##
Global Ponzi meltdown/House of Cards ##
A
worldwide deflation fear is expanding and may actually be
rampant. BCA Daily Insights (August 25, 2014) notes that,
“out of 32 OEC countries, more than two-thirds have
domestic inflation rates that fall short of 1%.” BCA analysts
go on to argue that the worldwide inflation rate may converge to
zero over the next couple of years.
In
an address to the National Press Club on Wednesday, the
businessman said endless population and economic growth was like
a “religious faith” for graduates of university degrees in
economics and questioning whether these two things
were beneficial for Australians was something of a taboo in
public discussion.
One
of the rare outbursts of honesty in public discourse. -- RF
The
same kind of brain-dead scaremongering heard in Japan. -- RF
It's
a sad scene—and it's one that's been repeated across the world
as Olympic host cities struggle with the economic burden of
their investments.
##
Airline Death Spiral ##
The
bottom line is that the days of affordable comfort in
the skies—especially on domestic flights—are over. As
airlines struggle to turn profits in the face of rising
fuel costs, economy seats in planes keep getting smaller and
smaller, with less and less legroom. Though many airlines
persist in giving us the illusion that we're flying in comfort
with amenities like seats that barely recline and
flimsy "pillows" filled with straw, most of us can't
really pay the premium that comfort actually costs.
##
Fault lines/flashpoints/powder kegs/military/war drums ##
Egypt
and the United Arab Emirates have been accused of launching air
strikes against Islamist targets in Libya – a move which
would prove to be a major regional escalation in what is fast
becoming a battle between the Arab old guard and the rampant
forces of political Islam.
The
German air force is facing such a severe funding shortage that many
of its aircraft are unable to fly, mechanics are forced to
cannibalise parts from existing planes and only eight of the
country's 109 Eurofighters are fully operational, according to
a report in Spiegel magazine.
##
Global unrest/mob rule/angry people/torches and pitchforks ##
On
the outskirts of the slums of Pakistan's biggest city,
protesters burning tires and throwing stones have what sounds
like a simple demand: They want water at least once a week.
##
Energy/resources ##
Saudi
Aramco has announced plans to invest $40 billion a year over the
next decade to keep oil production capacity steady and double
gas production. President and CEO of the world’s largest
oil producer, Khalid Al Falih, said the company expected an
increase in capital for offshore projects, according
to Arab News.
Norway,
western Europe’s biggest oil producer, will probably cut its
long-term forecast for crude production as companies reduce
spending to counter rising costs and improve shareholder
returns.
Norwegian
energy company Statoil stands by its partners in Russia, though
Western sanctions do present some obstacles, the company's
top executive said Monday.
Her plea
comes as Belgium is facing a possible power shortage next
winter, with possible black-outs to be imposed on several areas
of the country.
Long
queues form as fuel shortage threatens (Indonesia)
India
is assessing whether to explore oil in five blocks in the South
China sea, on the invitation of Vietnam, a crucial
and strategically located south east Asian friend, the Ministry
of External Affairs (MEA) has said.
##
Infrastructure scavenging ##
##
Got food? ##
##
Lifestyle Solutions ##
##
Environment/health ##
Half
the planet should be set aside solely for the protection of wildlife
to prevent the “mass extinction” of species, according to
one of the world’s leading biologists.
##
Intelligence/propaganda/security/internet/cyberwar ##
Makers of
surveillance systems are offering governments across the world
the ability to track the movements of almost anybody who
carries a cellphone, whether they are blocks away or on another
continent.
Scientists
are developing a method of controlling the flight muscles of
moths wirelessly, instantly introducing a new term to the
vocabulary of technophobes: the mothpocalypse.
##
Systemic breakdown/collapse/unsustainability ##
##
Japan ##
An increasing
number of small and medium-sized companies have gone bankrupt
in recent months due to labor shortages. Some were unable to bear
soaring labor costs while others could not hire sufficient
workers.
One
in six children live in poverty in Japan, supposedly one of the most
prosperous countries in the world. The nation's child poverty
rate was a record-high 16.3 percent in 2012, according to
figures released July 15 by the Health, Labor and
Welfare Ministry.
##
China ##
##
UK ##
##
US ##
Private
housing starts for structures with at least 5 units hits a post
recession high. More than 11 million Americans spend more
than 50 percent of income on rent
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