Thursday 11 December 2008

Nice Pie

This one's been doing the rounds a bit lately - and in fact is out of date already - the bailout fee has doubled to roughly $8.5 trillion since it was made - so much that you could easily include the whole of WW2 in the pie-chart on the right (WW2 cost less than half what has been spent on the bailout so far at about $3.6 trillion.) That's right, I'll repeat it - THE BAILOUT COST MORE THAN TWICE WW2 FOR THE U.S. ... and they're still spending! In fact, it's cost more than every U.S. Government project of the past 200 years or so - combined. Hehe:


My conclusion is - the U.S.' economy is totally fucked. You can't just invent money equivalent to a couple of centuries of major government project spending in a few months and expect to get away with it. I think it's pretty likely the UK and most the rest of the world will follow suit, be interesting to see how that pans out. It takes 6 months or so for the effects to filter through to the real economy- we've just seen the beginnings of that now with Woolies going down in the UK etc., the first of many.

On a positive note, I joined my local LETS scheme, pretty excited about that! - Not expecting it to be able to feed me if the supermarket supply chain falters though :/

Saturday 6 December 2008

OUCH

'Revolution, food riots in America by 2012'

From Commodity Online:
"The man who predicted the 1987 stock market crash and the fall of the Soviet Union is now forecasting revolution in America, food riots and tax rebellions - all within four years, while cautioning that putting food on the table will be a more pressing concern than buying Christmas gifts by 2012. [...]"

Lighter news today from Jeremy Clarkson of TOP GEAR:
"Get an allotment!"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7766057.stm

Sunday 30 November 2008

Podcasts

Been enjoying these Kunstler podcasts lately:
http://kunstlercast.com

Always amusing, particularly enjoyed his sardonic take on the financial crisis:
http://kunstlercast.com/shows/KunstlerCast_33_The_Great_Bailout_2008.html



Also interesting is the C-Realm Podcast, just listened to this great interview with Greer about the 'Long Descent':
http://c-realmpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2008-09-17T16_54_27-07_00

Some other interviews about permaculture with the author of "Gaia's Garden", Toby Hemenway. I've been reading some great articles on his site.

http://c-realmpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2008-10-22T18_59_49-07_00

Friday 21 November 2008

Ugly Overload: Louse Tongue

Some comic relief here! I love this site, always a good laugh.
I imagine that when spotted rosesnappers go out on dates, one of the first things they ask each other--certainly before the first kiss--is if they have a sea louse tongue. That might be a deal breaker for some.
Only click this if you're in a gross mood:
Ugly Overload: Louse Tongue

Already cost more than World War 2!

... and over $14K for every person in America.

Financial Crisis Tab Already In The Trillions | Chris Martenson

Tuesday 18 November 2008

Worse Than the Great Depression

Some cheery news here from Stephen Lendman at Global Research. I can't even comprehend a lot of it, but there are some good lines -
"What's known in the shorter term is what Michel Chossudovsky observes: "The financial crisis is deepening, with the risk of seriously disrupting the system of international payments. (This time) is far more serious than the Great Depression. All major sectors of the global economy are affected (and TARP and related schemes are) not a 'solution' to the crisis but the 'cause' of further collapse" - by design."
Worse Than the Great Depression?
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11001

Sunday 16 November 2008

The Five Stages of Collapse - Presentation from Fifth Annual Community Solutions Conference

Dmitry Orlov in fine form giving the keynote speech at the Community Solutions Conference - he compares the collapse of the USSR with the present state of the U.S. and its likely outcome:

The Five Stages of Collapse
http://energybulletin.net/node/47157
(Slideshow + speech notes)

Tuesday 11 November 2008

Permaculture

A journey to Brazil for the 8th International Permaculture Convergence reveals an ecological design strategy that is helping to free Latin American farmers from the corporate noose around their necks; the same noose threatening the world with climate chaos.

Peak oil gets a mention too!



Also, came across this blog- Lame name, top site - lots more ineresting videos:

http://infopatriots.blogspot.com/

Saturday 8 November 2008

Obama




I'm sure he'll put a friendlier spin on things than McCain would have managed, and even promises fractionally more moderate policies. Unfortunately I think he may prove to be the new Tony Blair. My only hope is the US economy will be so completely broke they won't be able to afford to commit genocide in the manner to which they've become accustomed. Glad I don't live anywhere the US/UK bomb in the name of 'freedom'. Did you know they actually made a 'freedom' model US army issue knife? They were going to call it "Operation Iraqi Liberation" till they realised that spelt "OIL."

Checkout Pilger's excellent writing on Obama in New Statesman magazine:

New Statesman - Obama is a truly Democratic expansionist
http://www.newstatesman.com/media/2008/07/pilger-obama-afghanistan-news

Also, well recommend John Greer's "Long Descent", I've really been appreciating his wider perspective when keeping up on current affairs recently. Less sober but entertaining in a dark way is Dmitry Orlov's "Reinventing Collapse."

Saturday 25 October 2008

CUBA

This video=WOW:

Saturday 18 October 2008

MORE DOOM


ENERGY PEAK


Here's a straightforward primer.

http://www.energybulletin.net/primer


Peak enters the mainstream

2 years ago, French government predicting peak by 2012 (many say it is already beginning to peak):
BBC NEWS | Business | 'Peak oil' enters mainstream debate
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4077802.stm

The Long Emergency - by James Howard Kunstler
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/4856

And it ain't just the newspapers / magazines and the internet:
http://www.grinningplanet.com/environmental-books/peak-oil-books.htm
http://www.amazon.com/PEAK-OIL-BOOKS/lm/26CCG716IZ4VC


If a picture tells a thousand words

Outside the middle-east, oil production is already in decline:


Oil / population comparisons:



This next one's a little tricky, but shows the energy 'per capita' (person) mapped over time. Note the peak in the US. happened in 1970... :



Slightly clearer version of the above for the global picture:




I'm sure you saw this one back in the 70's! .. from ecological science, the population 'overshoot':



Well, you gotta laugh - Human energy production / population over a longer stretch of time:




For the source of the above graph, see the Olduvai Theory, as proposed by Richard C. Duncan:

From "The Social Contract" [2005-2006 Winter] - provides information on the background to the precursors of theory from 19th / 20th Century scientists:
http://www.hubbertpeak.com/duncan/OlduvaiTheorySocialContract.pdf

A more recent take on it with the latest data confirming the trend:
www.warsocialism.com/duncan_tscq_07.pdf

Overview of the Olduvai theory, with steps humanity must take to avoid descent - What are the odds people and politicians will suss this one out in time? Don't rate them very highly myself. Iraq war, anyone?
http://europe.theoildrum.com/node/3565


Nice! Someone prove this stuff wrong for me, quick!

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Friday 10 October 2008

Woah

from here: http://www.drmillslmu.com/peakoil.htm

But what about other sources of renewable energy?

In one year the entire world produces about 1 cubic mile of oil (2006 data). It would
take 50 years of energy production by each alternative energy source below to
accumulate the equivalent energy in 1 cubic mile of oil that the world uses now in one year.

Source: http://www.theoildrum.com/node/3084 and http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2320

Energy equivalents of 1 cubic mile of oil (CMO).

To produce the equivalent amount of of the energy provided by oil in one year would take:

200 Three Gorges Dams
2,600 Nuclear Power Plants
5,200 Coal Fired Plants (not good for global warming...)
1,642,500 Wind Turbines
4,562,500,000 Solar Panel

Also see: can renewable energy make a dent in fossil fuels?

Sunday 5 October 2008

PEAK OIL

Sorry to piss on your chips but ... read this.

Or maybe not - after all, someone might invent a miracle power source tomorrow. Go for a drive, go shopping, take a nap, enjoy life!

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/

Tuesday 30 September 2008

MEH

"The global financial crisis will see the US falter in the same way the Soviet Union did when the Berlin Wall came down."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/sep/28/usforeignpolicy.useconomicgrowth

Sunday 28 September 2008

Kelly Clarkson goes death metal:

Kelly who?

This rules anyway:

Saturday 24 May 2008

Donovan

OK I don't know much about him, but after listening to most of 'Troubadour' I just wanna say:

DONOVAN > Devendra Banhart

Massively, totally owns him, no competition, makes him look like a poser tribute artist.  Not that I liked him anyway.

Friday 16 May 2008

Captain Beefheart's Ten Commandments For Guitarists



Awesome...


1. LISTEN TO THE BIRDS That's where all the music comes from. Birds know everything about how it should sound and where that sound should come from. And watch hummingbirds. They fly really fast, but a lot of times they aren't going anywhere.
2. YOUR GUITAR IS NOT REALLY A GUITAR Your guitar is a divining rod. Use it to find spirits in the other world and bring them over. A guitar is also a fishing rod. If you're good, you'll land a big one.
3. PRACTICE IN FRONT OF A BUSH Wait until the moon is out, then go outside, eat a multi-grained bread and play your guitar to a bush. If the bush doesn't shake, eat another piece of bread.
4. WALK WITH THE DEVIL Old delta blues players referred to amplifiers as the "devil box." And they were right. You have to be an equal opportunity employer in terms of who you're bringing over from the other side. Electricity attracts demons and devils. Other instruments attract other spirits. An acoustic guitar attracts Casper. A mandolin attracts Wendy. But an electric guitar attracts Beelzebub.
5. IF YOU'RE GUILTY OF THINKING, YOU'RE OUT If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something that is fur bearing.
6. NEVER POINT YOUR GUITAR AT ANYONE Your instrument has more power than lightning. Just hit a big chord, then run outside to hear it. But make sure you are not standing in an open field.
7. ALWAYS CARRY YOUR CHURCH KEY You must carry your key and use it when called upon. That's your part of the bargain. Like One String Sam. He was a Detroit street musician in the fifties who played a homemade instrument. His song "I Need A Hundred Dollars" is warm pie. Another church key holder is Hubert Sumlin, Howlin' Wolf's guitar player. He just stands there like the Statue of Liberty making you want to look up her dress to see how he's doing it.
8. DON'T WIPE THE SWEAT OFF YOUR INSTRUMENT You need that stink on there. Then you have to get that stink onto your music.
9. KEEP YOUR GUITAR IN A DARK PLACE When you're not playing your guitar, cover it and keep it in a dark place. If you don't play your guitar for more than a day, be sure to put a saucer of water in with it.
10. YOU GOTTA HAVE A HOOD FOR YOUR ENGINE Wear a hat when you play and keep that hat on. A hat is a pressure cooker. If you have a roof on your house the hot air can't escape. Even a lima bean has to have a wet paper towel around it to make it grow.

Thanks to / stolen from:
http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2007/06/practice-in-front-of-bush-captain.html

Saturday 3 May 2008

OMG

"The most numerous cells in our body are microbial—they outnumber our cells 10 to 1."  So what the hell does that make us?  'humacteria'?  lol

"It appears that the skin, the largest organ in our body, is a kind of zoo and some of the inhabitants are quite novel, according to a new study. Researchers found evidence for 182 species of bacteria in skin samples. Eight percent were unknown species that had never before been described."

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/nyum-hsh013107.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_flora


Wednesday 30 April 2008

Hello The Mushroom!!




















Thanks for that one, Jussi!

Monday 28 April 2008

Random scuzz



I gotta buy me some of that.



Good to know I can now buy 'lamer'
in a bottle too.


Dood Pati - my kind of drink.


My kind of party.












My actual weight after drinking it at that party and washing in 'lamer.'



Then I had to play bass for some students at the college I work at and this was the view from the stage.



Zoo's new job.


Emirates FC.

My new home round the corner.


Finsbury Park.



Wales





Country studios rule.












You gotta love Newport or Bridgend or whatever.










Gum Takes Tooth setlist yeah!

Real Feal setlist alright!

My dad's new job.