• U.S., Russian negotiators ‘at the finish line’ on new START nuclear pact
      Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and the Russian foreign minister said after talks here that they awaited word soon from negotiators in Geneva who have been working 18-hour days to wrap up the agreement. The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is a top priority of President Obama, who initially had pledged to finish it [...] […]
  • Gender-Bender Chemicals are Turning Boys Into Girls
    The government of Denmark has released a 326-page report affirming that endocrine disrupting chemicals are probably continuing to the birth of fewer males and the "feminization" of existing ones. The report centers on chemicals like PVC, flame retardants, phthalates, dioxins, PCBs and bisphenol-A, all of which mimic the action of estrogen in the b […]
  • Hacker Disables More Than 100 Cars Remotely
      More than 100 drivers in Austin, Texas found their cars disabled or the horns honking out of control, after an intruder ran amok in a web-based vehicle-immobilization system normally used to get the attention of consumers delinquent in their auto payments. Police with Austin’s High Tech Crime Unit on Wednesday arrested 20-year-old Omar Ramos-Lopez, a forme […]
  • US Vice President Joseph Biden: ‘”I also see myself as a Zionist"
    US Vice President Joseph Biden First Visiting Foreign Dignitary to Lay Wreath at Tomb of Theodor Herzl, the founder of the political movement we have come to know as Zionism. US Vice President Joe Biden, with wife Dr. Jill Biden, lay a wreath at the tomb of [...] […]
  • European Parliament Rips Global IP Accord
      The European Parliament delivered a political blow to Hollywood and the Obama administration, voting Wednesday 663 to 13 in opposition to a proposed and secret intellectual property agreement being negotiated by the European Union, United States and a handful of others. Wednesday’s developments concerning the Anti-Counterfeiting and Trade Agreement are sub […]
  • Violence Mars Greek Protest
    Flights were grounded and trains suspended amid a nationwide general strike Thursday, as Greek police fought running street battles with anarchist youths in fresh and violent signs of anger at the government’s austerity plans. Unions called a strike to protest wage and benefit cuts being put in place to trim Greece’s swollen budget deficit as the [...] […]
  • Thailand braces for massive political protests
    Thailand braced for anti-government demonstrations that began Friday and were expected to peak over the weekend with as many as 150,000 protesters on the streets. In anticipation, the government has mobilized 50,000 security forces, said acting spokesman Panitan Wattanayakorn. The mass rallies are expected to be peaceful but Army spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewk […]
  • Brain scan can read people’s thoughts
    A scan of brain activity can effectively read a person’s mind, researchers said Thursday. British scientists from University College London found they could differentiate brain activity linked to different memories and thereby identify thought patterns by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The evidence suggests researchers can tell which mem […]
  • Obama Supports DNA Sampling Upon Arrest
    Josh Gerstein over at Politico sent Threat Level his piece underscoring once again President Barack Obama is not the civil-liberties Knight In Shining Armor many were expecting. Gerstein posts a televised interview of Obama and John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted. The nation’s chief executive extols the virtues of mandatory DNA testing of Americans upon arre […]
  • Drudge Virus Warning Blasted as Latest Free Speech Incursion
    The unusual e-mail sent to Senate staffers this week warning them not to visit The Drudge Report for fear of a virus has some critics crying foul, suggesting the missive is the latest attempt by Democrats to stifle dissent in the media. The Drudge Report, a popular Web site which aggregates news links, often trumpets [...] […]
  • Chief exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth says Devil is in the Vatican
    Sex abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church are proof that that “the Devil is at work inside the Vatican”, according to the Holy See’s chief exorcist. Father Gabriele Amorth, 85, who has been the Vatican’s chief exorcist for 25 years and says he has dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession, said that the consequences [...] […]
  • “Rather than monitoring hate groups, the Southern Poverty Law Center has become one.”
    A funny thing happened on the way to this week’s column — I got “targeted,” “frozen,” “personalized” and “polarized.” In other words, I got lumped in with the majority of Americans as the “radical right” — you know, the scary people who believe in God, the Constitution, family values, and an honest day’s work for an [...] […]
  • UK: Crackdown on dangerous dogs to make microchips compulsory for all
    All dogs are to be compulsorily microchipped so that their owners can be more easily traced under a crackdown on dangerous dogs to be unveiled today. The package will include extending the dangerous dogs law to cover attacks by dogs on private property to protect postmen, and making third-party insurance compulsory so that victims can be [...] […]
  • 11 More U.S. Airports Get Body Scanners
    Transportation officials announced Friday 11 more United States airports will begin receiving full-body imaging machines “By accelerating the deployment of this technology, we are enhancing our capability to detect and disrupt threats of terrorism across the nation,” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement. Despite concerns of privac […]
  • UK: Spy chips hidden in 2.5 MILLION dustbins: 60pc rise in electronic bugs as council snoopers plan pay-as-you-throw tax
    The growing threat of a stealth tax on the rubbish we throw away was exposed by startling figures yesterday. More than 2.5million homes now have wheelie bins fitted with microchips to weigh their contents. This is an increase of nearly two-thirds in just a year. The bins, which can be electronically identified and weighed, are designed for [...] […]
  • Saving Seeds: Cantaloupe
    Cantaloupes DO cross pollinate with other “melons” like other cantaloupes, musk melons, snake melons and Armenian cucumbers.  Separate therefore from other “melons” by a quarter mile. Choose early ripening, disease free fruits to save seed from. Wash seeds from ripe melons in a strainer, dry on a paper plate or paper sheet. Seeds are ready to store [...] […]
  • Saving Seeds: Squash and Zucchini
    Squash within the same species DOES cross pollinate, therefore species should be isolated by a quarter mile.  This will also reduce the danger of squash bugs spreading over all the crops if they pester one patch. Seeds should be taken from fruits that have surpassed maturity by 3 weeks already. Remove seed, wash, let dry on paper [...] […]
  • Saving Seeds: Cucumbers
    Cucumbers DO cross pollinate, so if you want pure seed, separate cucumber varieties from each other by a quarter mile. Seeds should be taken from fruit that has ripened past edible stage and begun to turn yellow and soften.  To get to the seeds, cut the cucumber lengthwise, scoop the seeds out, wash them and dry [...] […]
  • Saving Seeds: Carrots
    Carrots are biennial, that means, you can harvest seeds only in the second year. Carrots Do cross pollinate, so separate them 1/4 mile from other carrots in the first year.   In the second year, when they are going to seed, separate them also from Queen Anne’s Lace (about 1/4 mile). Dig carrots up before the hard frost [...] […]
  • Saving Seeds: Peppers
    Peppers DO cross pollinate, so separate varieties by about 500 feet, unless you can plant them in insect proof cages that are covered with window screen. Pick ripe, fully colored fruits that show no sign of disease to save seeds from.  Remove the seed core and place on a paper plate or thick paper sheet to [...] […]
  • Saving Seeds: Tomatoes
    Tomatoes usually do not cross-pollinate, at least not the modern varieties.  Potato leaf varieties should be separated by the garden’s length though. Pick one ripe fruit of each plant (at least), squeeze the seeds and juice into a strainer.  Then wash the seeds, spread them on a paper plate or thick paper sheet, and dry them. DO [...] […]
  • Saving Seeds: Beans
    Bean flowers are self-pollinating, so the danger of cross pollination is comparatively small.  It’s is recommended to separate different kinds of beans by a garden length though to ensure absolute purity. Save seeds from plants that ripen first and are disease free.  Harvest seed pods reserved for seed saving when they are dried completely.  Crush the [...] […]
  • Saving Seeds
    I know this might come a little early for many of you out there, but I will start a new “series” here, giving information about saving seeds of different plants. I guess you all know that it is not much use to save seed from hybrid plants as you never know what you are getting, but [...] […]
  • Tomato Suckers
    I mentioned suckers in an earlier post, saying that you can pinch them if you wish, but don’t have to – well, some people do not know what a sucker actually is. What is a sucker ? Suckers grow our between a tomato leaf branch and its stem.  If you pinch them off and stick them in [...] […]
  • Planting Cucumbers
    It is a good idea to plant cucumbers in hills so they can vine in peace and do not get too crowded. A week or two after your last frost date, make hills that are 4-5 feet apart from each other on all sides, and approximately 12” in diameter.  Plant 6-8 seeds per hill. After 3 weeks, [...] […]
  • Growing Tomatoes
    As tomatoes are most gardener’s favorite plant, especially but not exclusively amongst beginners, here are a few things that might be worth knowing about growing tomatoes.  If those among you who have decades of tomato growing experiences are unhappy with my information or have things to add, please feel free to comment Basically, all [...] […]
  • Marie Claire: How to plant a window garden
    Via: seattlepi.com 1. At a nursery, pick up seeds, potting soil, and a few small pots or a window box (it must be shorter than the length of your windowsill-measure first!). Get a container at least four to five inches deep with a drainage hole at the bottom. 2. Fill container with soil and place [...] […]
  • Good buys for gardeners
    If you are new to the wonderfully healthy and economical past time of gardening, this list might be interesting to you.  For all those who have been gardening for ages already, maybe you enjoy checking what this lady thinks is essential, and add what’s missing, from your own experience Via: baltimoresun.com By Susan [...] […]
  • The globalisation of addiction
    So here is a study that tells you, basically, that living in the countryside, close to nature, as a producer, instead of a synthetic, stressful environment where people live as consumers only, will prevent addictions, will even cure addictions, will be the best you can do for your children and yourself.  The addictions of our [...] […]
  • Gardening is getting more and more popular
    We finally got our seeds, accompanied by a nice letter from FEDCOs, and what they are telling their customers there did not come as a big surprise to us:  Fedco has had record sales this year, an over 40% growth in seed sales, which adds to the 20% growth they saw last year…  At a [...] […]
  • Planning your vegetable and herb gardens – Tips to save your family money by gardening
    Via: Seattle Garden & Kitchen Examiner A prolific garden can save your family a lot of money Food prices are continuing to rise while more and more products get recalled. It only makes sense that all of us considering ways to raise some of the food we eat. The more we food we raise, [...] […]
  • Have you ordered your seeds yet ?
    You might think it’s weird to think about the gardening season now, but it isn’t.  Even though your garden patch might be buried in snow right now, depending on where you are, you still need to get off your hindquarters and start planning now. 2009 might very well be the year when, for the first time [...] […]
  • Cloth diapers, again
    Just a short note today: We recently talked to a pediatrician who told us that she is seeing a lot more cloth diapers these days than she used to.   Most people are probably using cloth diapers now because they cannot afford throwaway diapers anymore, but it is still difficult to get decent diaper covers in any [...] […]
  • Apple Pie
    I suppose most of you have made millions of apple pies in your time, but if you are looking for a nice online description of how to bake one, I recently found a well made page about how to make apple pie from scratch, with lots of pictures and ingredients for both a lattice and [...] […]
  • An Old-Time “Refridgerator”, Easily Built: The Trash Can Root Cellar
    If you need storage that keeps your food cool without using electricity, a root cellar comes in very handy. There are a tremendous amount of different designs for root cellars out there – check out this site, for example: Root Cellars Their link to the garbage can root cellar is broken though, so here are some basic [...] […]

9/11 Truth Search: Planes didn’t take twin towers down

On 9/11, the world watched as two airplanes crashed into the twin towers of the world trade center, both of which collapsed shortly after. This much we know for sure, but for some, the cause of the collapse is still not so clear. Michael T Donly is a part of a group that says the [...]

Ex-Madoff Operations Director Arrested by FBI – CNBC

A former executive for imprisoned swindler Bernard Madoff’s firm was arrested Thursday and charged with concealing the scope of its multibillion dollar fraud and using at least $750 million of investor money to support the company’s trading arm.
The executive, Daniel Bonventre, was described by investigators as the director of operations of the Madoff firm [...]

Geithner Rejects Goldman Sachs Assertion It Didn’t Need U.S. Help

Geithner, 48, took issue with that, saying that the entire financial system was at risk at the height of the crisis, including Wall Street’s big institutions.…“None of them would have survived” had the government stood aside and let the crisis run its course, he said. “The entire U.S. financial system and all the major firms [...]

Obama’s feeble dollar sparks a new goldrush

Gold is at a new high this morning, @ 1,165.96
Visitors to America might have noticed the television ads urging us to buy gold. One such “spokesman”, formerly in charge of managing the government’s hoard of the yellow stuff, including the ingots buried at Fort Knox, points out that the value of gold has never fallen [...]

Grim reality still grips U.S. commercial real estate

Executives do not expect the U.S. commercial real estate market to emerge from critical condition any time soon, according to a survey by The Real Estate Roundtable.
Although the three indexes tracked by the “Sentiment Survey” have risen dramatically since the near-collapse of financial markets last year, they reflect the respondents’ collective sense of relief at [...]

Video: DETROIT Case Study: The Deindustrialization of America and Fall of the Republic

A look into Infowars.com exclusive footage documenting the collapse of Detroit, a case in the deindustrialization of America. Several key cities in the “Rust Belt”– once the backbone of U.S. industry– are now scheduled to be bulldozed and shrunk, destroying abandoned homes and re-wilding large portions of these industrial urban areas.
“Isnt the only hope for [...]

McDonald’s pulls out of Iceland

The Big Mac, a symbol of globalization, is pulling out of Iceland – a victim of this tiny island nation’s overexposure to the world financial crisis.
All three of Iceland’s McDonald’s restaurants – all in the capital Reykjavik – will close next weekend because the collapse of the Icelandic krona has pushed up the cost of [...]

McDonald’s pulls out of Iceland

The Big Mac, a symbol of globalization, is pulling out of Iceland – a victim of this tiny island nation’s overexposure to the world financial crisis.
All three of Iceland’s McDonald’s restaurants – all in the capital Reykjavik – will close next weekend because the collapse of the Icelandic krona has pushed up the cost of [...]

Hank Paulson Held A Secret Meeting With Goldman Sachs In Moscow

During that long summer between the collapse of Bear Stearns and the collapse of Lehman Brothers, Hank Paulson held a secret meeting with the board of Goldman Sachs in Moscow.…Felix Salmon has the appropriate reaction:
How on earth did Paulson think this was OK? Goldman Sachs was a hugely powerful for-profit investment bank, and there he [...]

Fewer US Millionaires: Europe Overtakes North America As Richest Region In the World

A new report on global wealth says that Europe has overtaken the United States to become the richest region in the world. But the Americans still have more millionaires then the EU — and should you want to marry one, you might be better off in Singapore or the Middle East.
From dishwasher to millionaire. If [...]

Treasury: US economy needs indefinite life support

The US economy is recovering from the shock of last year’s banking collapse, but could continue to need financial assistance for an indefinite period into the future, the Treasury Department stated in a report released Monday.
The report (PDF), entitled “The Next Phase of Government Financial Stabilization and Rehabilitation Policies,” states that “although we are rolling [...]

Colonial BancGroup shut by regulators

 
Regulators have shut down Colonial BancGroup Inc. CNB-N , a big lender in real estate development that buckled under the collapse of the market. It was the biggest U.S. bank to fail this year, with about $25-billion in assets.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. was appointed receiver of Montgomery, Ala.-based Colonial. The agency approved the sale [...]

The collapse in Britain’s economy now rivals the worst days of the Great Depression

Economic output shrank by 5.6pc in the 12 months to the middle of the year, according to official figures which shattered hopes that the recovery has already begun.
The Office for National Statistics said that Britain’s gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 0.8pc in the second quarter, following the unprecedented 2.4pc fall in the first three [...]

US banks warn on commercial property

Two of America’s biggest banks, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo, on Wednesday threw into sharp relief the mounting woes of the US commercial property market when they reported large losses and surging bad loans.
The disappointing second-quarter results for two of the largest lenders and investors in office, retail and industrial property across the US confirmed [...]

Goldman executives sold $700m of stock

Executives at Goldman Sachs sold almost $700m worth of stock following the collapse of Lehman Brothers last September, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Most of the sales occurred during the period in which the investment bank enjoyed the support of $10bn from the troubled asset relief programme.

The surge in selling among Goldman [...]

Global milk glut squeezes dairy farmers, consumers

A collapse in milk prices has wiped away the profits of dairy farmers, driving many out of business while forcing others to slaughter their herds or dump milk on the ground in protest. But nine months after prices began tumbling on the farm, consumers aren’t seeing the full benefits of the crash at the checkout [...]

Chrysler talks collapse, bankruptcy imminent

Talks between the Treasury Department and lenders aimed at keeping Chrysler LLC out of bankruptcy broke down Wednesday, making it all but certain the car maker will file for Chapter 11 protection Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported late Wednesday, citing people familiar with the discussions. Administration officials, who have been braced for a Chrysler [...]

U.S. Seeks Expanded Power to Seize Firms

The Obama administration is considering asking Congress to give the Treasury secretary unprecedented powers to initiate the seizure of non-bank financial companies, such as large insurers, investment firms and hedge funds, whose collapse would damage the broader economy, according to an administration document.
The government at present has the authority to seize only banks.
Giving the Treasury [...]

U.S. Seeks Expanded Power to Seize Firms

The Obama administration is considering asking Congress to give the Treasury secretary unprecedented powers to initiate the seizure of non-bank financial companies, such as large insurers, investment firms and hedge funds, whose collapse would damage the broader economy, according to an administration document.
The government at present has the authority to seize only banks.
Giving the Treasury [...]

U.S. Seeks Expanded Power to Seize Firms

The Obama administration is considering asking Congress to give the Treasury secretary unprecedented powers to initiate the seizure of non-bank financial companies, such as large insurers, investment firms and hedge funds, whose collapse would damage the broader economy, according to an administration document.
The government at present has the authority to seize only banks.
Giving the Treasury [...]

AIG warned of global turmoil before rescue

American International Group Inc had warned of turmoil around the globe if the government allowed the insurer to fail when it appealed to U.S. regulators for its latest rescue, Bloomberg said citing an AIG presentation dated February 26.
AIG needed immediate help from the Federal Reserve and Treasury to prevent a “catastrophic” collapse that would be [...]

Mexico troops move in to retake warring border city of Ciudad Juarez

Hundreds of heavily armed soldiers fanned out across Mexico’s bloodiest drug war city on Tuesday, trying to prevent a collapse in law and order just south of the U.S. border.
Sirens blared as the army staged one of its biggest troop build-ups in years in Ciudad Juarez, a desert city across the border from El Paso, [...]

Mexico troops move in to retake warring border city of Ciudad Juarez

Hundreds of heavily armed soldiers fanned out across Mexico’s bloodiest drug war city on Tuesday, trying to prevent a collapse in law and order just south of the U.S. border.
Sirens blared as the army staged one of its biggest troop build-ups in years in Ciudad Juarez, a desert city across the border from El Paso, [...]

Mexico troops move in to retake warring border city of Ciudad Juarez

Hundreds of heavily armed soldiers fanned out across Mexico’s bloodiest drug war city on Tuesday, trying to prevent a collapse in law and order just south of the U.S. border.
Sirens blared as the army staged one of its biggest troop build-ups in years in Ciudad Juarez, a desert city across the border from El Paso, [...]

Social Collapse Best Practices

An excellent article/talk, by Dmitry Orlov.  The piece is rather well written/transcribed, and elicited more than one chuckle during the reading process, and yet by the end I found it to be one of the more sobering presentations I have seen on what collapse might look like here in the US.
 Culture Change – Social Collapse [...]

Texas crafts plan for Mexico collapse

Source: El Paso Times
Texas officials are working on a plan to respond to a potential collapse of the Mexican government and the specter of thousands fleeing north in fear for their lives after recent reports indicated the country could be on the verge of chaos.
“You hope for the best, plan for the worst,” Katherine Cesinger, [...]

UK: Personal bankruptcies hit new record

Source: guardian.co.uk
Personal bankruptcy hit a record level and company failures soared by 50% as the collapse in the economy in the final three months of 2008 took its toll, official figures showed today.
Data from the Insolvency Service revealed that the steepest decline in output in almost 30 years led to 19,100 people being declared bankrupt [...]

RBS shares collapse after record losses

Source: The Independent
Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland collapsed today in the wake of the Government’s latest rescue bid and news that the bank is facing the worst loss in UK corporate history.
The NatWest parent company’s market value slumped below £5 billion after shares plunged by as much as 70 per cent at one stage.
RBS [...]

RBS shares collapse after record losses

Source: The Independent
Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland collapsed today in the wake of the Government’s latest rescue bid and news that the bank is facing the worst loss in UK corporate history.
The NatWest parent company’s market value slumped below £5 billion after shares plunged by as much as 70 per cent at one stage.
RBS [...]

RBS shares collapse after record losses

Source: The Independent
Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland collapsed today in the wake of the Government’s latest rescue bid and news that the bank is facing the worst loss in UK corporate history.
The NatWest parent company’s market value slumped below £5 billion after shares plunged by as much as 70 per cent at one stage.
RBS [...]

RBS shares collapse after record losses

Source: The Independent
Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland collapsed today in the wake of the Government’s latest rescue bid and news that the bank is facing the worst loss in UK corporate history.
The NatWest parent company’s market value slumped below £5 billion after shares plunged by as much as 70 per cent at one stage.
RBS [...]

RBS shares collapse after record losses

Source: The Independent
Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland collapsed today in the wake of the Government’s latest rescue bid and news that the bank is facing the worst loss in UK corporate history.
The NatWest parent company’s market value slumped below £5 billion after shares plunged by as much as 70 per cent at one stage.
RBS [...]

RBS shares collapse after record losses

Source: The Independent
Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland collapsed today in the wake of the Government’s latest rescue bid and news that the bank is facing the worst loss in UK corporate history.
The NatWest parent company’s market value slumped below £5 billion after shares plunged by as much as 70 per cent at one stage.
RBS [...]

Bush says sacrificed free-market principles to save economy

Source: The Raw Story
US President George W. Bush said in an interview Tuesday he was forced to sacrifice free market principles to save the economy from “collapse.”
“I’ve abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system,” Bush told CNN television, saying he had made the decision “to make sure the economy doesn’t collapse.”
Bush’s comments reflect [...]

Auto bailout bill dies in Senate

Source: CNN.com
The collapse of negotiations could possibly doom General Motors to a bankruptcy and closure in the coming weeks, with Chrysler potentially following close behind.
While Ford Motor has more cash on hand to avoid an immediate crisis, its production could be disrupted by problems in the supplier base, as could the production of overseas automakers [...]

Rio Tinto to cut 14,000 jobs, slash spending

Source: Reuters
Global miner Rio Tinto, saddled with nearly $40 billion in net debt, said it would cut 13 percent of its workforce, slash capital spending and sell more assets as it battles a collapse in commodity prices.
Rio, which mines a range of metals and minerals from aluminum and copper to gold and diamonds, has [...]

Celente: From The “Panic” Of 2008 To The “Collapse” Of 2009

Source: Prison Planet
Gerald Celente, CEO of Trends Research Institute, sent out a letter to his subscribers announcing that he had purchased a domain name called “Collapseof09.com”.
Around this time last year, Celente sent the following message to his subscribers;
In 2008, Americans will wake up to the worst economic times that anyone alive has ever seen. [...]

30,000 Jobs at Risk in UK

Source: Bloomberg.com
Woolworths Group Plc appointed administrators for its chain of stores and MFI Retail Ltd. collapsed, putting almost 30,000 U.K. jobs at risk, as the economy’s slide caused consumer spending to slump.
Woolworths, which opened its first shop in 1909, had Deloitte appointed as administrators today after an attempt to sell the stores ended. MFI [...]

Woolworths MFI Collapse, 30,000 Jobs at Risk in UK

Source: Bloomberg.com
Woolworths Group Plc appointed administrators for its chain of stores and MFI Retail Ltd. collapsed, putting almost 30,000 U.K. jobs at risk, as the economy’s slide caused consumer spending to slump.
Woolworths, which opened its first shop in 1909, had Deloitte appointed as administrators today after an attempt to sell the stores ended. MFI [...]