Wheat Rust and World Famine! Are We Heading for A 1930's Style Depression

CANADIAN SUNSET

Every so often the world is dealt a hugely negative blow right out of the blue. On some occasions, several negative blows are struck, and on rare occasions as many as three or four hit coincidentally.

It's very possible that we will see three tragic systems colliding in a very negative way over the next few years which could bring about a thirties style depression or a 'perfect storm scenario' that we should prepare for, even if we doubt that it will happen. What are the risk areas?

I have five major concerns......

Problem One: Wheat Rust and Major Wheat Shortages for an Extended Period as Long as the Great Depression ... Many Years

The first blow could hit the wheat bread-flour food supply chain and result in unexpected starvation around the globe. The risks are that an Irish potato style famine could travel the globe because of over specialization and vulnerability of wheat to a new wheat rust that recently originated in Uganda and could hit Asian wheat producing areas this summer. China is frantically researching new rust resistant strains, but seems to be fighting a losing battle as the rust may mutate to overtake new strains, which in any event could take five or more years to develop.

Problem Two: World Financial Insolvency and Deflationary Pressures Arising from Major Weakness of the US economy and the US Dollar

Few economists these days think that the world financial crisis will be short lived. We are in for a major shock that could see policy makers struggling to avoid inflationary and deflationary nightmares.

Problem Three: A Flu Pandemic Arising as Starving People seek to Survive Inflation and Wheat Shortages.

A flu pandemic will happen, but we don't know when, perhaps sooner rather than later. The wheat shortage and a major slump in world economy could make the risk situation much worse and increase the likelihood of a pandemic. The problem is one of farmers feeding chickens when their communities don't have wheat and grain because of a major world wheat shortage after the rust has reduced harvests. People could be forced to eat sick birds, or hide the fact they are eating chicken that has the virus, which could cause a pandemic. The rust could increase the likelihood of specific longer term disease threats.

Problem Four: More News of Major Climate Change and New Disasters Arising from Global Warming

The world does not have the will to change its patterns of consumption of oil and the major oil producers will have a glut unless they can keep the price of oil artificially high. A high price of oil gets us to adopt new methods of producing energy. There is so much speculation in oil that the true energy situation is distorted out of recognition. We do not know whether the price incentives to alternative energy sources will work, but the effects of climate change will worsen as the world economy is hit by greater ferocity and changeability of weather patterns.

Problem Five: Increased Risk that the International Wars on Terrorism Have to Be Shelved On Account of Insolvency

The world economy may not be able to afford a continuing war on terror even though it will continue. Expect more successful terrorist attacks, and one on the United States that could be destabilizing with a new American president unprepared for the worst decade of terror yet to come. If you are starving, you may be tempted to join the terrorist camp, if someone tells you that the problem is the United States. Even worse, the US may be tempted to take action on Iran, which would have disastrous consequences.

The Myth of a Democratic Victory in November's Presidential Election

LAKE HURON ICE

Put very simply, history tends to repeat itself, and the Democrats will very likely lose the upcoming Presidential election in November. I speak as a Canadian or Brit, but not as an American, who I am sure will have a non-historical perspective.

In any event, it seems to me that I have watched the Democrats do the say thing before, as they are doing now, namely, tearing each other apart. It makes me think that it is increasingly likely that McCain will be the next President of the United States. Why?

Irony, pathos, deep regret, I don't know. My logic is very simple and has to do with an assessment of subconscious thought processes that will govern the actions of millions of undecided voters in November as compared with their conscious thoughts to the contrary. The undecided voters are the voters that act with emotions that they do not consciously assess.

First, candidate Obama is likely to be the serious target of assassination, if he is elected. Most people would rather see Obama living and vote to save his life by not voting for him. Americans are really good people at heart, but they suffer from a gun-toting small minority that is extremely reluctant to see a black president. These are the guys with white hoods that tote guns, don't really think very deeply about love. They have business based on guns and keep Americans shooting at each other. The more people see Obama as a future president, the more inclined they will be not to vote for him, even the black voter.

Second, lving with candidate Clinton is like living with a divorcee that never went for the divorce. She won't be elected because most Americans are divorced, or, on the way to divorce. Americans believe in divorce at a very subconscious level, and think people who don't are somewhat strange. They will, in effect divorce themselves away from Hilary, because they feel subconsciously that she should be divorced, and they can't understand why she is still married to Bill. The more she reminds them of a bitch, the more they will dis-associate away from her.

Third, candidate McCain reminds Americans of the very popular former president Ronald Reagan. McCain is a winner and Americans right now want a winner more than anything else!

Real Serious Thinking is Productive and Time saving

Teaching People How to Think
The tragedy of many educational systems is that they don't teach children how to think for themselves.The sign of a good teacher is that the students walk away with what education is all about. I would go even further to say that life is all about thinking for oneself. If you don't learn how to think and as a consequence don't understand why and who you are what you are, then you really miss the boat.
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Obama and Snow
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Snowflakes
If you are American and live in an area of the country that has recently had a significant snowfall, you may notice, after I have twigged your interest in the phenomenon, that snow can pile only so high on a branch. How high it builds up depends on the width of the branch. Take any point and land snowflakes on that point and what determines the height that the snowflakes build up is the size of the area under the snowflakes. If you want height and mass in terms of snow you have to have significant area on which to drop your snowflakes. What does this have to do with Obama, apart from the fact that he is black and snow usually is white?
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Eligibility for Discovery
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World Environmental Issues

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What Can I do to Release Less CO2?
What Can I do?
To release less CO2!
What can I say?
To make global warming go away!

Stop farting.
Eat less.
Don't circle around, but go straight to the point.
Keep calmer.
Sleep longer.
Die or slow down my breathing.
Plant seeds of plants and trees.
Recycle paper or store it away permanently.
Do less.
Travel less.
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