Excited Delirium

Stories about Excited Delirium, the Shock Economy and a little fiction here and there.

Monthly Archives: February 2008

Global Internet Connections

This is a great report on the status of Internet connectivity around the world. To date, the most spectacular impact has been on countries that are predominantly Muslim.

http://www.cyberspaceorbit.com/ConnectingTheDots.htm

The evidence therefore suggests that we are looking at a coordinated program of undersea cable sabotage by an actor, or actors, on the international stage with an anti-Muslim bias, as well as a proclivity for destructive violence in the Middle Eastern region.

This article provides a summary of recent disconnects:

1) one off of Marseille, France
2) two off of Alexandria, Egypt
3) one off of Dubai, in the Persian Gulf
4) one off of Bandar Abbas, Iran in the Persian Gulf
5) one between Qatar and the UAE, in the Persian Gulf
6) one in the Suez, Egypt
7) one near Penang, Malaysia
8) initially unreported cable cut on 23 January 2008 (Persian Gulf?)

Three things stand out about these incidents:

1) all of them, save one, have occurred in waters near predominantly Muslim nations, causing disruption in those countries;
2) all but two of the cut/damaged cables are in Middle Eastern waters;
3) so many like incidents in such a short period of time suggests that they are not accidents, but are in fact deliberate acts, i.e., sabotage.

We’re all in a ‘wait and see’ mode. There are some clear issues at hand, but few have offered an explanation, including those responsible.

How an Iranian Bourse Threatens the American Empire

Link: Iranian Bourse
Research Credit: WRH

Over the course of the next 1-5 years, I expect to see many non-US denomination exchanges, funds and other financial activities emerge. For example, the people of Latin America have already started to create their own pricing network through ALBA that works to the benefit of local farmers and consumers.

An Iranian oil exchange is really no different, but the implications will be felt throughout the world because these actions will force the continued decline of the US dollar.

The article sums up the situation nicely:

Certainly, when oil is no longer traded in dollars, it is not only the dollar that will collapse. It means that the US –on the bad end of a huge balance of trade deficit –will no longer be able to afford to import goods or services. For a nation that long ago … gave up its role as a manufacturing nation, this collapse will be monumental, catastrophic.

The fact that oil had been traded in dollars was the only thing propping up the dollar. That there was a demand for dollars because there was a demand for oil meant that you could continue to buy imported goods with dollars.

Now –imagine a world in which no other country need “purchase” dollars in order to import oil! What if oil producing nations agree to accept other currencies? What if they refuse to accept dollars? Go to Wal-Mart or even your local supermarket. Almost everything on the shelves is imported. Imagine a shop owner refusing to accept in payment your worthless dollars in payment for anything in the shop!

Chicago To Tax Bottled Water

This is very exciting news.
Credit: Sustainablog

Chicagoans are getting some direct encouragement to forgo buying disposable bottled water and switch to reusable bottles filled with fresh, clean water from the tap. In November, Chicago became the first city in the U.S. to pass a tax on bottled water sold within the city limits. The 5 cents per bottle tax went into effect on Jan. 1, and is expected to raise $10.5 million for the city this year.

If you’re wondering why bottled water is bad, check this out.

With any luck and a little persistence from consumers pressuring their local reps, MPs, etc, similar levies should be brought down on coffee cups, burger wrappers and other garbage that shouldn’t be created in the first place.

Michael Geist: Locking Down the Internet

Originally from The Tyee (www.thetyee.ca)

Michael Giest’s articles with The Tyee can be found here:
http://thetyee.ca/Bios/Michael_Geist/

I admire what Mr. Geist does. He’s been very central to the discussion related to the Internet, DRM issues, downloading, and a whole whack of other issues that affect Canadian technology and privacy. He’s a leader and should be proud of his product.

I find this article very interesting because it exposes some of the challenges that the industry faces, particularly with respect to online distribution. The greatest fear: a lock-down on the Internet as we know it in Canada.

6:30EST+: Speculation on Super Bowl Events

A lot of buzz is going on right now about the status of communications in the Middle East. Iran is showing with ZERO internet capability (this has lasted about 4 days).

What does this have to do with the Super Bowl? Lots of stories are emerging with speculation that something will happen during the Super Bowl. Some say it will be a dirty nuke, others are saying that there will be some kind of wacky PNAC operation taking place in Texas City, Texas. Who know what will really happen?

Story 1

Story 2

For years, a lot of pundits have been predicting something will happen during a “Big Game”. Black Sunday. The Sum of All Fears. etc. It’s a conspiracy theorists wet dream.

Let’s hope everyone is wrong (again) and that the only disaster is where the Giants upset the Patriots.

Heavily Armed Officers in NY Subways

Research Credit: crytpgon.com

New York Time article.

I simply can’t understand how much longer the people will fund this, as all of the cost if being fronted by the city of New York.

There’s no mention of won the lucrative contract, but my guess is it’s someone with friends in high places.

What’s next? Tanks driving down highways chasing people that follow a little too close?

Internet Cut Off In the Middle East

Over the last week, this story was very ‘under-reported’:

http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/much-of-the-middle-east-is-internet-free/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7222536.stm

Story 3

The concensus seems to be that Iran is being literally cut off from the rest of the world. Kevin F at Cryptogon.com speculates that it could be related to the launch of the Iranian Oil Bourse . It’s obvious we’ll never know, but when that puppy opens, there’s no doubt that it will kill the US dollar.

I’m a visual person, so if anyone has a map or visual showing affected areas, that would be really useful.

Armsflow

A unique visual trend of the flow of arms, developed by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI):

http://www.armsflow.org/

To get a closer look at some of the data points, simply click on any country and then the program will show top arms export/imports for a specific year.

The numbers are astounding:

  • $2.3 TRILLION projected to be spent in Iraq by 2016
  • Roughly $1.3 TRILLION spent per year on military expenditures

I remember an article from about 10 years ago where WIRED magazine did an extensive coverage on the cost of converting the entire US economy to hydrogen. The price tag? About $100 billion. A mere ‘drop in the bucket’ compared to some of these figures.

Some other charts to check out with this site are those related to M&A activity in this industry. Not only are we spending more, we’re funneling the funds to fewer companies.

For some final thoughts on what this is all about, read this:
The Worst Addiction of Them All, Kurt Vonnegut

If Western Civilization were a person, we would be directing it to the nearest meeting of War-Preparers Anonymous. We would be telling it to stand up before the meeting and say, “My name is Western Civilization. I am a compulsive war- preparer. I have lost everything I ever cared about. I should have come here long ago. I first hit bottom in World War I.” Western Civilization cannot be represented by a single person, of course, but a single explanation for the catastrophic course it has followed during this bloody century is possible. We the people, because of our ignorance of the disease, have again and again entrusted power to people we did not know were sickies.