The Collapse Chronicle #1 – June 2011

[Glaisne]

An occasional collection of illustrative nuggets

Welcome to the inaugural of the Collapse Chronicle. A brief occasional aggregation of items that illustrate the collapse of our civilization. These items will come from a variety of sources and cover environmental and political topics. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Please pass along to others.

To Read

Budgets, Taxes, and Classes in America The war between business interests and wage earners intensifies

By Jack Rasmus
An economic class war between business interests and wage earners has been growing in the U.S. for at least the last three decades. It has also shifted in terms of its focus and emphasis several times. Today's emerging battles over budgets in the U.S.—federal, state, and local—represent yet another major shift and a new front in the intensifying economic class war in America. (Read at Z Magazine: http://www.zcommunications.org/budgets-taxes-and-classes-in-america-by-jack-rasmus)

Two multibillionaire brothers are remaking America for their own benefit. How corporate money took over Washington--and created the mobs who rant against reform

By Jim Hightower
Despite a constant racket from the forces of the far-out right (Fox television's yackety-yackers, just-say-no GOP know-nothings, tea-bag howlers, Sarah Palinistas, et al.), the great majority of Americans support a bold progressive agenda for our country, ranging from Medicare for all to the decentralization and re-regulation of Wall Street. Indeed, in the elections of 2006 and 2008, people voted for a fundamental break from Washington's 30-year push to enthrone a corporate kleptocracy. (Read at Hightower Lowdown: http://www.hightowerlowdown.org/node/2247)

To Listen

Bonnie Faulkner interviews Max Keiser

If this does not scare the crap out of you, nothing will. Listen here: http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/70900

To Watch

New Exposé Reveals Nuclear Regulatory Commission Colluded with Industry to Weaken Safety Standards

Three U.S. senators have called for a congressional probe on safety issues at the nation’s aging nuclear plants following a pair of new exposés. In a special series called “Aging Nukes,” the Associated Press revealed that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the nuclear power industry have been working in tandem to weaken safety standards to keep aging reactors within the rules. Just last year, the NRC weakened the safety margin for acceptable radiation damage to reactor vessels. Watch at Democracy Now!: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/6/24/new_expos_reveals_nuclear_regulatory_commission

[Demeter]

1. Collapse?

No, we aren't going back to caves...but maybe the crap broadcast in the media will go away. And if we are lucky, the white collar criminals will be numbered among the dead.

I'd look at it as building and turning a compost pile, amending the soil, pulling weeds. Planting crops instead of nettles.

But then, I'm a gardener.