guarantee you, it won't look like that photo)
Thursday, July 22, 2010
News Links, July 23, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
China Has a Painful Surprise for the Global Economy
China Has a Painful Surprise for the Global Economy
*Anyone who still needs proof that "retirement" is going the way of the dinosaurs is brain dead.
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
-- Military --
-- Spying/intelligence --
-- Energy/resources --
"Both industry experts and managerial personnel acknowledge that the technology used to remove offshore oil from its reservoirs – particularly in deep water – has been outstripped by engineers' ability to find and drill for that oil."
"China's coal consumption is merely our own power consumption, offshored."
-- Environment/health --
-- Food --
-- Oil blowout --
-- UK --
-- US --
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
News Links, July 22, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
Could Japan Collapse?
Could Japan Collapse?
-- Military --
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
-- Energy/resources --
Jevons paradox: The Dark Side Of Electronic Efficiency
-- Food --
-- Oil disaster --
-- US --
"Nationally, 600 golf courses have closed in the past five years."
America's new debtor prison: Jail time being given to those who owe
Despite billions to banks, small businesses struggle for loans
Home construction down; potential new foreclosures could hurt housing industry further
Despite billions to banks, small businesses struggle for loans
Home construction down; potential new foreclosures could hurt housing industry further
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
News Links, July 21, 2010
-- Global economic meltdown --
That bloated feeling: Japan's banks may soon chafe at their mission to support the bond market
That bloated feeling: Japan's banks may soon chafe at their mission to support the bond market
Niall Ferguson: Ignore Low Bond Yields, The US Debt Crisis Will Come Suddenly
Can We Get China To Bankroll The Next World War? (Peter Schiff)
Can We Get China To Bankroll The Next World War? (Peter Schiff)
"The railway 'was an accounting trick, another good way for the government to hide its debt.'"
-- Fault lines/flashpoints --
US Won't Bow to Chinese Concerns on Yellow Sea Exercises (Voice of America)
-- Energy/resources --
-- Food --
"Prices of basic crops and food processing have indeed increased over the passed decade. The culprits however, are not speculators."
-- Environment/health --
-- Oil gusher --
-- UK --
-- US --
"A new report says more than 1,000 counties across the United States are at risk for potential water shortages by midcentury."
And finally... Robber holds up bank with bunch of flowers