Areas Covered Each Week: Civil Liberties - Health - Environment - Democracy & International Relations - Economics - Science - The War on Terror - The Next War
Story of the Week:
This week has seen many politician's and pundits continuing attempt to square the "Man-made global warming" circle, with it being re-packaged as "Man Made Climate Change" thereby covering both potential bases. I would never claim to be a climate scientist, or to be in possession of all the facts, however as a historian and observer of human psychology things just don't add up in my eyes. First of all climate change has always happened, period. Our ancestors 10,000 years ago had to cope with a rise in temperatures of 7 degrees Celsius in under a decade. The Little Ice Age (1315 - c1850) is seen to have started when three years of torrential rains beginning in 1315 ushered in an era of unpredictable weather in Northern Europe which did not lift until the 19th century. Ask any family of farmers and they will tell you that the climate is always changing, from year to year, from decade to decade, and especially century to century. Sometimes you will have warm periods, sometimes cold. And yet these events were not caused by man, they were caused by the sun and volcanic activity. Think about it for second. The sun is the source of all our power, so logically when it gets hotter we get hotter and when it is colder we get colder. Second volcanoes when they erupt, as they are always doing, throw considerable quantities of gases and "pollutants" (many "greenhouse" gases amongst them) into the earths atmosphere. In fact a sizeable eruption like Krakatau in the 19th century will in one day emit more "greenhouse" gases than man-kind has managed in the last century. Now don't get me wrong here. What we are doing to this planet, especially in the indiscriminate use of fossil fuels in the West instead of alternatives is morally reprehensible (we have a choice, those struggling to survive in the 3rd world currently do not) but the damaging pollution that this emits is not CO2 but carbon monoxide, nitric oxide and particulates (of soot and un-burnt petrol/coal) that create the smog's, lung infections and other noxious illnesses that affect us. The CO2 "debate" masks that, just as it masks all the other, massive, pollution that we are inflicting upon our delicate eco-system such as GM crops, the collapse of world bee populations, deforestation, plastics in the oceans and mercury in the water table to name but a few.
So you have to ask yourself why is this modern religious fervor around CO2 being perpetuated? Essentially it has become self perpetuating as different groups jump on the bandwagon, creating a "movement" based on theory and computer models. Just step back and look at the psychology of the opinion formers: Politician's love it as for once they have taxes that you don't mind paying; Corporation's love it as for as long as we debate over what we emit every minute by simply breathing (CO2) we are not focusing our attention on the very real and massive environmental destruction they are collectively committing on this closed eco-system that we all live in . The media itself us ultimately paid for by the corporations or governments so will help amplify and broadcast the agenda. Many scientists meanwhile go along with it as it guarantees the holy grail of science, that is funding, and these days no matter how barking the suggestion is the promise of ever more $$$ is there.
Those in these three groups who go against "the consensus" are cast out and denounced for being "deniers'" and worse for being uncaring about the environment. How many times have you seen similar McCarthy like witch hunts in history to suppress questioning of the status quo? I am not saying that many are not passionate in the fervency of their beliefs, however in ever aspect of life it is intellectually blinkered to unquestioningly take as gospel a received wisdom that is handed to you, and this is no different. This is no darkened room conspiracy, this is just human and corporate psychology.
Which brings the spotlight to us, Joe Public. We are fed the daily diet of the evils of CO2, and to be honest we know something is not right with this picture of how we live our lives on this planet, and this catch all enables us to emotionally purge our collective environmental sins. Unfortunately what we are possibly really doing is chasing after a red herring, and that ultimately that will be to the detriment of us all.
But before you form an angry mob complete with pitch forks and flaming torches to come and lynch me, please stop, think and read. Make your own informed decision, don't just accept what you are told is "undeniable fact" is exactly that. For starters here are some articles from the mainstream world press this week that illustrates a few of the points of debate that I have raised:
Sun's face virtually spot-free for months http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn14652-suns-face-virtually-spotfree-for-months.html?feedId=online-news_rss20
Global cooling? An inconvenient truth http://sl.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/agribusiness-and-general/general/global-cooling-an-inconvenient-truth/1259974.aspx
Big chill a symptom of climate chaos http://news.smh.com.au/national/big-chill-a-symptom-of-climate-chaos-20080901-46yx.html
Least sunny UK August on record http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7592649.stm
Bid to launch Sydney green tax http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/bid-to-launch-sydney-green-tax/2008/09/04/1220121398320.html
Revealed: PM's billion pound green power windfall. http://rinf.com/alt-news/environmental-news/revealed-browns-1bn-power-windfall/4547/
Extreme and risky action the only way to tackle global warming, say scientists http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/01/climatechange.scienceofclimatechange2?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront
An Inconvenient Truth exaggerated sea level rise http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2008/09/04/scigore104.xml
Environment:
Genetically 'improved' oysters 'behind France's shellfish plague'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/2656892/Genetically-improved-oysters-behind-Frances-shellfish-plague.html
Wait a second I though GM food's were the answer to all our prayers? No wait, it's the answer to all Monsanto's prayers as it slowly work's towards an eradication of all "competition" and a monopoly over the global food supply.
How millions of tons of household rubbish collected for recycling disappears without a trace
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1052548/How-millions-tons-household-rubbish-collected-recycling-disappears-trace.html
We in the West consume far more resources than this eco-system can sustain long term. If we do not recycle nearly everything then we are on for a hiding to nothing. However for as long as profit is the ultimate driver corners will be cut. I sincerely hope that the political leaders were you and I live don't cut these same corners. There is only one way to make sure, and that is get involve. Hold your political leaders to account. Apathy is not a sustainable option.
Over 100,000 Indian farmers commit suicide in the past decade because of crop failure
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Open_Space/The_future_of_farmers_lies_in_big_cities/articleshow/3453829.cms
What this article fails to mention is that a very large proportion of those farmers committed suicide after being given bank loans to enable them to buy Monsanto GM crops, not realising that they all have a "suicide" gene which guarantees custom for Monsanto the next year for more seeds, as opposed to tradition farming methods where the crop gives the farmer seeds for the next season. Of course by the time the poorly educated farmers find this out, it is too late, they are in debt, their farm has been foreclosed, and the corporations own the farm that their family may have owned for generations.
Apples and pears at risk due to dramatic decline in the honeybee, experts warn
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1052621/How-apples-pears-risk-decline-honeybee.html
That's not the 1/2 of it. World bee populations are collapsing (GM Crops or Pesticides? You decide). Ultimately no bees = no food = no human's. This is a real human made ecological disaster.
Pacific Ocean is a garbage dump
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24291633-5007146,00.html
The other man made ecological catastrophe that goes virtually unreported, drowned out by CO2
Palin: the real scandal
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/palin-the-real-scandal-920803.html
The charming environmental credentials of the woman who potentially will be the next US Vice President.
Civil Liberties:
'Environmental volunteers' will be encouraged to spy on their neighbours
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2648384/Environmental-volunteers-will-be-encouraged-to-spy-on-their-neighbours.html
The process to turn Britain into a Big Brother state continues with the latest tiptoe down the path.
Children aged eight enlisted as council snoopers
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2689996/Children-aged-eight-enlisted-as-council-snoopers.html
And even better, condition the next generation into thinking that spying on fellow citizen's and being paid rewards for denouncing is standard practice for a "free democracy". This isn't Orwell's 1984, this is happening right now. Day by day, week by week, the tiny tiptoes towards a closed society continue and no-one is standing up to stop it. If this can happen in Britain it can happen where you live too. Get involved. Make a stand while you still can.
Associated Press photographer arrested while covering anti-war protest
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hksHDv1i55R2qYI6dkmMm10uxZ0AD92UQ8TG0
The 10 Steps to a Closed Society - Number 7. Target key individuals (for a full list see the bottom of the page)
Protester at Republican Convention offers police officer a flower and gets pepper sprayed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyvsc1ktgJE
Damn don't those new storm trooper uniforms look cool though? Black is so much nattier than those old white uniforms in Star Wars - oh wait this is real life, and this is happening now.
UN counter-terrorism review should make human rights a priority
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/un-counter-terrorism-review-should-make-human-rights-a-priority-20080904
Go figure, the "war on terror" (or as Borat said "War of Terror") has had a detrimental effect on human rights and freedom of speech in many countries, particularly Western Democracies, by lowering their standards on human rights in the name of security.
Police raids enrage activists, alarm others
http://www.startribune.com/local/27703754.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUX
The 10 steps to a closed society - number 5. Infiltrate Citizens' Groups (agent provocateurs)
Could a spy satellite identify any of us from our shadow?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1052250/Could-spy-satellite-identify-shadow.html
Soon you will be monitored - permanently. Is that a world you want to live in?
EU approves proposal to try Britons in their absence in foreign courts
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article4664049.ece
The kind of legal practice that Hitler and Stalin just loved, trails in absentia.
French issue call to storm "electronic Bastille"
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSL434783820080904
One thing the French people have never been is apathetic when it comes to protesting against over degradation of their rights. Good on them I say.
Health:
Chinese aspartame firm makes UK move
http://www.foodnavigator.com/Financial-Industry/Chinese-aspartame-firm-makes-UK-move/?c=wVmZZpM41S0xjBg7IRCYig%3D%3D
Have you ever wondered why over-weight people still put on weight even when they religiously drink "diet" drinks and only eat "low calorie" foods? Ladies & gentlemen I give you the man-made chemical wonder that is aspartame (aka - NutraSweet). Yes it has no calories, however it just loves bonding with glucose in your blood stream, and has been strongly linked to the massive increases in intestinal cancers in recent years. But for food corporations it is a lot cheaper to produce than refined sugar, which is great for profit, especially when you market its "health giving benefits". Perverse at it may sound drinking old fashioned Coke is going to be considerably better for you than drinking the diet variety.
The super vaccine that protects you from all types of flu for LIFE
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1052836/The-super-vaccine-protects-types-flu-LIFE.html
Yeah what a great idea...... Let's re-introduce the smallpox virus into human's as a way of delivering this "miracle" drug (a.k.a profit making machine) along with mercury (preserving agent) and formaldehyde. I mean smallpox was never bad was it? And those other 2 sound harmless enough. And it'll save having to have those pesky annual flu jabs that never seem to work, and tend to give you the worst bout of flu you've ever had. Pharmaceutical corporations, like all corporations, exist for one reason, and one reason only: to make profit and return for shareholders. Remember that the next time your Doctor offers you a needle.
Argentina investigates deaths of vaccinated kids
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2008115287_apargentinachildrensdeaths.html?syndication=rss
Don't worry if you are GSK shareholder. I'm sure the legal department got their poor families to sign legal waiver documents before administering the fatal does.
Schoolgirls hit by reaction to Gardasil jab
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=2&ContentID=96432
Wasn't the original sales pitch on this "wonder" vaccine that there had been no reported adverse reactions during trials?
Junk food ads to stay: regulator
http://www.smh.com.au/news/diet/junk-food-ads-to-stay/2008/08/27/1219516565247.html
Could you imagine the drop in advertising revenue if we banned them? So what if our population is literally eating itself to death?
The War on Terror:
Bush Seeks to Affirm a Continuing War on Terror
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/washington/30terror.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin
This article was buried deep away on page 8 of the New York Times, and yet if this vague language is passed by Congress it will enable a near permanent war footing, thus entitling the President to near dictatorial legal powers which will will imperil Americans' civil liberties (such as the suspension of habeas corpus, and warrant-less wiretapping) and the rights of foreign nationals for decades to come.
The Next War:
Russia threatens to supply Iran with top new missile system as 'cold war' escalates
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/2651516/Russia-threatens-to-supply-Iran-with-top-new-missile-system-as-cold-war-escalates.html
What cold war? Do you realise that Russia's economy is just 15% the size of the EU, and barely 10% the size of the USA. This is not the super-power of old, this is posturing for political purposes, and the US loves it, and manipulated it by getting Georgia to kick this whole thing off. All the time more and more forces re moved into place for the bombing of Iran to start, and more and more reasons are given to soften up public opinion for this to happen.
The Israel Project - A Nuclear Iran
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_hWEB2UzcM
TV adverts run in the USA during the Democratic Convention by a not for profit "independent" organisation. Softening US public opinion perhaps?
Tehran plays down French warning of Israeli attack
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gdVAh7-9m-Bc_-eeJdnxuap4tAyQ
And to be honest there is nothing can stop it happening anyway, so no need to start a panic amongst the Iranian people quite yet. The smart money is on sometime between now and the US presidential inauguration in January.
Warships to patrol pirate-infested Gulf of Aden
http://www.yachtingmonthly.com/auto/newsdesk/20080802130839ymnews.html
By lucky chance that is only just round the corner from Iran. Rather convenient if things kick off there.
US warship delivers aid to Georgia under gaze of Russia
http://news.scotsman.com/world/US-warship-delivers-aid-to.4465249.jp
Don't worry Vlad they aren't going to attack you as you have nukes - unlike those pesky Iranians who are conveniently close to Georgia too.
Kissinger: Nuclear Iran to change world
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=68587§ionid=3510203
Isn't it amazing how old Henry is always in the background of these events giving his helpful and peace loving advice.
Democracy & International Diplomacy:
An alternative truth
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/31/internet?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews
As I have said before, all history and news is theory. It can only be such as to have fact one needs 100% of the information available, which obviously is never possible. It is also important to note that to use the term "conspiracy" automatically conjures up images of shadowy, unreported meetings where decisions are made, and though these do exist (the annual Bilderberg meetings are the most obvious example) overall what we have is psychology. The psychology of human's, and most importantly the psychology of corporation's. Mr. Tudge is however spot on when he comments that the whole "conspiracy theory" medium is often manipulated by the powers that be to spread confusion, cast discredit upon those questioning the official story and above all to create cover for whatever shady stuff they (be it corporation, government or individual) are up to - this is nothing new, this is the way it has always been. Just read your history books, however now in our global village and high speed communication it is done with more aplomb and is much more pervasive.
CIA memos reveal doubt over "key" Lockerbie witness
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cia-memos-reveal-doubts-over-key-lockerbie-witness-913918.html
Surely you don't expect us to believe that Government agencies would ever lie to us do you? How preposterous.
Georgia admits dropping cluster bombs
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/01/georgia.russia?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews
Now I wonder which of the non-signatories of the international ban on the sale of cluster bombs provided these charming instruments of death, destruction and maiming? The USA or Israel?
US poised to announce $1B in aid for Georgia
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hkpujXdwowTxGmbH5WtpqtnOeaYwD92V01C00
The two payoff's for starting the unwinnable "smokescreen" war with Russia (for while the world watched Ossetia the US increased the number of carrier groups in the Persian Gulf from 2 to 5) - NATO membership and a billion dollars. The question is of course how much will the Georgian people see as "compensation" and how much will the politician's siphon off?
US military trained Georgian commandos
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/bdffd9a6-7b71-11dd-b839-000077b07658,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Fbdffd9a6-7b71-11dd-b839-000077b07658.html%3Fnclick_check%3D1&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prisonplanet.com%2Fus-military-trained-georgian-commandos.html&nclick_check=1
What an amazing coincidence.
Pakistan vows to defend its frontiers after deadly US raid
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cc5e2f06-7ae1-11dd-adbe-000077b07658.html
And remind why is this so different to what happened in Ossetia?
Finance & Economics:
Gold falls for fifth session on oil; down $32 in week
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/gold-falls-fifth-session-oil/story.aspx?guid=%7BA2764BA2-9E9F-4D20-9322-71CBB69606A3%7D&dist=msr_6
Gold demand soars. Price falls. What's going wrong?
http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page33?oid=61431&sn=Detail
There are two certainties from the forthcoming war with Iran. First the price of oil will rocket upwards. And second, as happens in every international crisis, the smart money goes into gold which at the end of the day has real value unlike cash. The question is do you think those in "the know" are getting in now while the price is low?
U.S. plan for Fannie, Freddie to hit shareholders
http://www.forbes.com/reuters/feeds/reuters/2008/09/06/2008-09-07T032227Z_01_N06740005_RTRIDST_0_FANNIE-FREDDIE-WRAPUP-2.html
It is not just the shareholders who are going to lose here. The eventual cost of this will be to double the USA's already monumental national debt. That could well be the straw that breaks the camels back and lead to the collapse of the dollar and with it the US economy's preeminence in the world. And if/when it does happen will it be down to economic mismanagement on a monumental scale, or part of a more sinister long term plan by the private banks that own (yes own) the Federal Reserve to manipulate the USA into the "Amero" (the proposed NAFTA currency union) that is another stepping stone towards the long term goal of One World Government?
Huge rise in the price of food
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/09/05/bcnfood105.xml
This is happening worldwide. And yet while we in the West can afford to take the prices, the other 6 billion people on this planet will increasingly have a daily struggle just to survive, which will inevitably lead to further civil strife, and the West picking up economic bargains in the ensuing mess. And all the while we reduce the area of land producing food by the planting of bio-fuels. This immorality has to stop before millions more die for our greed.
Science & Technology:
Legal bid to stop CERN atom smasher from 'destroying the world'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/2650665/Legal-bid-to-stop-CERN-atom-smasher-from-destroying-the-world.html
It might only be theoretical possibility that this could create a black hole that would destroy the earth, but it is still a possibility.
US boasts of laser weapon's 'plausible deniability'
http://technology.newscientist.com/channel/tech/weapons/dn14520-us-boasts-of-laser-weapons-plausible-deniability.html
Why on earth would a peace loving democracy like the USA ever want to resort to "plausible deniability" in its actions?
RFID leakage is hushed up - claim
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/09/04/rfid-hush
This micro-chip technology is being sold to you in many forms from creating a cashless society, to anti-terror "security" in the forms of person micro-chipping, ID cards and biometric passports. Unfortunately if your data gets stolen simply protesting your innocence to the police as they drag you away won't help one iota.
EU lawmakers open battle against sheep, goat tags
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSL21717120080902
Well the manufacturers have to make profit somehow and if you are resisting being tagged then how better than to make a few bucks in showing how useful and "harmless" these chips are.
City of the future: The giant glass pyramid that could house one million people
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1052107/City-future-The-giant-glass-pyramid-house-million-people.html
All the major conspiracy food groups represented here: Man made climate change, Pyramids and a micro-chipped population. A modern utopia?
Quote of the Week:
There are all kinds of flight from responsibility. There is a flight to death, a flight to sickness, and finally a flight into stupidity. The last is the least dangerous and most comfortable, since even clever people the journey is not as long as they might fondly imagine
- Arthur Schnitzler (1862 - 1931)
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