by
Michael C. Ruppert
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aBL_62gRgvrE&refer=home
April 25, 2009, 9 PM PDT -- Here it is, buried deep inside Bloomberg and not as the "stop-everything" headline it should be. This is a virtual admission that Saudi has passed Peak. Thanks to Matt Simmons, a few ASPO-International conventions, and a close reading of the news for six years I can say that this too has happened exactly as so many of us in the movement predicted. Chris Skrebowski at ODAC in Britain was just a genius on this, along with Simmons. I discuss it thoroughly in PREZPOL. Now, with the swine flu outbreak just developing, it is clear that the dieoff has begun and the energy-confidence bubble is about to explode. -- I'm happy to be a little pinprick in that... LOL. Go ahead, play with that one any way you want to. Laughter is a good thing.
With regards to the swine flu I'm looking back deeper into my tons of research on biowarfare and pandemics but here are my first impressions. It is way too early to call this a pandemic. There could be a plane flight that connected passengers somewhere who were headed for San Diego, Texas, New York and Kansas.That's actually a good use for some of that nasty software we got after 9-11. I'm sure CDC is all over that. There has been a tremendous amount of "Wag the Dog" going on lately with respect to piracy, drug violence, and now the swine flu. -- CoLLapse is hitting afterburner in the spring as I predicted last summer when I was finishing the book. I'm seeing stories saying that the swine flu could "seriously hurt a global economy already in severe distress". That would be a pretty lame attempt at a cover-up though. Industrial civlization didn't collapse as a result of declining energy and overpopulation! Huh uh. No!... That would mean that we did it to ourselves. We must have something to blame... many things to blame... ANYTHING to blame.
Swine flu has my attention though, if for no other reason than when I went to Ralph's for groceries today, the assistant manager behind the register was telling me and other customers that swine flu could be caught from eating pork... Huh??? -- She was saying she wouldn't buy any more pork while managing a store that sold pork. The woman was in panic. -- Panic makes people do very strange things... I'm an ex-cop, I know. That's the part of collapse that gets really "sporty" and there isn't much of a map for.
Swine flu is a virus which -- like AIDS -- can only be transmitted from living organism to living organism. I stopped to talk to her loudly enough for the others to hear and calmly explained that there was absolutely no reason to stop buying pork. What's interesting about this little swine-flu critter is that it has human, avian and pig DNA. We who have a good map that covered this ground a long time ago don't need to panic. This is expected territory. We have had (hopefully) years to prepare mentally, spiritually and physically so this should not come as a huge surprise at all. That's why I wrote about pandemics and biowarfare so thoroughly in Rubicon and at FTW back in 2002-2003. There's a reason why Rubicon is 600 pages with a thousand footnotes. That was my reference guide for you guys and it seems to be working pretty well. -- And there's a good reason why "A Presidential Energy Policy" is a completely different kind of book from Rubicon.
This is a time for us to stay very alert and focused. The importance of breaking the NY Times list grows with each passing second. Either we get the Peak Oil/Sustainability message through right now or we'll never have another chance... not like this... And, as for the book, I have zero idea how sales are going. (Rags is my psychiatrist.) We have received maybe four complaints that are all technical glitches and may have been resolved by the time this goes up. New World is very much on their toes like we are.
I am reminded of a t-shirt I once saw being worn by a legendary member of LAPD's bomb squad at a training day. (He made bombs as well as he disarmed them and routinely took trips for the CIA in the 60s and 70s). On the back of the t-shirt were the words, "IF YOU SEE ME RUNNING -- FOLLOW ME".
As for me, I'm watching Rags and he doesn't seem too concerned.
This is one helluva "movie" we're in, ain't it?
Oh yeah, and watch for another great modified, limited hangout on the Bush-Cheney torture prosecutions. That oughta keep Amy Goodman tying up the progressive left and the Pacifica network for a year or more. As one clear-headed activist once quipped, "They should rename her show 'Democracy Too Late!'" -- I mean after all, she is paid nicely by the Hearst Corporation... I never say anything I can't back up. I have never been sued for precisely that reason. It's time to take the gloves off everybody. Our war has begun.
Pacifica listeners, be advised now that I will not do any interviews on any Pacifica station at any time. I have had blatantly libelous things written about me on internal memos. I have been ambushed. I have been blacklisted and I have been ignored by those with larger shows who often patronized me with smaller, less- credible shows. I got this in spite of the fact that I was a hugely successful fundraiser for WBAI, KPFK, and KPFA. This is in no way directed at the many friends and supporters who did put me on and who saw what was happening and fought battles on behalf of the truth. No, this is directed at the network. Pacifica Radio, you are free to die like the dinosaur you are. I have seen how much energy can be used in trying to swim your waters... for so little result. What you need is a good civil war to decide which side you're really on. The way it is, you're going to die a slow painful death as Pacifca becomes increasingly irrelevant. But don't ask me to get involved. I'm actually doing something.
MCR
*********************************************************************************
Jenna Orkin adds:
Today's headlines might be best summarized by the word Yikes:
Swine Flu
Swine Flu Could Become Pandemic, Health Officials Say
WHO Declares International Concern Over Swine Flu
Students Fall Ill in New York and Swine Flu is Likely Cause
Venezuela's Dead Polo Ponies
Another road leading to Fort Detrick
The cashier at MCR's grocery store isn't the only one leery of pork:
Swine Flu Sparks Concern Regarding Pork Imports
The CDC maintains pork is safe but then says, "People may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose."
Food etc.
Could Food Shortage Bring Down Civilization?
Lester Brown article in Scientific American
Africa to Feed EU's Appetite for Biofuels as its People Starve
Today, a Garden at the White House. Tomorrow at 50 State Houses? (from Rice Farmer)
Pitfalls of an Animal ID Program
Yellow is the New Green
Common Myths of the Population Debate (from Rice Farmer)
Financial Crisis
The Coming Dollar Collapse
...in Forbes. Duck and cover.
Schlumberger Profit Falls 28%
Kazakhstan Bank Stops Repaying Foreign Debt
How the Locals are Trying to Save Small Businesses
Ten People Who Predicted the Financial Meltdown
Ridiculed as Dr. Doom, Peter Schiff's Book Flying Off Shelves Now
China: Financial Crisis Dampens Zeal to Go Global
Japan Pays Foreign Workers To Go Home - Forever
Stop Stoking Racial Unrest
Plus...
Bloomberg Interviews GATA's Bill Murphy
Backdrop for a 1907 Bailout
The Curious Tale of Martin Armstrong
Book Review: IOUSA
Tiny Space Engine to Push Back Against Sunshine
Armageddon Waltz
CIA Awkwardly Debriefs (sic) Obama on Origins of Crack Cocaine (The Onion)
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11 comments:
Wow...MCR...you rock...I just tunned in after being absent for some time and as usual you are plugged in! Yes...hell of a movie we're in! I've always thought of Pacifica as a bit constipated. For in spite of its working up to occasionally approaching poinency (sp) it always seemed over played and doled out without ever looking too far forward. There's so little time to be all about just turning the wheels to fill the cookie jar. Once again you bitch slap me and pull me up out of the mediocracy. I love it that Rags is your phycho-analyst and canary in this ever dirty coal mine we're in. Keeping on my immune toes and knowing it's normal, thanks to you. Love, hugs and dog lips to you and yours. Mrsp
04, 26,09
Some how the links did not go through the first time, I hope this makes more sense
MCR may be interested, in any case what will someone, "recovering" today's Wreckage, in 100 Yr.s, think of our Insanity?
I was a Fire Control Technician on the B 52 bomber, I chose SAC because back then (1959), SAC was our Defensive Air Force.
Look at what they did to that Peace Defender; turned it into an Attack Killer!!
But back then I was really just kidding myself.
http://www.atrecovery.com/Pages/Airplanes.htm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1173523/Pictured-WWII-
dive-bomber-sees-light-day-65-years-Lake-Michigan.html
I want Mike's book to be the KICK A--, that shakes the world out of it's trance!
Here is another Bomber closer to MCR, although not from his fathers Airfield.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=38767720-aadb-4af0-9bed-775735d015dc&k=4464
Jim L has left a new comment on your post "THE SAUDI CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG -- AL NAIMI SAYS P...":
First, AIDS is not a virus, it is a condition. Second, the idea that HIV causes AIDS is highly debated by many intelligent researchers and retrovirus doctors, Peter Duesgerb being one of the most vocal and well-researched. This in mind, you must question SWINE flu reports as much as you would any other corporate controlled propaganda...
The UK Minister for Energy and Climate Change, literally the most influential politician in the UK regarding the collapse, Ed Milliband, was questioned by the Transition Towns founder about peak oil recently.
http://transitionculture.org/2009/04/21/the-big-energy-shift-and-discussing-peak-oil-with-ed-milliband/
"My question was “how can the Government still support its position that peak oil is something we don’t need to worry about until 2030, in the light of the growing evidence to the contrary, such as the recent International Energy Agency World Energy Outlook report and its exhortation that “we must leave oil before it leaves us?”
“Who asked this question?” he asked. I put up my hand, and he walked down to where I was sitting. He said, as he walked, that peak oil is something on which there is disagreement from the experts, and that the tone of my question suggested that I knew what I was talking about (!) He then got to me and asked me why I had asked the question.
I said that there is mounting evidence that peak oil is an issue of profound importance and that there is less debate than he might think. I argue, I said, that when planning for the future, we need to look at peak oil and climate change together, just responding to climate change is insufficient. When we look at peak oil, we need to look at the rebuilding of resilience alongside the cutting of carbon. The challenge presented by this country’s dependence on liquid fuels is huge, I said.
His response rather danced around the issues, and my account of it is compiled from near illegible notes I attempted to make as I looked the other way, trying to engage with him as he talked. Anyway, the general gist was as follows. Oil prices have recently fallen again, and this brings with it a danger in assuming that those low prices will stay, but we really cannot assume that those prices will stay low. Two things we can be certain of are climate change and the fact that demand from India and China will drive oil prices back up again at some point. The fact that oil prices will rise again is a very difficult message for politicians. What Government can do, he concluded, is to drive for low carbon solutions. We need them, we need to plan for them, and we have ensure that they are fair. What one thing would you suggest government do about the peak oil question, he asked me…
“How long have you got” I thought, but responded that the Government needs to move beyond this argument that because there is debate among experts that there is therefore not a problem. It should follow the lead set by other nations, such as Sweden and Ireland, and commission a study to set out clearly the implications of peak oil on the UK economy. I’ll look into this, he replied."
Mike:
I don't know how scientific these two articles are, but you might be interested in looking at them:
http://www.industryinet.com/~ruby/vac_spanish_flu.html
http://help.lockergnome.com/general/Guess-swine-flu-outbreak-occurred--ftopict57695.html
After reading your former articles on bioterrorism, as soon as I read that the swine flu appeared to be a mixture of three different strains of flu, the red flags went up. I find it interesting that the new cases are popping up in large metropolitan areas which are geographically very far apart, like in New Zealand. My son is currently taking a genetics course. His job for tomorrow is to ask his professor what he thinks about this strain of flu. If he brings back anything interesting, I'll write again.
I don't always have time to read everything on the blog in depth. Can you tell me what the best way to order your book so it gets on the top 100 list?
Mike, I love you, but you need to know that "it's NOT okay to eat pork"... and not for the reason that clerk probably gave. It's factory farming, thousands of animals in close proximity to each other, that produces these constantly morphing viri. Please read this book written by a friend of mine (available in its entirety for free here):
http://birdflubook.com/g.php?id=5
and educate yourself. Meat eaters want cheap, readily available supermarket meat but the way that is produced is rarely thought about. Better late than never. Another reason to localize..
I read the article on SA production and my memory dusted off something about the Iraqi oil flowing into Kuwait. It was speculated that the US didn't replace the meter because Iraqi oil was being diverted to SA to cover up the decline in SA production. It could entirely be possible that Obama has put an end to this. Thus the sudden and steep drop off and having to find an explanation. I think the excess oil may have been planned to goto the SOR because of the Bush Administrations request to expand the SOR to 1.5 Billion barrels, that the Democrats killed in Feburary. Add in that our new treasury sec was NY Fed President before his appointment. He'd be well aware of what was happening with that money and if it was being "adjusted" to show a lower oil output.
Just speculation.
IAMB: Iraq lags in oil meteringhttp://www.iraqoilreport.com/the-biz/iamb-iraq-lags-in-oil-metering/
Ninety-five percent of Iraq’s oil revenue is to be deposited into a Federal Reserve Bank of New York account called the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI). (The other five percent is set aside to pay for Saddam-era reparations, such as to Kuwait.) A U.N. resolution in 2003 established the IAMB to provide oversight and report on transparency of Iraq’s oil revenue.
MCR - Are you aware of electromethanogenesis?
Basically uses bacteria to create methane (natural gas) or methanol, which can be converted to gasoline!
check out this link for more info on the tech - http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2656/70/
here for a well thought out idea for the future of co2 based fuels - http://permaculture.org.au/2009/04/26/beyond-peak-oil-and-climate-change/
also a great tool for reforestation of any land without need for bringing in water to irrigate, the device creates water through condensation - http://infopatriots.blogspot.com/2009/04/waterboxx.html - we could create much food, fuel and places to live in our deserts and other lands that were previously thought to be unusable!
There IS some positive news out there. We are in the middle of transition. I still read you to keep tabs on whats going down, but its important for us to realize what is coming UP as well.
There is hope.
Much love and respect!
Dave Crossland:
I bounced from your comment over to Rob Hopkins' site
http://transitionculture.org/
His post on The Big Energy Shift (from which you snipped) I found to be interesting and, of course, a bit more expansive.
In the post, Ireland and Sweden are mentioned as being leaders re national governments acknowledging Peak Oil. The connections here struck me as self-evident: Colin Campbell/Ireland and Kjell Aleklett/Sweden (both ASPO International). There will be an Energy Ireland Conference this coming June in Dublin. Oddly enough, even though Dr. Campbell is listed as part of the Speaker Panel and will share facilitation for a workshop, he is not listed as a featured speaker, although John Topper, Managing Director, IEA Clean Coal Centre is!
Two comments to Rob's post I also found of particular interest. You can connect your own dots.
"Sweden is often refered to as some kind of role model when it comes to peak oil.
"I hate to say it, but the Swedish government has pretty much the same approach to peak oil as the UK government. Yes, our former Prime Minister Göran Persson did start up 'The commission on oil independence' aiming to make Sweden independent of oil by 2020. But it was based on the false assumption that we can switch from oil to biofuel in ten years time and the commission is now dead and gone.
"Actually the Swedish Energy Agency haven’t cared for any preparations for disturbances in the fuel supply, except the ones they are obliged to by the EU (keeping 90 days of consumtion in stock).
"Sweden keeps striving for business as usual as all other countries.Secondly, there is this comment re Ed Milliband's "connections:"
“His (Milliband's) current girlfriend is Justine Thornton, a Cambridge-educated barrister with the law firm 39 Essex Street. She specialises in environmental, planning and international law. In this work, she is currently working on projects for the German-owned energy company E.ON UK (formerly called Powergen). The company is proposing new power stations (including the controversial coal-fired plant at Kngsnorth in Kent and planned new nuclear) to be built in the UK.”Ah, the challenges of realpolitik! On the upside, please take into consideration the geographical size of both Sweden and Ireland. Something to keep in mind.
Hah. This kind of coincident seems awful famililar:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6178618.ece
"Ms Sturgeon also disclosed today that Cauld Craw - a four-week civil contingency exercise involving hospitals, ambulance services and other agencies to prepare the country for an eventual flu pandemic had been delayed because of the swine flu outbreak.
She told the Good Morning Scotland programme that Cauld Craw - Scots for Cold Throat - had been due "by sheer coincidence" to start this morning. "Obviously that has now been suspended," she said."
China quietly builds gold reserve
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8020721.stm
From the article:
"China has reported that it has been secretly increasing its gold reserves.
"It was able to keep it secret by buying domestically produced metal, almost doubling the amount of gold it holds to more than 1,000 tons."
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