ORIGINAL BLOGPOST

 

The 2008 crude oil price, $147 per barrel, shattered the global economy. The “invisible hand” of economics became the invisible fist, pounding down world economic growth to match the limitations of crude oil production.

—Kenneth Deffeyes (petroleum geologist)

Web Editor's Note: Finance. Fuel, Food. If Vermonters can reinvent and relocalize these critical three areas of our economic life, we will be well-positioned to weather the storms of the Long Emergency. Ellen Brown's latest article details how individual states are moving to reclaim their financial sovereignty. Et tu, Vermont? Read more about state banking at Ellen Brown's web site.) Here's Brown:

Responding to an unfilled need for credit for local government, local businesses and consumers, three states in the last month have introduced...

Editor's note: Kauffman's new book on secession received BEST BOOK OF 2010 by Hearts and Minds Books. Thanks to Chelsea Green's Margo Baldwin for passing on this to review to us.

Bye-Bye Miss American Empire: Neighborhood Patriots, Backcountry Rebels, and their Underdog Crusade to Redraw America's Political Map by Bill Kauffman. (Chelsea Green)

Well, this is going to be a hard-sell, having you honor our awarding this for anything more than the season's longest subtitle. And I'm not even sure how to explain the darn thing.  A lot of this is ...

Hopefully beneath celebratory euphoria, Egyptians know ousting Mubarak was simple, especially since Washington long wanted him out. Covertly with Egypt's military, it facilitated long-planned regime purging for with new faces under old policies. In other words, have everything change but stay the same, a common imperial bait and switch con.

As a result, the real liberating struggle continues against long odds for success because Washington, Egypt's military, Israel, Western powers, and big money will do everything to prevent it. The usual scheme was hatched - a facade of change that may or may not work, and will be months, maybe years, to know....

There might be some sort of justification for the savage societies in which a man had to expect that enemies could murder him at any moment and had to defend himself as best he could. But there can be no justification for a society in which a man is expected to manufacture the weapons for his own murderers. — Hank Rearden Atlas Shrugged (Part 2, Chapter 1, Page 365)

The above quote seems especially relevant in Vermont today, as a nervous Legislature, faced with an ever-increasing budget deficit but no bailout, no more federal handouts, partners with Lockheed Martin, the world's largest...

Remarks to the Burlington, Vermont City Council; February 7, 2011.

 
Good evening. My name is Martin Lockheed Inc., and as a corporate person I’d like to bring a little balance to the discussion tonight concerning Burlington’s Climate Action Plan, and Mayor Kiss’s letter of intent with us, Lockheed Martin.
 
I’ve actually been living here in town for a couple of years, ever since Senator Bernie Sanders visited my in-laws, the Sandias, in New Mexico a couple of years ago.
 
Now, Senator Sanders hasn’t always been that friendly toward us. In fact, he has accused us of illegal and fraudulent behavior. But he's a reasonable man....

www.CompostPower.org is now live, please check it out and spread the word.

Here's a thought-starter: what if we could create high-value soil by composting the undergrowth and brushwood that is clogging up our forests, while capturing more energy from compost-process than we would get if we burned the wood, with no emissions or waste?

Please think about this cycle for a minute, think about what this would mean.

Brushwood is chipped/shredded/composted. While it's composting you can capture a steady continuous stream of 130+ degree water for 18-24 months, potentially heating homes and greenhouses. Then you have a huge pile of high-value compost you can sell, or put it directly into your garden, and/or use it to...

www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20110210/OPINION01/102100302/Voice-of-the-Free-Press-Burlington-politics-glimpses-real-world

"I challenge 2 of your primary assumptions. First, you say that innovation comes from the military so we must deal with military contractors. However, Innovation comes from the military because we give them most of our money. If we gave some other agency 54% of all federal tax dollars, they'd come up with some fine ideas, too. This is the ultimate self-justifying rationalization....

Inspired by Tunisia's uprising, Egyptians chose January 25 (the National Police Day holiday) to begin street demonstrations, rallies and marches, demanding regime change, no ifs, ands or buts if they stay resolute.

Initially, small numbers in front of Egypt's Supreme Court became crowds chanting "Mubarak must go!" So far, they remain in massive numbers, defying curfew orders, sleeping in streets, persisting against formidable odds in full view of world audiences, thanks mainly to Al Jazeera's heroic coverage.

Anyone anywhere, including in America where it's mostly blocked, can view its live online stream at aljazeera.net. It's become a vital alternative to Western managed news, heavily censored to suppress...