Category Archives: 2) Collapse

Peak Sand

Posted on March 6, 2014 by

Videos about Sand: 3 minutes: Sand Wars Trailer 15 minutes:  Let’s talk about sand: Denis Delestrac at TEDxBarcelona Sand Primer: Without sand, there would be no computer chips, glass, or buildings We can’t use desert sand because it’s too round, … Continue reading →

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The Future of Humanity: a Lecture by Isaac Asimov

Posted on March 1, 2014 by

The Future of Humanity: a Lecture by Isaac Asimov Newark College of Engineering, November 8, 1974  http://www.asimovonline.com/oldsite/future_of_humanity.html [I've truncated most of this very long article] We wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in [if people weren’t stupid, illustrated with humorous … Continue reading →

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Dmitry Orlov: How Russians survived the collapse of the Soviet Union

Posted on February 28, 2014 by

This is a must-read article if you want to understand what lies ahead and how to prepare for it. Part I  June 1, 2005  Post-Soviet Lessons for a Post-American Century By Dmitry Orlov         http://www.copvcia.com/free/ww3/060105_soviet_lessons.shtml A decade and a half … Continue reading →

Posted in What is Collapse Like, Where to Be | Leave a comment

High-Tech can’t last: Limited minerals & metals essential for wind, solar, microchips, cars, & other high-tech gadgets

Posted on February 26, 2014 by

Rare earth elements (and platinum group metals) are essential for high-tech technology: i.e. hybrid cars, computers, cell phones, television — anything with a microchip, even toasters.  They are finite, mostly controlled by China (up to 97% by some estimates), the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Cascading Failure, Important Minerals, Peak Everything | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Science: The Coming Copper Peak

Posted on February 24, 2014 by

Science 14 February 2014: Vol. 343 no. 6172 pp. 722-724 by Richard A. Kerr The Coming Copper Peak Production of the vital metal will top out and decline within decades, according to a new model that may hold lessons for … Continue reading →

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Science: A Drier Future. Global Warming is likely to lead to overall drying of land surfaces.

Posted on February 24, 2014 by

A Drier Future. Global Warming is likely to lead to overall drying of land surfaces. Sherwood, S & Fu, Q. Science. 14 Feb 2014. Vol 343. pp 737-739 Global temperature increases affect the water cycle over land, but the nature … Continue reading →

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PNAS: Abrupt Impacts of Climate Change: Anticipating Surprises

Posted on February 22, 2014 by

Abrupt Impacts of Climate Change: Anticipating Surprises. 2013. sponsored by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Intelligence community. This was the best summary of the 223 page National Academy of Sciences publication I could … Continue reading →

Posted in CO2 and Methane | 1 Comment

Science Magazine: Peak Oil Production May Already Be Here (since 2005)

Posted on February 21, 2014 by

Science 25 March 2011: Vol. 331 no. 6024 pp. 1510-1511 by Richard A. Kerr Peak Oil Production May Already Be Here. Outside of OPEC’s vast resources, oil production has leveled off, and it’s looking like it may never rise again. … Continue reading →

Posted in Fossil Fuels, Peak Oil | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Hector Abadfeb. Colombia’s Warning for Mexico. New York Times

Posted on February 15, 2014 by

Abadfeb’s editorial reminds me of feudalism. Until the rise of state-level armies in the 17th century, the nobility had their own soldiers to keep the peasants in line.  Now, rich landowners hire vigilantes to fight the guerrillas or drug cartels, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Gangs, Corrupt police, Private security, What is Collapse Like | Leave a comment

Set the planet on fire: Burn underground coal to gasify it. Worse than Fracking.

Posted on February 13, 2014 by

Fire in the hole: After fracking comes coal. 13 February 2014 by Fred Pearce. NewScientist. Setting fire to coal underground could answer our energy prayers, or start an environmental disaster on a bigger scale than ever before. Without a way to … Continue reading →

Posted in Coal, Global Warming | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment