I'll bet a lot of people have forgotten this aspect of carbon dioxide

Including even elementary school students, by now we all know that CO2 is a "greenhouse gas".  There's another reason to be concerned about excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58I6YQzBrPo

Sabine is a physicist with 1.48 million subscribers to her YouTube Channel.  She covers many interesting topics, and I appreciate her dry sense of humor.  This recent piece on CO2, Elon Musk, and Trump is quite good, and less than eight minutes long.

Even Musk, who is not up to snuff on most ecological principles, cannot deny this characteristic of CO2.  In fact, he supports concern about it.  Given many of his other views on ecological matters, that's a bit amazing.

......................

Not only my opinion.  Take Care

"Climate Engineering: Doubling Down on Bad Habits"

https://steadystate.org/climate-engineering-doubling-down-on-bad-habits/

In general, it seems Technocrats are not aware of and are ruining human alignment with the continuity of the ecosphere.  Also, I suspect they are more or less innocently unaware of the elements of the ecosphere - the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere (aka, geosphere) - and how those elements are deeply and intricately interrelated.  They make up the Earth System, which is one giant ecosystem (with many sub-ecosystems).

It appears to me that their geoengineering plans (related to climate) are nothing more than efforts to avoid the reduction of carbon emissions.  The reasoning seems to be:  let's alter the amount of solar radiation reaching Earth and/or suck carbon out of the air, so we can keep burning fossil fuels into infinity.  Those scenarios are not well thought out.  See the spot-on article at the link above.

If these climate engineering plans ever get up to the required scale, negative unintended consequences are a distinct probability.  Efforts to control Nature are a Techno-fantasy.  While short-term success often is achieved, in almost all cases disaster or near-disaster eventually is the unintended result.  The Agricultural Green Revolution(s) of a bit over fifty years ago is a prime example.  [For details, see Chapter 2 in my second book, Choices & Change on the Path to a Sustainable Existence...", OR read the excerpt here - https://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2024/02/excerpt-from-choices-change-on-path-to.html .

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Wildfires, the micronutrient chromium-3, the highly toxic chromium-6, & Climate Change

 https://news.stanford.edu/2023/12/12/wildfires-leave-trail-toxic-metal-soil/

Our bodies contain various metals, e.g. zinc, which are necessary for proper nutrition.  Another of those metals is chromium-3 (Cr-3), which helps in metabolizing glucose, the "fuel" of living things.  Chromium-3 is commonly found in soils in the western USA, Australia, Europe, and several other countries.

There's another form of chromium which is highly toxic, chromium-6 (Cr-6).  Research has shown that wildfires can convert Cr-3 into Cr-6.  The toxic metal then is updrafted into the atmosphere and carried various distances.  Read the short Stanford news article found at the link above for more information.

By now, most people are aware that wildfires are exacerbated by the ongoing changes in climate.  All the above gives humans one more reason to mitigate climate disruption ASAP.  We aren't doing nearly enough, or fast enough.

................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

According to you-know-who,

it's all a "Chinese hoax"---

https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/repeat-photo-grinnell-glacier-1910-2007

Never mind the compulsive serial lying, the multiple indictments, the total lack of statesmanship, the whining, the constant divisive rhetoric, the lack of knowledge of almost everything, and more; simply for this item alone he never should be elected again...to any office...anywhere.

p.s.  As you probably know, what you see in the two photos has happened to glaciers all over the world, not just in Montana's Glacier National Park.  Show these photos to anyone you know who is denying that overall the planet Earth is warming.  Then ask them what they believe caused the Grinnell Glacier to lose 213 acres of ice from 1910 to 2007.  [Undoubtedly, it's even more acreage by now.]

................. 

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Here's the only reasonable choice at the ballot box

Below is an email I recently sent my son, his family, and a few others.  It's slightly edited---

Sorry to hear you're under a heat dome.  It's a tragedy that as things worsen, most people appear to still continue with the belief that our society can hang onto biz as usual in terms of our way of living.

Within 10 years, 120 degrees will not be uncommon.  It may be worse than that if we don't start treating the situation as a genuine emergency.  The world's best scientists know what needs to be done (a couple hundred of them were cited in the References section of my first book), & close to none of it is being done.

Everything must change...ASAP.  Such is politically unacceptable, so politicians engage in Greenwashing, and tout their actions...

which are almost totally inadequate.

The best thing every voter could do in the political realm would be to vote for the Green Party.  Because of rampant propaganda (and the control the Republicrats/Demopublicans have over ballot-access Laws AND debates), that won't happen.

         In terms of policies & a Party Platform, the Green Party is head & shoulders above both the Repubs AND the Dems.  That's particularly true in the areas of environmental protection, economics, and foreign policy.  Be sure to watch this clip... (it's short) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6pN6x6pGwA

Dr. Cornel West (a brilliant philosopher & class struggle activist) describes the Dem Party to a tee, back then & still true today.  The Dem Party is a corporatist disaster.

[It's looking like West will be the Green Party's nominee to run for Pres. next year.  His political philosophy is equal to, or maybe even better than, that of Bernie Sanders.  Plus, he understands neoliberalism better than most national politicians.] 

Hang in There

......................... 

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Biden's response to the climate emergency is a tragic joke

 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/27/joe-biden-climate-emergency-peter-kalmus

Follow the science, Mr. President, and that doesn't mean only the medical science.  I'm sure you've heard of physics, climatology, and ecology.  Dr. Kalmus explains what they are telling you in the essay at the link above.  Pay attention!

.....................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The answers vary greatly:

How do "net zero" and "carbon offsetting"" work?  Are they effective relative to industrial operations?  That depends on who is answering.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62TubVzpiOw&t=1s

To achieve net zero, it often appears that too many companies are relying almost completely on carbon offsetting, with little-to-no emissions reduction.  Such a scenario means those companies can keep polluting for decades.  The question arises:  with the goal of more and more production (which is usually the case in economies pursuing infinite growth), can the offsets keep pace with the ever-increasing amounts of pollution?  No one knows, but ecologically speaking, there's a high degree of probability that the answer is NO.

Other questions:

Relative to natural carbon offsetting (e.g., planting and/or not harvesting trees), what is "Green colonialism"?

Have the proposed machines which will suck CO2 out of the atmosphere been tested at scale?  Will they run on renewable energy?

Net zero and carbon offsetting can be good things, but not if they're used as substitutes for emission reductions.  Reducing the amount of pollutants comes first, then if necessary, offsetting.  Plus, some sort of standards and oversight need to be developed.

Problems with carbon offsetting are presented in great detail here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61SWIYwCaSE&list=WL&index=71  (a must-see clip)

...........

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The canary in the coal mine...

 is silently screeching...just before it's gone---

https://www.democracynow.org/2022/11/8/headlines/report_ice_levels_collapsing_at_levels_unthinkable_just_a_decade_ago 

Please spread the note below far & wide--- 

In about 10 years or so (maybe less, maybe more), none of the current crazy politics will matter.  WHY?  Humans will be spending most of their time trying to survive the multi-faceted Eco-Crisis.  Multiple millions of people will be migrating, trying to find a livable habitat.  Even those not migrating will be suffering as never before.  Because of trophic cascades and feedback loops in the ecosphere (already started), as well as no truly significant mitigating actions by humans at the required scale , it will be an unprecedented catastrophe.  

People finally will pull their heads out of the sand & wake up, but it will be too late.  OR, they won't wake up & instead remain in the dark while blaming the Repubs...or the Dems.  Such is the degree of ecological ignorance in the USA today.  The dark side of tribalism (along with the Plutocracy) wins, & the prize is an unmitigated disaster.

Finally, it isn't only climate that's an existential threat to humanity.  There's the water crisis, the soil crisis, the disease crisis, the food crisis, the ethical crisis, the biodiversity crisis, and several others.  They're all systemic and deeply interconnected.  So, what can be done that isn't being done?

Once again, here's my contribution to solutions---

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-beginning-of-the-path-to-human-extinction-and-how-to-get-off-it-scott-haley/1141364431?ean=2940160947181

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Not only my opinion.  Take Care 

How colleges & universities have failed to prepare humanity regarding understanding & coping with existential threats

 The problem continues.  

https://www.ehn.org/failure-of-the-universities-the-culture-gap-is-now-near-lethal-2658333670/culture-gap

In great detail, the authors of this article show how higher education has become mired in dogmatic slumber, especially regarding the threats of climate change and expanding nuclear weapon arsenals.  Furthermore, it seems apparent that most educated people today have little grasp of the overall foundations of sustainability.

Decades ago, R. Buckminster (Bucky) Fuller pointed out in his book, Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth:  specialization precludes comprehensive thinking.  Today, and for years now, we're buried in specialists.  In general, they don't appear to be able to comprehend what has been called the Earth System, which consists of the interconnected & interdependent atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere (aka, lithosphere), and biosphere.  Understanding the complex functioning of our Earth System must at least be attempted by leaders (public & private) and policy makers if we are to avoid our own destruction.

Education in the following fields seems to be especially remiss in teaching comprehensive thinking re Earth & sustainability:  politics, economics, the Law, and business.  Unfortunately, those fields produce the majority of policy-makers in the democratic world.  One could argue, I suppose, those people rely upon advisors who are educated in broader Earth concerns.  Perhaps, but given the current socio-eco-econ-ethical Crisis we're now in, it should be blatantly obvious any such advice largely is being ignored.  [Luckily for us, there are some exceptions around the world; but not enough.]

The original purpose of public education in general was not to produce thinkers, but to produce workers.  People were needed who could read, write, and do arithmetic.  There's nothing wrong with that, but that alone is not sufficient.  We need critical and comprehensive thinkers as well.

Finally, so as not to be misunderstood, consider this:  specialization often is required.  It's not a bad thing unless it's the only thing.  Even in Earth System study, one must specialize to varying degrees.  At the same time, though, one also must seek a broader understanding.  Higher education (in particular) must structure its programs in such a way if civil society is to avoid collapse.  The need for a truly educated populace has never been greater.

........................

Not only my opinion.  Take Care

p.s.  For everyone, both those with a higher education and those who cannot (for various reasons) get one, I urge you to continue learning with the greatest library ever assembled, the internet.  Don't believe the largely Establishment poo-pooers of the Web, who often would prefer to keep us ignorant.  The internet contains tons & tons of legitimate, highly useful, & educational info.  Sift through the chaff on your Search results page (which can be done quickly), and find the kernels.  Education is a life-long process.

KUDOS to the Hot Shot Wildfire Fighters

 I'm recently back from a 2nd wildfire evacuation which lasted well over two weeks.  The first one lasted only a tad over four days.  We had three days at home until the second evac.  What a nightmare, especially for people my age.  This post will be shorter than most because I'm pretty well exhausted.

The Hermit Peak fire merged with the Calf Canyon fire to become the largest fire in New Mexico's history.  It ravaged (among other places) the little valley where I live.  A tiny town a few miles down the road from me (Mora, population about 1,000 or so) is now housing approximately 900 Hot Shot firefighters.  Even though the fire is now past our valley, they expect to keep Mora as their base until the end of July.  Their herculean efforts here saved most of our homes, including mine and all my neighbors.

In my opinion, these firefighters (as well as all urban firefighters) have jobs as tough as any combat soldier does.  They deserve every bit as much respect and thanks.  KUDOS to all of them.

All the extreme, over-the-top wildfires have various causes, and at the top of that list is anthropogenic Climate Disruption.  Until we seriously and significantly address that issue, look for more beyond-the-pale fires.  At least, such is my opinion...and that of all other ecologists I've read or heard in the last twenty years.

................

Be Well

The Pandemicene: especially for humans who think they are separate from & above Nature

 Climate Change/Disruption (along with wildlife habitat damage/destruction by humans) is causing many animal populations to find a new home.  The result is an increase in contact and sharing of new viruses among different animals.  A new study in the journal, Nature, shows how that scenario likely will result in more pandemics in the human population.

https://www.democracynow.org/2022/4/29/ed_yong_pandemicene

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04788-w

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01198-w

Meanwhile, too many national Leaders around the globe appear to be working on window-dressing solutions to Climate Change, or simply kicking the can down the road in other ways.  On top of that, Leaders in a few places have launched wars during this time of an existential threat labeled the socio-eco-econ-ethical crisis.  Having done so, they exhibit monumental ignorance.  It's no wonder that many Main Street people are losing faith in the capabilities of national politicians...all across the political spectrum.

Not all, but most of the progress toward solutions to the crisis are happening below the national level.  Such is orders of magnitude better than nothing, but it will not suffice.  In fact, more is needed than just national efforts.  The crisis is global, not only national, or provincial, or city-wide.  Global planning and cooperation is crucial if civil society is to survive and thrive.

To those who may be concerned primarily with their national territorial imperative (see the book by Robert Ardrey, The Territorial Imperative) and the freedom of independence, please consider the following points---

1)  Neither of those two concepts will do you much good if you have insufficient food, potable water, clean air, unpolluted soil, etc., or if we all are ravaged by viral diseases, or have collapsed economies, or exist in a neofeudal society with only the very Rich and the relatively Poor, or if we're sick from a toxic environment.

2)  Cooperating to combat/mitigate/alleviate an existential global crisis does NOT have to mean losing nationhood or freedom in general.  Some sacrifices will have to be made by all of us, but you won't become a slave.

3)  In a real sense, the current system is making you a slave--- to Debt, and to the Rat Race of unlimited economic growth + overconsumption...while polluting our limited/finite habitat.  Who benefits?  Overwhelmingly, it's the Super-Rich, the Upper Crust, the new aristocrats.

Bottom line:  stop drinking the Propaganda Kool Aid coming from the State-Corporate-Financial Complex.  Ignore the sound bites and the molding of the public mind.  Question everything.  Ignore the Bread & Circuses.  Dig deep when you study an issue.  Think out of the box we've all been put into.

The public and private Powers-That-Be want you to believe technology is going to save us from the existential threat we're facing.  Without a paradigm shift in values/ethics, it won't.

.......................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Beginning of the Path...

 https://twitter.com/ScottHa85992272/status/1517008688757805057?s=20&t=g-cyDZeraww1yNhJ6JaPwQ

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-beginning-of-the-path-to-human-extinction-and-how-to-get-off-it-scott-haley/1141364431?ean=2940160947181

The eBook version is now available. The paperback version will be shortly. If you scroll down at the Barnes & Noble page (above) to "About the author", you'll get a better idea of my qualifications for writing the book.

................................

Be Well

Long Covid, and A Great Essay on Carbon & Humans

 

Now is NOT the time to lift SARS (aka, Covid) restrictions. Even mild cases can result in other problems later, such as significant heart problems. Those who want their "Freedom" basically are asking for the freedom to spread disease. That's something which historically has not been granted, & shouldn't be. Total deaths go up every day; only the rate of increase in deaths is dropping. The same is true for the number of infections. Neither TOTAL number has ever gone down since this whole thing started. Only the rates of increase have dropped from time to time. The pandemic is not over.

AND---

A great essay on carbon and Homo sapiens:

https://www.ecologicalcitizen.net/pdfs/v04n1-11.pdf

...................

Everyone Be Safe

"HOT MONEY"...

 with General Wesley Clark & his son, Wes, Jr., & directed by Susan Kucera ("Living in the Future's Past", narrated by Jeff Bridges).  Too bad Clark Sr. wasn't elected President when he ran awhile ago.  It's on Amazon Prime, not the best production for a doc, but the content is on the mark.  It shows precisely why:

1.  the global financial world is so fragile, & why mega banks should be broken up ASAP;

2.  there's so much economic & financial inequality;

3.  most national gov'ts (including ours) are not seriously addressing Climate Change [only some cities & States in the USA are, & that's insufficient];

4.  mostly, the transformation to clean energy is going at a snail's pace;

5.  Climate Change already has started the destruction of the worldwide financial & economic systems;

6.  the new normal will involve mass human migrations never seen before;

7.  too many people apparently fail to recognize the paradigm shift in values which must occur if we are to survive & thrive in the future; and

8.  too many people are wrong when they believe that Tech will save us in time, therefore to them, there's no urgency about any of this, no need to drastically alter politics, the economy, or the financial system...much less our values.

..........

I imagine this documentary is found not only on Prime, but elsewhere online as well.  Look for it if you really want to understand what's going on currently, and what's required to avoid complete catastrophe.  Off & on, I've been studying this for about 50 years (started in 1972 at Arizona State U.), so please believe this:  humans are facing the greatest Crisis in our history, and climate disruption is only a part of it.  The "experts" think we have until 2050 to mitigate the problem & thus avoid total societal breakdown.  In all probability, I believe that benchmark should be moved to the year 2035.  Why?  Because much more than climate is involved.  

It's time for all of us to take this seriously.  Much can be done on the micro scale, & much "lobbying" (of sorts) needs to be done on the macro scale.  Politicians will engage in window dressing efforts unless there's an outcry from the ground up.  History has proven such.

Best of Due Diligence to Everyone

p.s.  STEP 1:  stop believing the Edward Bernays style propaganda put out by most of the Powers-That-Be.  For example, it will take much more than Tech to avoid catastrophe.  Don't believe anyone who says otherwise.

....................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

NOTE:  After more than a year of being gone from this blog, I'm returning on a sporadic basis.  Why?  Because I appreciate the fact that, in my absence, many people visited this site even though there weren't any new posts.  Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the once-in-awhile future essays.

The REAL National Emergencies in the USA

There are many; below are several of them.

1.  Expanding our Nuke arsenal when we should be reducing it.  Along with that, withdrawing from international nuke treaties.  Finally, some of the Powers-That-Be believing nukes can be used without any serious long-term consequences.  All the above is simply unmitigated ignorance, and it borders on insanity.

2.  Our Gov't doing little to nothing in terms of combatting Climate Change, or as one researcher refers to it, Climate Disruption.  In fact, the current Administration's actions will make the Climate problem worse.  I'm no expert in this area, but do have a Master's Degree in the fifth study tradition in Geography, Environmental Studies, or human impact on the environment.  In those studies, it became clear to me that---no matter to what extent greenhouse gas emissions do contribute to the Climate problem (and they do)---it makes no sense whatsoever to fail to reduce those emissions.  Despite Corporatist Propaganda to the contrary, greenhouse gas emissions contribute to Climate Disruption to one degree or another.

3.  The Financialization of our economy.  At one time, the Financial Sector made up about 3% of the economy; now it's about 33%.  At the expense of the rest of us, that primarily benefits the Upper Crust.  Small Business and wage earners both suffer.  NeoFeudalism is approaching rapidly.

4.  The continual expansion of the National Surveillance State.  That's in concert with the virtual destruction of the Fourth Amendment.

5.  The adoption of the Machiavellian concept of Perpetual War, which is being used to manipulate everyday people and further enrich the Super-Rich.

6.  The Trump Presidency.  His Administration is:

a.  violating both Statutes and the Constitution;

b.  harming the economy;

c.  instituting NeoFascism into our Gov't;

d.  promoting Crony Capitalism and the Oligarchy;

e.  normalizing deceit, falsehoods, and propaganda;

f.  alienating Allies;

g.  promoting Authoritarianism;

h.  accelerating NeoFeudalism;

i.  making our country the laughingstock of the world;

j.  encouraging lawlessness; and,

k.  endangering all civilized countries and their peoples.

Trump's supporters had good reasons to be fed-up and angry prior to his election; however, I'm astounded that they still believe he's good for the country and the common people.  It's plain that he's not, and never mind what a danger he is to the entire world.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

p.s.  Again, a reminder:  I'm not a Democrat or a Republican; and I've been keenly observing American politics ever since 1956.

Crony Capitalism and Climate Change

This essay is mostly based on the piece at the following link---
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/10/9/climate_scientist_as_un_warns_of

....................................

Reasonable and well-spoken, Dr. Kevin Anderson explains why even well-meaning politicians and scientists (who are the majority in the Climate Change arena/issue), with their tweaking-of-the-existing-system approach, are pursuing an inadequate solution to a massive problem.  Instead, Anderson says, we need a "Marshall Plan" approach.  [Which, in my opinion, never will happen in time to solve the problem.  Our entire economic and political system needs to be peacefully revamped.]  And he doesn't even mention the permafrost methane "bomb" probability accompanying overall global warming.  That makes things even more urgent.

Because of plutocratic and political propaganda, never mind the inadequate approach of those who at least recognize the problem, I'm afraid it's too late to do anything significant about Climate Change.  By the time the powerful deniers finally wake up (or become honest), the window of opportunity will be long gone.  Our children & grandchildren will be living in a world the harshness of which cannot now be imagined... and the root cause of all that is Crony Capitalism, currently supported by most Republicans and Democrats (at the highest levels).  Corporatism rules.  This is not pessimism; it's plain reality.

The good news is that Anderson believes there's still hope.  Maybe he's right.  There are too many variables to predict with absolute certainty what actually will happen regarding our approach to the biggest problem facing Mankind.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Real "State of the Union" Rather Than the Don's Version

Isn't it incredible how Trump said that the Govt's unemployment, inflation, GDP, etc. numbers were all false just before he took office, but not long after he was sworn in, those numbers were all correct.  Plus, he's now claiming that the supposed "recovery" we're in is all due to his Administration's actions in the past year.  What he expects people to believe never ceases to amaze me.  The Corporate Media are every bit as bad in that respect as is Trump.  Let's take a brief look at how things really are in this great Land.
......................................................
1.   Unemployment---

The Feds have six measures of the unemployment rate and they label them U-1 through U-6.  U-3 is the one used as the "official unemployment rate".  Currently, that rate is 4.1%...but, there's a problem.   U-3 tends to underestimate the “true” extent of unemployment because those who have been unemployed and have given up on finding another job, or those who haven’t searched for a job recently, are not included in this category.

U-6 is closer to the truth.  This number measures not just the unemployed, but also those who would like to work full-time but are stuck with part-time and/or temporary work.  They are barely scraping by.  Since the Crash of 2008, U-6 has been (to varying degrees) over 11%...but, again there's a problem.  U-6 also is incomplete.  It excludes the long-term unemployed, those who have been out of the workforce for a year or more, have not searched for work in the most recent year, but would still like a job.  Many (probably most) of those people are so down and depressed that they've given up the search.

The point here is that the "official unemployment rate" is always incomplete.  The real rate is at least double, and usually higher than that.  Currently, if we use U-6 (which is more accurate, but still incomplete) the true rate of unemployment in the USA is somewhere in the double digits.  The Feds and the Corporate Media always promote the lower U-3 number.  If Trump were really a "rebel", he'd tell the truth; but he's a member of The Establishment.  The only difference between him and the rest of them is that he's unimaginably crass...ignorant, boorish, thoughtless, blundering, and tactless. 

2.  Inflation---

For many years, there has been a huge problem with the measurement of price inflation.  The Feds use something called "core inflation", which excludes the price changes in food and energy.  Hello...those are a fair-sized chunk of most peoples' expenses.  Years & years ago, food and energy were included.  Then the Feds decided that those commodities were too "volatile" to give an accurate picture.  Right.  So now we're stuck with an inaccurate measurement... usually a number that is way too low.

In addition, the Gov't does not include asset inflation...over-valued stocks, over-valued houses, etc.  Currently, both the Stock Market and the Housing Market are in giant Bubbles.  Today, stocks are more over-valued than they were in 2008... or even in 1929.

3.  Bizarre Derivatives---  

Because of a continuing lack of comprehensive Fed regulations & oversight, bizarre Financial Derivatives (such as credit default swaps, CDOs, synthetic CDOs, bespoke tranches, etc.) still threaten our economy & finances, as well as those of the entire world.  While it's true that the number & value of such derivatives most likely has been reduced, the amount still out in the Market is horrendous.  It's difficult to know the exact number because these are private contracts between Casino Capitalists.  Best estimates of analysts as to the amounts in the Market just before the 2008 Crash and now are:  about $1.4 quadrillion, and about  $700 trillion.  $700 trillion is way above the entire world's GDP...which is about $76 trillion.  Derivatives still have a high potential to crash the world.  And yet, there are no serious regulations to prevent that.

Not only are Crony/Casino Capitalists (not genuine Capitalists) still to some degree or another creating bizarre derivatives related to mortgages, but now they're doing the same with car loans and housing rent receipts.  The whole business is just plain nuts...and extremely dangerous.

4.  Stock Buy-Backs---

One reason the Stock Market is so over-valued is because many Corporations are buying back their own stocks.  That falsely inflates their value.  I suspect that will increase now that Trump & Congress have given the Upper Crust an immense, permanent Tax Cut.  [The rest of America received a much lesser temporary Tax Cut.]

5.  The Dollar---

Jim Rickards holds a degree in International Economics, he's an attorney, a former consultant to the CIA and Pentagon on economic matters, and a NYT best-selling author...twice.  According to him and his contacts, the IMF has launched a ten-year plan to replace the Dollar as the world's reserve currency.  Ultimately, that will be extremely bad news for our economy.  The way Trump alienates allies & trade partners, the situation will be even worse.

6.  Infrastructure---

According to the top Civil Engineers, our infrastructure is in dire need of repair/replacement.  During his election campaign, Trump announced he would get Congress to institute a big Infrastructure Program.  Where is it?  He's been in office over a year, already added (he and Congress) a potential one trillion dollars to our insane National Debt, but there's no Program...not even meetings about it.  Meanwhile, our bridges continue to rust, rot, & crumble, our trains run off the tracks, and our roads & highways continue to fall apart.  Not all of them at once, but still...it's a serious problem, and it's killing people.

7.  War & Nukes---

Sometime during the last ten years or so, and right up through the present day, the Powers-That-Be convinced each other that nuclear weapons actually can be used in warfare.  They justify such thinking by telling each other (and us, indirectly) that the weapons will be smaller, "tactical" nukes.  In their minds, that means it's feasible...with no serious, long-term effects.  This is unmitigated insanity.  What they apparently don't understand is that any such use of nukes would be a dangerous experiment with likely disastrous results.

The Obama Administration launched the ten-year Program designed to create these "tactical" nukes, but Trump is exacerbating the situation with his utter ignorance of science and statesmanship.  Not only the people of the USA, but the entire world as well should be protesting this idea in a massive way.

8.  Climate Change and Other Environmental/Health/Safety (EHS) Issues---

Trump & Crew are bound and determined to tear down Fed Gov't Regulations; they've already started that.  Those Regs are not just in the Business arena, but also in the EHS world.  I worked in the field of EHS regulatory compliance for several years, and I'll be the first to admit that some of those Regs are overlapping and need to be tweaked or even eliminated.  A few are not necessary, but most of them (the overwhelming majority) are necessary.  Without them, we'll have more pollution, sickness, injuries, and premature death.

Regarding Climate Change, there are too many variables in that scenario to say that human activity (mainly the generation of greenhouse gases) is the only cause of what's going on; however, there's plenty of evidence to state with certainty that human activity is contributing to the problem...most likely in a major way.  Given that, it makes sense to address the problem of greenhouse gases.  Because Corporation Powers consider such things to be "negative externalities", the only way to address the problem is through Regulations.

As to the Business world, and using only one example, does anyone seriously believe that the Financial Sector doesn't need to be regulated?  I hope no one believes that.

My point under this subtopic is simple:  things are not good, and getting worse every day.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

King Donald the First---the Lunatic King

Trump beats out even Dubya Bush and Obama for the title, Lunatic King.  I didn't think that was possible....especially so soon after the election.  Naturally, I'm exaggerating with the title of this essay; however, exaggeration often drives home a valid point.  Here are just a few of Trump's "lunacies"---

1.  He's acting like an idiot with Iran.  Trump claims that Iran is the greatest generator of terrorism in the world.  In reality, that title belongs to either Saudi Arabia---with its spreading of Wahhabism (a fundamentalist form of Sunni Islam)---or to the USA, with its weaponized drones and American Empire view of world relations.  For about forty years, the Iranian Gov't has tried to turn its own people against the USA.  It failed to do so.  Trump has done it in ten days.

2.  In a really dumb/lunatic move, King Donald not only placed a Gag Order on the EPA & other Gov't agencies, but he placed a freeze on any new contracts for the cleanup of SuperFund toxic/hazardous waste sites.  There are over 1,800 such sites in our Land.  This means that hazardous wastes will not only continue to leach into our groundwater and/or flow into our surface water, but overall will accelerate.  Some of these sites are military installations with pollution dating back to the '50s and '60s.  [As a HazMat Specialist with Sacramento County about 15 years ago, I conducted regulatory compliance inspections of one of those sites, McClellan Air Force Base.  These pollution problems are real, and need to be addressed.]

SIDE NOTE:  The pollution going back decades is a direct result of an almost total lack of environmental regulations and/or enforcement in the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's.  Even today, enforcement of environmental regs is lacking to one degree or another in some areas of our country.  It's a fairly safe bet that Trump & his Administration will worsen the situation.

3.  The blanket ban on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries is making enemies around the world.  Even many in Israel condemn it.  Fortunately, the judicial section of the Deep State here is fighting Trump on this one, and for the moment at least, is winning.

4.  Trump's (for the most part) Corporate Cabinet is beyond ridiculous.  These people will favor Mega Banks, other Mega Corporations, and the Super-Rich over Main Street in a heartbeat.  It all shows where Trump's true loyalties exist.  In terms of the Oligarchy v. the rest of us, it's SSDD.  On second thought, this time it will be on triple steroids.

5.  King Donald's views (and already, actions) on Climate Change display an exponential amount of ignorance.  He's not a stupid man, but he's quintessentially ignorant on too many crucial issues.  Either that, or he's propagandized beyond the pale... or both.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well