How are things in YOUR country?
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Mike, I was watching a piece on Al Jazeera America regarding fracking in Northern Ireland and how that would impact the Shannon river, I'm not sure if or how you will be affected but interested in your opinion of this.
Here in Texas we have had so many issues from water that you can light to extreme tremors and mild quakes.
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@aerilius said:
Those (the quote) are the type of opinions that I've only heard when the media search hard for a "contra" opinion to have a nice pro&contra. I don't know any person who thinks so.
There is also a small new eurosceptics party in Germany (AfD). What if Europeans elect such alternatives or even Nationalists, that all contradict each other? Can there be an "International Union of Nationalists"?
I think this would be contra productive. It might be true that we need to optimise the balance of subjects that are better handled by the EU or by individual states, but the way to do this (ie. to agree to increase/reduce EU involvement) can only be a common European way, and not a way of disagreement.I take your point Aerilius and can understand where you are coming from.
Fundamentally I feel the EU as it stands is a mess. As they say, 'One Size Does Not Fit All' and this is what I see being forced in the periphery countries.
I also am not happy about how the EU Commission and Presidency is elected. Neither are done truly democratically as far as I'm concerned and until this becomes the situation I think we would be better off 'running at our own speeds' and go back to the Common Market idea with our own currencies and build from there on a more sensible model.
Also on the currency end of things, I think we could be seeing a new global trading currency / note backed to some extent by PMs, gold / silver. It looks that China and Russia also other BRICS countries have this in mind and the US may have no option but to join the basket of currencies also ....... could be the beginning of the New World Order!
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Inflation unknown as fudged by government, supposed to be 2%, but probably 6% as food basics keep climbing. unemployment ~6% and probably rising. banks all bailed out by current right wing gov. recent earthquake in Christchurch being hailed as economic boom, but really is just NZ$40 billion that could've been spent elsewhere. we still have free education and medical care.
NZ's core economic problem (IMO) is cultural, where the economy switches en masse to new ideas, so we've had rural booms (manufacturing has been gutted by a no-tariff system and most goods now imported from Asia - if we ever have a real oil shock, we'll be in trouble as there's little industrial capability left) based on: kiwifruit, deer, forestry, grapes, a brief flirtation with olives, and now dairy farming. But at core the focus is on quantity, so the result is a sudden correction, either when the market saturates, our competitors catch up or a disease occurs - most crops underlying this are monocultures with the attendant disease risk - e.g. kiwifruit got a virus and died off.
Rural land prices being driven up by dairy boom, but Rabobank has reported that this should end soon as we have no competitive edge, and the quality edge is falling off - it's difficult here (read - unhelpful/antagonistic government) to be an organic (or be environmentally aware) farmer. Farm debt is nz$50 billion and becoming a concern. Monsanto has been visiting a lot trying to influence government and ensure tht organic farming etc never happens (very little reporting on this though as most media Fairfax controlled, also anything technical here seen as progress, also ecological solutions are difficult to monetize and so are a threat to corporations - sounds paranoid but "by their fruits shall you know them").
Forestry has been hard hit as previous gov. signed kyoto, while the right-wing were too gutless to pull us out, and with the carbon price collapse no one is planting trees - rules here around carbon and trees are so confusing that growers have become wary of planting. The dairy boom is also at work here too as poorer land that should've gone to forestry is being made into pasture.
house prices heading towards another bubble. we still have free education and medical care, although health insurance is a good idea as queues are long, cost is quite low though.
A bit like a smaller version of Canada in that each region has its own economy, not that government aportions funding back to the contributing areas - farming makes the money, but most money spent in the cities, so rural roading, hospitals and telecoms generally suffer. And all cities are on major faultlines / volcanoes so that's a winning strategy eh !?
we have a right wing government who are constantly straining to sell off state assets, mine the oceans, legalise GE, frack everything and generally *&^% the planet, as well as run off to war whenever the US whistles.
our climate is seriously out of whack, with extended droughts, winters (generally) much warmer than usual, a dramatic increase in tornados! and larger, more eratic storms. What interests me about climate reporting is how little media discussion there is about the possible causes of the eratic weather - this (http://blogs.channel4.com/liam-dutton-on-weather/weakening-jet-stream-means-stormy-outlook/5923) is one of the few pieces that explores some causes.
That said I've traveled a lot and this is still the best spot on the planet, but it's sure getting expensive to live here.
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@solo said:
Mike, I was watching a piece on Al Jazeera America regarding fracking in Northern Ireland and how that would impact the Shannon river, I'm not sure if or how you will be affected but interested in your opinion of this.
Here in Texas we have had so many issues from water that you can light to extreme tremors and mild quakes.
Pete, I'm fairly up to speed on fracking as half of Co. Clare, where I live, is shale and its been licensed for exploration however the government has not yet given the go ahead for the extraction. There are a lot of strong anti-fracking groups that are pressurising to stop all fracking.
Northern Ireland is part of the UK so the Irish Government has no say, well not much, when it comes to fracking in Northern Ireland. I have also read what you mention, potential polution to the River Shannon (longest river in the British Isles or the Western Atlantic Archipelago, as some like to call it!) and as there are plans to draw drinking water from the Shannon to Dublin (Capital), there could be huge implications.
I approached fracking with an open mind but after some study and research I would prefer to leave the shale alone. My main concerns are, the fracking companies will not say what chemicals are bing used as they say its a trade secret! The system executed under strict supervision cannot guarantee that there will be no leaks of methane to the ground water table. There is also the problem of disposal of the toxic (unknown) waste. And finally there could be issues with potential earth tremors.
The upside is that farming community in the Republic of Ireland are a close knit bunch and I doubt that it will be that easy for fracking companies to lease/ purchase land from then. I would go as far to say that breaking ranks would be a rare enough thing.
Bottom line for me is No Fracking In The Island of Ireland! We should concentrate on renewables and wait for development of this,
Scientists announce breakthrough in quest for fusion power
[![fusion-breakthrough[1].jpg](/uploads/imported_attachments/yjJC_fusion-breakthrough1.jpg)
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@unearthed said:
That said I've traveled a lot and this is still the best spot on the planet, but it's sure getting expensive to live here.
Thanks for the great overview on NZ. I have a special interest as my daughter, her hubby (a Kiwi) and our grandson will moving to Auckland in September this year. As our other daughter is located in Sydney and intends settle there, we could be moving lock stock and barrel in a couple of years as soon as I get my pensions sorted out
Even though NZ has lots of problems and which country doesn't, t looks to be a great place to live and your confirmation is good to here
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Hi Mike, Why Auckland (I lived there 12 yrs)?, is it for a job, because if not there're much nicer parts - I live about 1600km (allow 4-5 days for a comfortable drive: there's a lot of windy bits) drive south of Auckland and have lived all over NZ , with the last 15 yrs in the South Island, which has much lower population and is more scenic than the other one, if you want any other info pls PM me
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@unearthed said:
Hi Mike, Why Auckland (I lived there 12 yrs)?, is it for a job, because if not there're much nicer parts - I live about 1600km (allow 4-5 days for a comfortable drive: there's a lot of windy bits) drive south of Auckland and have lived all over NZ , with the last 15 yrs in the South Island, which has much lower population and is more scenic than the other one, if you want any other info pls PM me
Auckland is where Rob's extended family is located, so naturally that is where they will base themselves. Thanks for you kind offer and I will most definitely ask any questions that crop up.
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Mike
One of the real concerns with fracking is the amount of clean surface, and in some cases ground water it takes to frack a well or shale bed, as this is the main medium the in the fracking fluid.
In areas of Alberta where there is heavy fracking there is a noticeable depletion of surface water. Fracking is up for review there this year and there are rumblings it may be stopped. However, the cynic in me doubts it, as I have yet to see money not trump environmental concerns. -
@dale said:
Mike
One of the real concerns with fracking is the amount of clean surface, and in some cases ground water it takes to frack a well or shale bed, as this is the main medium the in the fracking fluid.
In areas of Alberta where there is heavy fracking there is a noticeable depletion of surface water. Fracking is up for review there this year and there are rumblings it may be stopped. However, the cynic in me doubts it, as I have yet to see money not trump environmental concerns.Dale, I somehow agree with you when you say, '... the cynic in me doubts it, as I have yet to see money not trump environmental concerns'
I would not be surprised to see the fracking / oil companies arguing that Global Warming will solve the fresh water shortage when the Ice Caps melt
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Dale, I said that 'tongue in cheek' but at the same time!!!!!
Something I've noticed over the past 5 years since the financial crash of 2008, is that a lot of ordinary folks that otherwise took little or no notice to local, national and global politics, are now starting to take a much more serious interest and doing their own research on what their elected reps are up to.
This can be seen from the many on-line blogs, newly formed grass root groups and such. I think that there is definitely a mass movement, although uncoordinated, that wishes to take more direct and ongoing control over their lives and not leave their fate in the hand of a few for periods of 5 years plus at a time.
The WWW is probably one of the main reasons for the resurgence of 'People Power', however we have a long way to go to get back to some kind of true democracy
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The money/bank system is one of the main keys to understanding our world.
Q: The money we all use everyday for shopping, the money in our bank accounts, where do they come from?
A: They are debts.
Meaning we have a debt based money system. If all debts were repaid there would be no money in existence. Understanding this is very important.
This is the reason every nations debt is increasing. This is as pyramid scheme which demands economic growth and population growth . All because of the interest. I will simplify this by an example.
Say we have an isolated village of 10 people who are functioning with an economy like we have today. They need some money to exchange services and goods. Today this money comes from debt. Say 5 of them go to the bank and make a loan for $200 each, 10% interest. Total debt $1000. This money they use amongst themselves to exchange goods and services. 1 year later they have to pay back their loans 1000 + 10% = $1100. The problem is where do they get the 10 % from, there is not enough money to pay back the interest.
The solution: make another loan to pay the interest.
The villagers get into bigger and bigger debt, they have to work harder and harder and they soon find another temporary solution. We need more people who can make new loans and grow the economy. You see this is what all the talk about economic growth is all about. To keep the pyramid scheme going. To pay the interest on the loans.
A more detailed explanation:
http://www.permanentculturenow.com/the-real-economic-scandal-understanding-the-debt-based-economy/
http://www.bullnotbull.com/archive/our-debt-money-system.htmlThis is why they try to get carbon credits going. That is another Ponzi scheme.
Five “climate exchanges” have already been set up that deal in the buying and selling of carbon credits. The two larger exchanges are the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), and Europe’s European Climate Exchange (ECX),
There is the stock market, where stocks and bonds are traded, and a commodities market where things like gold and silver and corn, wheat and soybeans are traded. Now come the carbon exchanges where carbon credits in the form of derivatives will be bought and sold.
Banks and other entities will be buying carbon credits, packaging them up, and selling them by the trillions. This is already well in motion in Europe, where carbon offsets have been being traded since 2005.
Everyone is set up and ready to go. The big banks have been investing in carbon friendly enterprises—Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Bank of America and Citigroup are some of the players. Not to be outdone, the World Bank has joined the CCX and now operates a Carbon Fund for Europe that helps countries meet their Kyoto Protocol requirements. Major corporations, including the large oil companies, are strong supporters of cap‐and‐trade legislation and are members of these carbon exchanges as well. And remember, the emission standards do not increase with population growth or increases in the number of plants or factories or their output. They are capped and are then lowered. Therefore carbon credits will continue to rise in price, as the supply will steadily decrease, driving higher demand. Escalating profits are built in if governments mandate the standards.
And standing on deck to become the first carbon billionaire is none other than . . . Albert Arnold Gore, Jr.This is not about saving the planet it is about making money. Think about the Catholic church and indulgencies. Its exactly the same. Pay your masters some money or you are doomed.
Do anybody really believe that increase in co2 levels are the cause for the increase in meteors and eartquakes. Yes the climate is changing but not because of co2. That is a scam.To sum it up: Understanding the money system is Critical to understanding what goes on. Remember an uninformed population is very easy to control. If the powers that be had our best interest in mind we would be informed. We are getting shafted ... royaly.
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Thanks for your input Rodger. Its good to see others digging deeper into what is going on. I've been doing it for a couple of years after I started to get a 'fishy smells'
Prior to my digging around I was under the naive impression that when I got a loan from a bank they loaned me money that depositors had lodged and both the bank and the depositors got a split of the interest I paid back. In other words, if the deposits were not lodged by others, there would be no money for me to borrow and pay interest on! What an uninformed fool I was.
It looks that this magic creation of currency is now coming to an end. The puppet masters that thought up this racket did not seriously expect it to last forever and Carbon Tax is the next racket on the agenda to hoard wealth.
Al Gore! I never found him credible at any time and it looks that others think the same particularly a he seems not to practice what he preaches,
For example,
*'In February 2007, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research revealed that the gas and electric bills for the former vice president’s 20-room home and pool house devoured nearly 221,000 kilowatt-hours in 2006, more than 20 times the national average of 10,656 kilowatt-hours. These figures were not disputed by Gore.
“If this were any other person with $30,000-a-year in utility bills, I wouldn’t care,” said the Center’s 27-year-old president, Drew Johnson. “But he tells other people how to live and he’s not following his own rules.”*
I could not find a rebut by Gore on the Net, so I take this to be the situation until I learn otherwise ..... I doubt I will.
Its worth watching the videos on Al Gore Set To Become First “Carbon Billionaire”, here, http://www.prisonplanet.com/al-gore-set-to-become-first-carbon-billionaire.html
I think Alex Jones' comment on the first video says a lot, "Hey! Should we ban Dihydrogen monoxide, its bad for the environment!" The average person will sign your petition for the banning of water! Yes, Dihydrogen monoxide is water'
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I have more or less always felt something is not right With this system. In 2008/2009 I decided to find out more about the economy. I have learned more the last 5 years than the 40 years before 2008. It is just mind boggling what is really going on.
The good thing is this knowledge can really empower you after the initial shocks. So I keep on reading books and watching movies.We have not noticed much of anything here in Norway yet, so I am wondering how it will be when it hits here.
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@rogerb said:
We have not noticed much of anything here in Norway yet, so I am wondering how it will be when it hits here.
From what I have been reading about Norway, the country is on a fairly sound footing. At least you guys would appear to have developed your own natural resources (oil) and not allowed the big multi nationals to rape the country.
For many years the Irish were led to believe that we had little or no natural resources. Current and past governments have more or less given these resources away for pennies! It now looks that Ireland has substantial oil / gas recourses in OUR part of the Atlantic. Hopefully we will follow Norway's example and learn how to develop these resources ourselves ...... but again that would involve electing politicians with some gray matter or at least honest! Maybe in time, hopefully.
Just watching what is happening in the Ukraine. It looks that it will take some time for the EU or Russia debate to be resolved.
UKRAINE PROTESTS: - KIEV Turns into a BATTLEFIELD
[bbvideo 640,480]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=yHAywlBxFFQ -
I apologize for automatic translation.
A recent article by Francesco Alberoni (a sociologist, journalist and writer. Italian)
An x-ray of Italy based on an incident.
The final sentence is very significant ...--------------------If in the last century the people of Kerala had done captured two British soldiers , Britain would have just given the order to free them.
Things of the past tell me , has now disappeared from the colonial era . But imagine now that Italians all take a ship from two U.S. marines and want to trial for terrorism. The U.S. government would require us for their immediate release . And the same would happen with Russian soldiers , Chinese or Indian . What allows India to take our marines prisoners , transferring them from one side to the other , capriciously to postpone the dates of the process is the fact of being a great power with respect to which we are a nazioncina trembling and that counts for nothing that no one's interests to defend . In fact, even the UN has responded to 're on our own . The only entity which according to some is the European Union should intervene . But it is an illusion to think so.
The European Union does not have a state, not a government, not an economic policy , foreign policy , an army. Can not print money , put duties , establish immigration quotas , do not even have a border police. Ie it is not a great power in a condition to communicate on the same plane with the other . Something in our favor could do nations like England, France and Germany , but , beyond the words of the facade, did not care . In Europe, Italy is in a position of absolute subordination , it is always under attack , he must constantly account for everything he does . It is the last of the class. And this makes us uncertain , timid , clumsy . India had cleverly found a way to return the two marines in Italy , but we, too fearful, we sent them to him back.
The case of the sailor is just one example of the confusion that is now Italy . In all fields. And it is unnatural that continues . Especially in physics, as in biology or in social systems , when the disorder exceeds a certain threshold is always an unpredictable reaction that sweeps away the old and unable to renew reconstitutes the social order on a new basis . We are very close to this time.
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Roberto,
I understand exactly what you are saying and particularly agree with the following,
@micione said:
The European Union does not have a state, not a government, not an economic policy , foreign policy , an army. Can not print money , put duties , establish immigration quotas , do not even have a border police. Ie it is not a great power in a condition to communicate on the same plane with the other . Something in our favor could do nations like England, France and Germany , but , beyond the words of the facade, did not care . In Europe, Italy is in a position of absolute subordination , it is always under attack , he must constantly account for everything he does . It is the last of the class. And this makes us uncertain , timid , clumsy . India had cleverly found a way to return the two marines in Italy , but we, too fearful, we sent them to him back.
The Eurocrats 'Puppeteers' when setting up the EU got the 'cart before the horse'. Europe should have continued with the open market we had which was running fine. I think we didn't need the € as the sole currency and I dare say the majority of the EU member states are now having second thoughts. Maybe we should have ran with dual currencies, a member country's own currency for domestic use and the € for trade. The only country the € suited was Germany to my way of thinking. At least it helped in the reunification of West and East Germany. I doubt it would have been as quick under the Mark.
I have been thinking about centralised governments, the EU Commission / Parliament and the Fed and feel that they are not really required these days. In this digital age, which facilitates more or less instant communications, I don't think we need all these multi-level bureaucracies (Administration of a government chiefly through bureaus or departments staffed with non-elected officials) and quangos.
In the Western World over the past 20 years, much higher percentages of the general population are 'clued in' when it comes to politics, economic, environmental matters et and are seeking more hands-on ongoing control over their destiny. A case in point, the pro EU group in the Ukraine as mentioned in an above post.
There now disturbing movements between Germany and the USA, Striking Back: Germany Considers Counterespionage Against US http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/germany-considers-counterespionage-measures-against-united-states-a-953985.html#ref=rss The 'bottom line' as far as Angela is concerned, 'Merkel needs a scalp. It remains unclear exactly what it will look like'.I don't know how many of you have heard of the British TV 'comedy', Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. Rather than a comedy I now see it as parody, one that rings so true! Past episodes of Yes, Minister may be found here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aom7Cwvt56U
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The situation with the Ukraine and the Crimea is much in the news. I've been readings and learning all I can about the current and historic position and feel that things are going to get very, very messy before they get better.
Sunday next there is going to be a referendum in Crimea on whether or not they stay part of the Ukraine or join the Russian Federation.
There are a lot of questions being raised about the actual format the ballot is taking. It seems Voters can vote for one of the following,
**“Are you in favour of the reunification of Crimea with Russia as a part of the Russian Federation?”
“Are you in favour of restoring the 1992 Constitution and the status of Crimea as a part of Ukraine?”**
The first choice is clearly to rejoin Russia. The second is not as clear cut and many opinions are that it could be a slow motion reunification with Russia. There is no option to remain with the status quo, then again what the actual status quo is, who really knows!
I like to hear from any SCF members that live in these areas and hopefully get a better insight.
Mike
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My post from May 2011 about WWIII:
@srx said:
google "USA bankrupt"
USA is lost. It has nothing...and has to take from others no meter what.
IMO people have to fight corporations instead of looking for new Indians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am171j-O4EM%26amp;feature=player_embedded
This is the real reason for Sadam - Irak, Osama Bin Laden - Aphganistan, (Milosevic - Serbia Kosovo), Mubarak - Egypt, Assad - Syria Gadaphi - Lybia... Osama Bin Laden - Pakistan? It is too close to China...People, it's too much!
If you look at this graph, U'll see that last time it was up - BUM! WWII, and now we reached the top again
WHAT DO YOU THINK?My post from January 2014 about Ucraine:
@srx said:
When liberal capitalism is in crisis it feeds and support hate to revitalize. This process is called fascism. Look at Ukraine. Liberal capitalism is supporting fascism, like in 1939....
My post from Mart 2014:
I don't know what reputation this man has in USA, but his writing is very truth.
http://www.voltairenet.org/article182587.htmland a picture explaning it all:
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SRX, a picture is worth a thousand words, as they say
I very much doubt that the current tensions between any of the opposing factions will result in out and out war as we have see in the past. The presence of nuclear weaponry in many country's arsenals is the deterring factor, it would be a total Loose / Loose situation.
Albert Einstein was often quoted as saying***"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."***
I'm inclined to think it will come down to financial control and we see signs of this already happening. If the US keeps up its pressure on the Russian Federation with regard to the Ukraine / Crimea and China with regard to its 'claimed off shore islands', I would not be surprised to see attempts being made to dethroned the petrodollar by some type of a BRICS currency.
On the other hand I also would not be surprised if the 'real' powers that be already have in mind a total financial re-set. It would seem to many that the current system is clearly on its last legs!
Baron Nathan Mayer Rothschild once said,"I care not what puppet is placed on the throne of England to rule the Empire, ... The man that controls Britain's money supply controls the British Empire. And I control the money supply." Never a truer word has been said
SRX, I notice in your own neck of the woods that many Serbians would appear to be having second thoughts about joining the EU in 2020! http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/serbian-support-for-eu-membership-falls-as-state-journeys-to-accession-1.1722561
The EU is not all its 'cracked up to be'. I think the EU elections coming next May will throw a lot more euro skeptics into the mix and that might not be such a bad thing as I feel 'one size does NOT fit all'.
Case in point, for many years now Ireland has had Milk Quotas. This meant that dairy farmers could only produce a certain amount of milk! I could never fully understand the logic of this policy when a large proportion of the world is under nourished.
The good news this month is that these milk quotas are being lifted and the country will be getting back to what its good at ..... producing high quality food
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