From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog

"The IMF’s eleven-fold increase in its fire-fighting fund, announced earlier this week, is a sign that the endgame for the global debt markets is approaching."
Deja Vu Department: IMF Says Rising Government-Debt Levels Pose Biggest Risk to Global Economy

Greece's Borrowing Costs More Than Double on Concern Nation Will Default
Soros: Even With A Bailout, Greece Could Create A European Death Circle

500-Euro Bill Raises Risk of Crime, Terror, Tax Fraud, Bank of Italy Says

Two New York City's-Worth Of Hotels Are Being Built In China Right Now
For Cash-Strapped States, Sin is Sure Lucrative
Carl Levin: Another "big shoe" to drop at Goldman
Did the SEC Bait Goldman Sachs? Sam Antar, Criminal CFO of Crazy Eddie Makes the Case
Bottom Line: Goldman Says ACA And IKB Should Have Known Better, But They're Going To Settle

Did Goldman Commit Fraud? - Janet Tavakoli

Paulson to Buy 13% Stake in American Capital

Cassandra, the Ignored Prophet of Doom, Is a Woman for Our Times

Intelligence‎

Cyberattack on Google Said to Hit Password System

Ice Cap Thaw May Awaken Icelandic Volcanoes; Abdullah: Summertime War Possible

From Jenna Orkin

Headlines
Abdullah: Summertime War Possible
Joint Chiefs Chair: No, No, No. Don't Attack Iran.
Al-Qaeda's Two Top Leaders in Iraq Are Killed During Raid, Al-Maliki Says

Volcano
Ice cap thaw may awaken Icelandic volcanoes: Scientific American
The Possible Impact of the Icelandic Volcanoes on Energy Production
Experts consider second Icelandic eruption possible
Google Hiring Private Jets To Fly Marooned Staff Home From Europe

Energy
Governments Worried about Peak Oil
When the U.S. energy secretary spoke of "peak oil"
China Lends Venezuela $20 Billion, Secures Oil Supply
One of World's Biggest Oil Producers Going Bust
Tema refinery shuts due to oil shortage
Why Intel Wants to Get into Energy
The coming famine: risks and solutions for global food security

Economy
Greece Credit-Default Swaps at Record as Icelandic Ash Smothers Aid Talks
Meet Nick Clegg, The Man Who Holds Britain And The Pound In The Palm Of His Hands Morgan Stanley: 'Bridge Painting' Stimulus Is Over, Now Come The Real Industrial Projects
Welcome To Main Street: Truly The Most Depressing Commercial Real Estate Project We've Ever Seen
Biggest State Budget Woes
Top 1% Control 42% of Wealth in US
Hirschhorn: Is the Market Rigged?
On average, traders' winning percentage is 45 to 50 percent. Think about that.
Blame Ratings Agencies, Not Goldman: Ratings Exec
German government considers suing Goldman
Introducing the "fabulous Fab" Fabrice Tourre

Terror/Intelligence
Why is FEMA Trying to Cover Up NLE 10
Army Tests Flying Robo-Sniper
Israeli Journalists Urge Shin Bet: Don't Press Charges Against Uri Blau
Google Backs Yahoo in Privacy Fight with DOJ

From Secrecy News:

DHS SAYS IT CANNOT STOP PRIVATE POSTING OF SENSITIVE INFO
The law does not authorize the Department of Homeland Security to regulate or penalize the publication of sensitive transportation security-related information on private websites, the Department advised Congress (pdf) recently.

"What Went Wrong: Torture and the Office of Legal Counsel in the Bush Administration," May 13, 2009.
"The Proposed U.S.-UAE Agreement on Civilian Nuclear Cooperation,"
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, October 7, 2009 (published March 2010).
"The Impact of U.S. Export Controls on National Security, Science and Technological Leadership,"
House Foreign Affairs Committee, January 15, 2010 (published March 2010).

And...
Locust-infested town puts them on pizza
Five minute recipes from St. John the Baptist.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Pentagon chief raises threat of attacking Iran

From Jenna Orkin

Headlines
Pentagon chief raises threat of attacking Iran
Iran Hoarding Oil At Sea Because They Can't Sell It
Economic impact to bite if cloud lingers
Iceland Volcano Eruption Forces Cancellation of 77% of Europe Flights, Possibly Until April 22; Fascinating images
Europe counts benefit of saved carbon emissions
Not to mention conserved oil.
The Volcanic Ash From Eyjafjallajökull Is Worsening, Showing No Signs Of Letting Up
Volcanic ash relentless as new tremors rock Iceland
The eruption in 1812 lasted two years.

Economy

The Dodd Bill Will Kill America's Job Creation Engine
State Tax Revenues Likely Decline Record 6th Straight Quarter; Investors not Compensated for Risk on Illinois, California Bonds California Unemployment Hasn't Peaked Yet

And 100,000 Californians will lose their benefits this weekend.
Clinton Says Rubin, Summers Gave Him `Wrong' Advice on Derivatives Rules
Cutback risk to 500,000 mental health patients

Merrill Lynch Accused of Same Fraud as Goldman Sachs; Tip of the Iceberg of Fraud Charges

Saint-Etienne Swaps Explode as Financial Weapons Ambush Europe - from Rice Farmer

General election 2010: Labour promises Mandarin in schools - from Rice Farmer

Terror/Unrest/Intelligence

Thai army sends troops to Bangkok financial district

Microsoft's Chinese workforce, too tired to stay awake
The organisation said that one worker was even fined for losing his finger while operating a hole punch press.

Spam Suspect Uses Google Docs; FBI Happy

PS to the person asking about gold: We do not recommend numismatics.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

India Monitoring Security After US Terror ALert; DC Consider Decline of World Oil in 2011

From Jenna Orkin

Headlines
India monitoring security after U.S. terror alert
Numerous Derivative Swap Deals Blow Sky High In Europe
Regulators seize eight banks
Possible Run on the Gold Bank, Fed Insolvent, Currency Endgames in US Debt Crisis
Chinese Earthquake May Have Been Manmade, Say Scientists
Dams.
Washington Consider a Decline of World Oil Production As Of 2011 (Le Monde in English) Demand for oil to outstrip supply within two years
US Military Warns of Oil Shortage as Early as 2015
Now that we're face to face with Peak Oil, the timeline is taking on obsessive importance.

Environment/Science/Energy
Eyjafjallajökull Ash Cloud Could Cripple UK Food Imports Within Days
This might be just the beginning
The volcanic eruption in Iceland that paralyzed air travel may happen again -- and more frequently -- scientists say.
South Australia Rocked by Earthquake
New Guinea Earthquake
Detecting Earthquakes Before They Strike
Scientist issues warning over next Winter Olympics, flees Russia
Fresh goods for supermarkets rot in Kenya
Human Genes to Be Injected Into Goats, Sheep, Cows
Gore Takes Money for Water Campaign fromDow
Small Towns Take On the Energy Giants (Germany)

Terror/Intelligence
White Supremacist Rally Turns Violent
A group rallying against illegal immigration squares off withcounter-demonstrators in LA.
Haiti gang violence over quake aid
Former government supporters arm threaten to take up arms amid claims of the poor being ignored.
School District Snaps Secret Webcam Photos of Student - from Jon Noel
Clinton Finds Common Ground with OKC Bombing, Anti-Government Fervor
Bush's Illegal Wiretapping Tab: $612,000

Economy
HOLD EVERYTHING: The SEC's Fraud Case Against Goldman Seems VERY
The Tale of the Two Paulsons
China's New Rules to Curb Property `Madness' Will Take Effect Immediately
BRICs take baby steps toward greater global clout

Friday, April 16, 2010

S. Korea: External Explosion Sank Ship

From Jenna Orkin

Headlines
S. Korea: External explosion sank ship
Israel Fears US Wants to Impose Peace - from Vantage Point
Dr. Strangelove, Made in Israel - from Vantage Point
Thai police fear protesters are too strong
Black box from crashed Polish jet contains “dramatic” recordings
Kyrgyzstan President resigns, former Defense Minister arrested
Senators Move Carefully on Pentagon Cyber Command

Economy
U.S. Debt Headed To Possible 'Crisis' - from Rice Farmer
SEC Sues Goldman, Alleging Subprime Fraud
Ron Paul Vs. Ben Bernanke
Can China Cool Its Economy?
China's Q1 coal output increases 28% ‎
Why Is Baltic Dry Index Falling if World Is Recovering?

The Euro Has Now Given Up ALL Its Gains Since The "Bailout"

Greece May Spur German Rethink, Morgan Stanley Says - from Rice Farmer
"Germany might consider exiting Europe’s current monetary union to create a smaller bloc as the Greek crisis threatens to turn the euro area into a region of 'fiscal profligacy."
Debt Worries Shift To Portugal; Greece Borrowing Rates Back Near Highs
Weekly Claims Exceed Every Economist Forecast Second Consecutive Week; Easter Comes Twice A Year
Foreclosure Activity Hits Record 932,234 properties in First Quarter; Defaults Rise In Loan Modification Program; Statistical Nonsense on "Help"

Read our lips: no new taxes (and to hell with the results)
David Usborne: Money's so tight in Colorado Springs the street lights are dark. Yet residents are ecstatic.
Consumer mood unexpectedly worse in early April
Is America's Middle Class Going the Way of China?

Terror/Intelligence
How U.S. weapons technology is finding its way to Iran - from Rice Farmer
CIA chief approved destruction of waterboarding tapes

Troops Shift Political Parties
US terrorists as bad as al-Qaeda, says FBI head
Scientists Work to Keep Hackers Out of Implanted Medical Devices
NSA Official Faces Prison for Leaking to Newspaper

Networked Networks Are Prone to Epic Failure

Police told to turn in Tasers
Blackwater 'violated weapons law'
Can you disappear in surveillance Britain?

Science/Energy
Pandemic Still Threat to Young, Expert Says
"Phase changes have implications for switching from production of seasonal flu vaccine to pandemic vaccine. Moving to phase 6 also triggered advance purchase agreements that some Western countries had with drug companies.
'Swine flu has turned out to be less severe than feared, and critics have said the WHO created needless panic and caused Western governments to stockpile vaccines that were unused.
'David Salisbury, head of the WHO's vaccine advisory body, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), said it had become clear only last October that a single dose of vaccine would be sufficient to provide immunity for adults, and not two as generally expected."
Tainted Meat
Beekeeping diary: the wrong kind of breeding
"Missing" heat could haunt us
A second garbage patch: Plastic seen in Atlantic
Natural Gas May Be Worse for the Planet than Coal - from Rice Farmer
Danish Hotel Pays Its Guests to Generate Electricity on Exercise Bikes - from Rice Farmer

And...
John Cleese's £3,300 taxi fare
Monty Python's (non)flying circus: Volcanic ash cloud forces comedian to travel 1,000 miles by cab

Thursday, April 15, 2010

"ISREALI-HAMAS WAR IMMINENT IN LEBANON" - King Abdullah

Sorry folks. It's Hezbollah, not Hamas. I don't have Alzheimer's. It's sometimers. -- MCR

April 15, 2010 -- OK, this explains why Ahmadinejad wanted to pull 5 million out of Teheran this week and Israel just told all it's citizens to evacuate the Sinai. Of all possible explanations, this is the worst. Remember that potassium iodide I suggested a few months ago?.. I'm not kidding. Every other fianancial and energy indicator is flashing red right now. Peak Oil's gone mainstream. And the volume of forward-hedged buys passing June 2008 by miles yesterday says that players are expecting one of two things; either an imminent Israeli attack on Iran, (which a Hamas conflict could/would provoke); or a severe shortage of oil in the face of summer demand... or both. Japan is about to implode and all of the economic ugly chickens all over the world are flying home on afterburner.

If this war breaks out between Israel and Hamas in Jordan (and the Sinai), oil will almost immediately hit $95 to $100. If there is an attack on Iran, it will go to $200 as Iran moves to shut Hormuz. China will immediately launch an all-out cyber attack on the U.S. affecting internet and cell phone communications. China will also probably start dumping T-bills while simultaneously revaluing the Yuan. Hugo Chavez will next impose an oil embargo on the U.S. Oil prices might become so high as to be meaningless within weeks and immediately expose every stinking lie in congress and every stupid banking institution and central bank out there.

It may not be able to do much, but I pray that we get CollapseNet launched in time to do some good.

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/14/jordans_king_says_israel-hezbollah-lebanon_war_may/

I haven't felt way this since 1962 and the Cuban Missile Crisis. -- Tomorrow I'm coincidentally going to hang out in northern California with some great fans and musician friends for the weekend. Hope we're all here when I get back!

MCR
*************************************************************************
From Jenna Orkin

Headlines
George Soros Warns of Biggest Crash to Come
Markets Could Be Derailed Again, Warns Soros
Heavy Insider Stock Selling
IMF Chief: Banks Haven't Learned
Folks Are Freaking Out About Greece Again, And The Euro Is Puking
Deja Vu: Goldman Says Oil Is Going To $99
Some Predict $4 a Gallon
Saudi Oil Use to Grow Steeply
Syria says Israel may strike after Scud accusation
Israeli police hold largest terror drill ever - from Rice Farmer
20 dead in Myanmar terror attack
China's Control of Metals for U.S. Smart Bombs Prompts Calls for Hearings
Hey, how about we refuse to sell China our treasuries?
Russia suspends U.S. adoptions
The Truth Behind the Recent Unrest in Kyrgystan - from Vantage Point
40 Million on Food Stamps
Millions of Unemployed May Never Recover
Jobless claims jump in post-Easter volatility
Volcano Eruption Melts Glacier

Economy
SEC watchdog to fault Stanford probe: sources
Goldman Sachs drawn into insider-trading case
Chinese Economy Grows 11.9%, Highlighting Threat of Overheating
Fed Shouldn’t Reveal Crisis Loans, Banks Vow to Tell High Court
Ron Paul: "We Can Do Better With Peace Than With War"
Carlyle, CVC, Unison among Q'sai bidders: sources
U.K. Shuts Airports as Iceland Eruption Chokes Skies

Terror/Intelligence
Pakistan failed to protect Bhutto, probe death: U.N.
We should show them how it's done, what with our success with the Kennedy assassination and the Reagan attempt.
Military asserts right to return cyber attacks - from Rice Farmer
How far is too far in the sovereignty movements?
"But there is a different sort of terrorist the FBI says involves Americans attacking each other."
Hi Big Brother.
Lawmakers Are Working On Anti-Brain-Chip Bill - from Rice Farmer
Cops: Third-grader handed out heroin
How long before some terrorist is found to have inserted an explosive device in a baby's diaper (while it's on the baby?)
Mexico: Cartel wars kill 22,000
Mexican Government Targets Oklahoma
Kyrgyzstan Awaits `Serious' U.S. Economic Aid After Russia's $50 Million
Prospective U.S. Cyber Commander Talks Terms of Digital Warfare
Pentagon's Flying Car Program Takes Off
Library of Congress Archives Tweets, Google Searches Them
VISIONS OF THE FUTURE: 10% Of Kansas City Offices Are Located In Underground Bunkers
"Economic Impacts of Prison Growth" (pdf), April 13, 2010.
"About 770,000 people worked in the corrections sector in 2008 [and this number is expected to grow].... By comparison, in 2008 there were 880,000 workers in the entire U.S. auto manufacturing sector."

Science/Environment
Freaky Physics Proves Parallel Universes Exist - Fox
India has more mobile phones than toilets: UN report
Coldest weather in 30 years marks the start of a series of extreme winters
The environmental problems still afflicting North America

And...
Putin to be honoured for hip hop

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Crude Oil Shatters Record Volume in Nymex Trading; Lovelock: We Can't Save the Planet

From Jenna Orkin

Headlines
Crude Oil Shatters Record Volume in Nymex Trading
Lovelock: We Can't Save the Planet
Seoul Cautious as Fingers Point at N. Korea - from Pandabonium
The Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources in South Korea said that at the time of the incident, a soundwave in the air equivalent to 260 kilograms of TNT exploding was detected. The amount equals the explosive power of a middle-size torpedo carried by North Korea's Sango-class submarine. The possibility of a sea mine causing the disaster is regarded as low.

The South Korean media and the public are increasingly leaning toward the theory that Pyongyang was involved. But the patrol ship did not detect anything that suggested a submarine or torpedo was in the area before the explosion.

Tipping Point: Near Term Systemic Implications of a Peak in Global Oil Production

Economy/US

Economic Recovery Still Not Spurring Jobs: Fed Chairman