##
Global Ponzi meltdown/House of Cards ##
Nearly
a third of some 350,000 workers in Malaysia's electronics
industry - a crucial link in the international consumer supply
chain - suffer from conditions of modern-day slavery such as
debt bondage, according to a study funded by the U.S.
Department of Labor.
In the
past five years, the firm that took the largest U.S. bank bailout of
the financial crisis increased the total amount of derivatives
on its books by 69 percent, surpassing most U.S. peers and
closing the gap with the market leader, JPMorgan Chase
& Co. (JPM) At the end of June, Citigroup had $62 trillion
of open contracts, up from $37 trillion in June 2009, company
filings show. JPMorgan trimmed its holdings 14 percent to $68
trillion.
High-cost
Australian miners are battling for survival as plunging iron ore
prices push many to breaking point, with analysts seeing no
significant short-term recovery as Chinese demand for steel
wanes in line with sliding property prices.
##
Airline Death Spiral ##
##
Fault lines/flashpoints/powder kegs/military/war drums ##
The
Obama administration, working through the Russian government,
has secured an agreement from the Syrian regime of Bashar
al-Assad to permit U.S. airstrikes against Islamic State targets
in parts of Syria, according to a source briefed on the secret
arrangements.
Economies
will inevitably shrink as energy and other resources become more
expensive, and in an energy-constrained world, small
political/economic units make much more sense. Also watch for more
secessionist talk in the US. -- RF
##
Global unrest/mob rule/angry people/torches and pitchforks ##
##
Energy/resources ##
3Legs Resources,
a company exploring the shale natural gas potential in Poland,
said Wednesday it was giving up because of a lack of
commercial prospects.
Belgium
could keep two of the country's oldest nuclear reactors running
for up to 10 years longer than planned if other plants
remain offline because of safety shutdowns, two sources close to
government coalition talks said.
A
lack of water threatens Iraq's plans to raise its oil output,
boost its stumbling economy and become a leading producer in the
region after Saudi Arabia.
Members of
the European Parliament passed a resolution Thursday calling for
the cancellation of contracts for Russia's planned South
Stream gas pipeline.
Just
imagine the astronomical costs involved. It's going to be some very
pricey oil. -- RF
##
Got food? ##
The
price of a burger or steak is the highest it has ever been and prices
could continue to skyrocket.
##
Environment/health ##
Public
health experts have set up port controls to detect mosquitoes
entering the country from France that it is feared could be
carrying deadly dengue fever
##
Intelligence/propaganda/security/internet/cyberwar ##
Hackers
associated with the Chinese government have repeatedly
breached the computer systems of U.S. companies, including
airlines and technology firms, that are involved in the movement
of U.S. troops and military equipment, a U.S. Senate panel has
found.
Maybe,
unless the blackouts come first. -- RF
In
its latest software update, the company is prevented from
accessing any information about users that may be requested
by authorities. A feature that won't change even if a
search warrant is issued.
After
registering slightly higher trust last year, Americans'
confidence in the media's ability to report "the news
fully, accurately, and fairly" has returned to its previous
all-time low of 40%. Americans' trust in mass media has generally
been edging downward from higher levels in the late 1990s and the
early 2000s.
DO
NOT run, perspire, or wave your arms! -- RF
##
Systemic breakdown/collapse/unsustainability ##
##
Japan ##
A
new airport started operating on Etorofu Island — one of four
Russian-held, Japanese-claimed islands off Hokkaido — as a
special plane carrying Russian officials arrived Wednesday,
Russian residents said.
##
China ##
It
won't help. HK will collapse, anyway. -- RF
##
UK ##
According
to the Health and Safety Executive, 64 explosions have been reported
so far in 2014 compared to 51 for the whole of last year.
There were 32 cases in 2012, thus indicating a steady rise over
the past few years.
##
US ##
And
finally...
"Things
were said that can never be taken back," says one witness;
the paper reports that family members were yelling of
their hatred for each other.
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