The oil price has been a focus of attention for half a year or so since it dropped rapidly last year when Saudi Arabia stopped restricting supply. The immediate effect was to put pressure on marginal sources, like fracking, and to give consumers a break. This report by The Economist offers valuable insight, saying that …
Continue reading The price of oil is under pressure – high stocks and soft demand
Big money thinks Doomsday is coming. Think about it, and change your behaviour.
So the seeds are starting to arrive in the “Doomsday Vault”, an arctic store for seeds sponsored by big names with big money, like Gates, Rockefeller, Dupont, Syngenta, FAO of UN, Moore Foundation etc. The trouble is, it doesn’t really work. Nature is not like that. The vitality of seeds declines over time, however they …
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Hearing loss in rich countries – another decadent crack in the system.
Last year it was reported that for 4 decades global development had followed the pessimistic scenario projected in 1972 in Limits to Growth. 2015 was projected as the start of the outward signs of decay. And here’s one of them: World Health Organisation data shows increasing hearing damage in developed economies from partying, and other …
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Deflation is everywhere. So what? It’s another crack in the wall.
Concerns about deflation are becoming widespread. Deflation is unwelcome because it makes loans more difficult to pay off and dampens economic vitality by encouraging hoarding of cash (some banks offer negative interest for deposits). There were concerns about the spectre of inflation back in 2008/9 but they were held at bay until the recent drop …
Continue reading Deflation is everywhere. So what? It’s another crack in the wall.
The foxes have taken over the hen house!
Big business is secretly lobbying government to pass laws that give the rights to determine what we eat, irrespective of health or environment, as long as it makes money for them! Maybe that sounds too fantastic to be true, but it’s happening. Maybe you’re in big business and you think it can’t be that bad …
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Drinking cow poo! Or not? Cleaning Up after Big Ag
Here’s the essay of the week from OCA. It’s short and sweet and to the point. The point is not so sweet – big food producers are breaking laws, poisoning consumers and getting away with it because of corrupted legislation and process … Cleaning Up after Big Ag A “Cow Palace” in Washington State that …
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Everyone leads in tomorrow’s world, because it’s natural.
Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences explains that in a flock of birds they take it in turns to lead, because being in the lead is energy depleting and can not last long (look at how every US President goes grey in the job), all birds in the flock learn to …
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BT Notes: Spring is springing, Book, TV, Yoga, Hay.
Happy new year! We hope 2015 is off to a good start for you all. For those of you that made it to the walk in the woods over Christmas, photos are on Flickr. Enjoy! We had a great crowd tromping through the woods and enjoying mince pies and vin chaud afterwards! The start of …
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Blooming flowers – a harbinger of doom.
According to textbooks there should be between 20 and 30 species in flower on new years day. This year there were 368 in bloom raising further questions about the effects of climate change during the UK’s warmest year on record. Many of the flowers, like daisy and dandelion shouldn’t bloom for at least a couple …
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1% own more than everyone else by next year: a decadent milestone in the implosion of civilisation.
Oxfam research shows that the share of the world’s wealth owned by the richest 1% increased from 44% in 2009 to 48% last year. Each adult on average has $2.7m. On current trends the wealthiest 1% will own more than 50% of the world’s wealth by 2016. Today the 80 richest people have the same …
Continue reading 1% own more than everyone else by next year: a decadent milestone in the implosion of civilisation.