Revolts in the Middle East

SUBHEAD: A handy guide to the revolts in the Middle East—and their likely effects on us.By Gonzalo Lira on 10 March 2011 in Gonzalo Lira - (http://gonzalolira.blogspot.com/2011/03/handy-guide-to-revolts-in-middle.html)Image above: Map of Middle East and North Africa. Click to enlarge.In 1848, protests and revolutions swept through Europe. The specific causes were different in each country, but

Fate of the Petrodollar

SUBHEAD: The revolutions came at the worst possible time for the empire and are threatening the financial system guaranteeing the Almighty Dollar.By Zainab Cheema on 3 March 2011 in Media Monitors - (http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/83795)Image above: Fuel oil distribution in Asia set against chart of estimated demand by region. From (http://www.zerohedge.com/article/

Wake Me Shake Me

SUBHEAD: It's coming on springtime and things are breaking loose all over the place. I give Saudi Arabia three weeks before it starts to blow up.By James Kunstler on 28 February 2011 for Kunstler.com - (http://kunstler.com/blog/2011/02/wake-me-shake-me.html)Image above: Family members mourn for protester killed in Bahrain demonstration. From (http://beta.toledoblade.com/World/2011/02/18/

Rebel army forming to face Gaddafi

SUBHEAD: With eastern Libya largely under opposition control, the struggle for the west remains paramount.By Leila Fadel, Liz Sly and Tony Faiola on 27 February 2011 for WashPo - (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/26/AR2011022602622.html)Image above: A Libyan defaces image of Gaddafi as protests continue in Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia

Inflection Point

SUBHEAD: The current political upheavals could come to be recognized as a major turning point in the history of the oil age.By Tom Whippleon 23 February 2011 in Falls Church News-Press -(http://www.fcnp.com/commentary/national/8586-the-peak-oil-crisis-inflection-point.html)Image above: A fifty-year-old Cadillac rusts away in the snow. From (http://jezzbean.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/20-

Demise of the Dollar

SUBHEAD: The Great Recession never left us and collapse of the industrial economy is already under way.By Guy McPherson on 22 February 2011 in Nature Bats Last -(http://guymcpherson.com/2011/02/demise-of-the-dollar)Image above: Illustration of hyperinflation by David Dees. From (http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/deesA2.htm).The U.S. dollar continues its journey from Brobdingnagian to Lilliputian

Middle East Unrest and Turmoil

SUBHEAD: Arab world is boiling over. Tunesia, then Egypt - now Libya and Bahrain. More are simmering including Algeria and Iran.Libyan Protesters Killed by Security Force SnipersBy Salah Naswari on 17 February 2011 for AP/Huffington Post - (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/17/libya-protests-antigovern_0_n_824826.html)Image above: Protesters in Libya before killings. From original

Egypt, Twitter & Watchdog Crowd

SUBHEAD: Social media did not make the revolution in Egypt happen. But, with every step chronicled it in real time.By Caroline McCarthy on 11 February 2011 for Cnet.com(http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-20031600-36.html)Image above: Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, was on display 24/7 for the world to see. From (http://www.24newsupdate.com/eqypt-protesters-marching-from-tahrir-square-to-mubarak%

In This Great Time of Crisis

SUBHEAD: I hate to think we’ll have to sink to the lows the Egyptians have faced before we get it and turn things around.By Lindsay Curren on 11 February 2011 in Transition Voice -(http://transitionvoice.com/2011/02/in-this-great-time-of-crisis)Image above: Still frame from "The King's Speech". From (http://suspiciouskind.blogspot.com/2010/12/kings-speech-thoughts.html).More than simply

Mubarak Toppled

SUBHEAD: Mubarak resigns as Egypt's president as armed forces take control of country. Who's next?By AP Staff on 11 February 2011 for Huffington Post -(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/11/mubarak-red-sea-egypt_n_821812.html)[Editor's note: For live video coverage of people's victory this morning watch Democracy Now! (http://www.democracynow.org/) and Al Jazeera (http://english.aljazeera.net/

Mubarak refuses to step down

SUBHEAD: The rapidly moving events raised the question of whether a rift had opened between Mubarak and the military command.By AP Staff on 10 February 2011 for Huffington Post -(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/10/mubarak-speech-egypt-vice-president_n_821568.html)Image above: Detail of poster for "The Mummy". From (http://chasness.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/whered-he-come-from-the-mummy/).

Overcoming Systems Stupidity

SUBHEAD: Systems thinking would make it impossible to continue pretending that Americans can go on living their current lifestyles much longer.By John Michael Greer on 2 February 2011 in The Archdruid Report - (http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2011/02/overcoming-systems-stupidity.html)Image above: Night traffic in Las Vegas, Nevada. From (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pbo31/2191506873/).

What's Happening in Egypt?

SUBHEAD: Egyptians citizens denounce President Hosni Mubarak, and clash with riot police.By Maggie Michael on 25 January 2011 for Yahoo News - (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110125/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_egypt_protest)Image above: Anti-Mubarak protesters in Egypt tearing down poster of Hosni Mubarak. From original article.An Egyptian Interior Ministry official says two protesters and one policeman have

Culture Disease with a Cure

SUBHEAD: A new narrative - one that redefines what it means to be “a good man or woman of our kind” - is emerging.By Jan Lundgren on 27 November 2011 in Culture Change - (http://www.culturechange.org/cms/content/view/686/65/)Image above: Public Broadcasting System logo filled with private corporate logos. Mashup by Juan Wilson.When Nestlé buys mineral water companies and mass markets the "

The First WikiLeaks Revolution

SUBHEAD: 'First WikiLeaks Revolution': Tunisian revolution credited to cables which revealed despot's corruption.By Staff Reporter on 15 January 2011 for the Daily Mail - (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1347336/Tunisia-riots-blamed-cables-revealed-countrys-corruption-dubbed-First-Wikileaks-Revolution.html)Image above: V is for Victory in Tunisia. From (http://

Tunisian Government Falls

SUBHEAD: Al Jezeera carried footage of defiant chanting, soldiers saluting and shaking hands with protesters.By Dan Murphy on 14 December 2011 in Christian Science Monitor - (http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0114/Tunisia-under-state-of-emergency-after-government-falls)Image above: Street scene in Tunis as government falls. From (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/14/