Huge thanks to my February sponsor, John Rember, author of the three-book series Journal of the Plague Years, a psychic survival guide for humanity’s looming date with destiny, shaped by his experiences living through the pandemic in his native Idaho. Thoughtful, wry and humane, Journal 1 is a pleasure.
“El Niño Is Returning With Another Stark Warning…
“As expected, the El Niño of 2023 and 2024 delivered record-smashing temperatures. It was indeed frightening… El Niño is likely to return this year, threatening even higher temperatures…
“…at this point, it would take a miracle to avoid overshooting 1.5C. Unfortunately, that 1.5C figure isn’t arbitrary, no matter what you might hear from certain quiet-quitting environmentalists. It’s the minimum level at which several climate “tipping points” risk being triggered.”
“Friday ice update – Arctic sea ice extent is currently the 2nd lowest on record (JAXA data).”
• about 390,000 km² below the 2010s mean
• about 980,000 km² below the 2000s mean
• about 1,430,000 km² below the 1990s mean
• about 1,970,000 km² below the 1980s mean [Zack Labe]
https://bsky.app/profile/zacklabe.com/post/3mftzc2l4lk2k
“Greenland’s largest glacier could soon reach a tipping point, scientists say.
“Greenland’s largest glacier, Jakobshavn Glacier, may be edging closer to a critical threshold as meltwater runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet accelerates in ways not seen in over a century, according to new research…”
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-greenland-largest-glacier-scientists.html
“Wildfires in the Arctic May Be Releasing Far More Carbon Than We Thought.
“New research led by UC Berkeley suggests these northern blazes are not only burning trees but also unlocking massive stores of carbon buried underground. In many boreal regions, thick layers of carbon-rich soil lie beneath the forest floor…”
https://scitechdaily.com/wildfires-in-the-arctic-may-be-releasing-far-more-carbon-than-we-thought/
“Massive concentrations of old dissolved organic carbon from Yedoma thaw in lakes in Siberia…
“In Central Yakutia (Eastern Siberia) where this study was conducted, an increase of 2.9 °C in air temperature between 1980 and 20194 has led to intense Yedoma degradation, resulting in ground subsidence (thermokarst) and the formation and rapid development of thermokarst lakes.”
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-026-03229-0
“Alaska’s melting glaciers are revealing long-lost frozen bodies.
“Across Alaska and neighboring parts of Canada, groups of volunteers, scientists, and in some cases military personnel are searching for half a dozen other large plane crashes they believe are still hidden in glacial ice.”
“Abrupt Gulf Stream path changes are a precursor to a collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.
“Satellite altimetry shows a significant northward Gulf Stream trend near Cape Hatteras, which is also confirmed in subsurface temperature observations. These findings provide indirect evidence for present-day AMOC weakening and demonstrate that abrupt Gulf Stream shifts can serve as early warning indicator for AMOC tipping.”
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-026-03309-1
“Climate-proofing Irish roads and bridges: ‘Historical design may no longer be appropriate’…
““Ireland’s lifeline roads are in regions with the most rainfall and largest projected increases, making them more vulnerable to disruption from flooding, bridge or culvert washouts, and landslips,” the report states.”
“Dirty water, death and decline: the inside story of a privatisation scandal [UK]…
“England remains an anomaly across the world, as the only country apart from Chile where water, a natural resource, is owned by private companies for profit… Increased rainfall as a result of climate breakdown, combined with increased housebuilding, is adding pressure to an industry that has had decades of underinvestment.”
“Record levels of cesspit collections after heavy rain…
“Guernsey Water said the sustained rainfall had placed significant pressure on the cesspit service, resulting in unprecedented demand. ‘The volume of rainfall we experienced placed exceptional pressure on the cesspit service, and demand rose very quickly as a result,’ said business change manager Andrea Simpson.”
https://guernseypress.com/news/2026/02/28/record-levels-of-cesspit-collections-after-heavy-rain
“Historic German heat record: 23°C [73.4F] on 27th February in Ohlsbach.
“February 27, 2026, made weather history. In Ohlsbach in the Ortenau region, in the Black Forest holiday region, a temperature of 23 degrees Celsius was reached yesterday – a new German temperature record. It is the warmest February day ever recorded in Germany since official measurements began.”
“France experienced record-setting temperatures this week during an unseasonal spell of warm weather that affected the entire country.
“The soaring mercury pushes some to worry about the implications of such hot winter weather against a backdrop of a warming planet.”
https://www.france24.com/en/video/20260226-record-high-temperatures-in-france
“Nearly 6,000 deaths in France during the summer of 2025 were caused by high temperatures, official figures reveal.
“A total 5,722 people died as a direct result of the summer heat in 2025, the third hottest summer on record and one which featured two severe extended heatwaves in late June/early July and in the middle of August, a Santé Publique France report shows.”
https://www.thelocal.fr/20260227/death-toll-from-last-summers-french-heatwaves-nearly-6000
“70% of European soils are degraded: experts warn of a hidden biodiversity crisis…
“Seventy percent of European soils tested positive for pesticide contamination. According to Professor Marcel van der Heijden from the University of Zurich’s Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, this contamination has ‘a major impact on various beneficial organisms’ living in the soil.”
“Fresh produce shortages after torrential rain in Spain and Morocco could soon push up prices.
“Nine storms unleashed torrential rain and hurricane-force winds across the three countries from 16 January to 17 February, killing more than 50 people and forcing over 200,000 to flee their homes, mostly in Morocco. Grazalema… in southern Spain, saw more than a full year’s expected rainfall in just a few days.”
“Heavy Rains, Floods Deal Major Blow to Beekeepers in Morocco.
“Heavy rainfall in northern and western Morocco has caused significant losses for beekeepers, as it killed large numbers of bees and isolated several apiaries at a critical time in the production cycle. The damage comes as the swarming season, known locally as “tatreeḍ,” begins.”
“Sahara drivers ambushed by massive locust swarm as FAO warns of growing regional threat.
“Video captured on the highway shows cars forging through the thick surge of locusts of what looks like thousands of them hurling themselves against passing cars and sometimes even obstructing the view.”
“A toxic algae bloom known as a red tide is causing the mass deaths of crayfish and other ocean life on parts of South Africa’s west coast.
“The environment ministry warned people on Thursday against collecting and eating the crayfish, which could be toxic, and police were deployed on some beaches.”
“‘Without water, we will die’: Limpopo rocked by water shortages after floods [South Africa]…
“Ba-Phalaborwa municipality spokesperson Jonas Mahesu said the current water shortages in Phalaborwa are due to flood damage sustained by the 250mm Boelang pipeline and the 546mm pumping main…”
“Study of 40,000 cases links Somalia migration mainly to water scarcity…
“Sinafekesh Wolde, first author of the article, explained, “The results show an exodus from areas characterized by drought, food insecurity and scarcity of water for agricultural uses: between 76% and 91% of environmental migrations have originated in these hotspots.””
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-cases-links-somalia-migration-scarcity.html
“Istanbul reservoir levels hit 64-year low, threatening summer water security…
“The Marmara region, home to Türkiye’s largest metropolis, is bracing for a potential summer of severe water shortages. Experts warn that 2025 recorded the lowest average rainfall in 64 years, leaving dam levels critically low as the dry season approaches.”
“Wheat crisis brewing in Pakistan? Indus Waters Treaty strain and Afghan conflict collide as supply dips.
“Pakistan may face a wheat shortfall of 2 to 2.2 million tonnes this year, according to a report by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), at a time when tensions with Afghanistan and strains over the Indus Waters Treaty are affecting water availability and farming activity.”
“India braces for unusually hot March: Wheat and rapeseed crops at risk.
“India is likely to record one of its warmest Marches on record, with temperatures forecast to remain well above average in key grain-producing regions… higher-than-normal temperatures could threaten wheat and rapeseed crops during critical stages of development.”
“Ancient stepwells brought back to life as India begins to run out of water…
“India is facing the worst water crisis in its history. It is home to more than 1.4 billion people – nearly 18% of the world’s population – but has only 4% of the planet’s fresh-water resources. More than 600 million Indians already face high-to-extreme water stress…”
“ETERNAL RECORD HEAT IN CHINA – weeks of never ending record heat in this absurdly warm but dynamic winter.
“Today 7 more Monthly records (2 Tmax+5 High Tmins) were broken bringing the total monthly records of over 500 in few days. Next days? Warmer and warmer and more records of course.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2027030096960454673
“Coral proxy data reveals century-long slowdown of South China Sea throughflow under global warming…
“The South China Sea Throughflow serves as a critical oceanic conveyor belt for heat and freshwater, mediating water exchanges between the South China Sea and the Pacific and Indian oceans while regulating key processes such as heat and salt budgets, eddy activities…”
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-coral-proxy-reveals-century-slowdown.html
“EXTRAORDINARY WARMTH IN JAPAN:
“Record heat seems eternal in Japan with records being smashed no-stop every single day. February Highest Minimums broke yesterday: 11.4C [52.5F] Ube; 7.7C Iijima; 7.6C Suwa; 4.1C Kikonai.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2027605907245568045
“Japan set to endure another record hot summer as global warming persists.
“Japan is likely to face another record-setting summer, climate experts have warned, as global warming continues to shrink Arctic ice, alter wind patterns and heat ocean waters.”
“EXTRAORDINARY HEAT IN THAILAND – Thailand is living one of the most extreme months in history with records smashed all 28 days of the month.
“Today Bangkok had a minimum of 28.3C [82.9F] – its HOTTEST FEBRUARY NIGHT IN HISTORY.” [Extreme Temps]
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2027583099375391105
“Bali Hotels Urged To Increase Flood-Proofing As Rainy Season Devastation Continues.
“The weather in Bali this week has been nothing shy of brutal. Persistent heavy rains have caused widespread flooding, forcing evacuations of both local communities and tourists. Fallen trees and landslides have only added to the devastation…”
“Massive Sydney rain dump brings flash floods as other states await further deluge.
“A heavy burst of more than 100mm of rainfall over three hours in Australia’s most populous city has led to flash flooding, evacuations and rescue operations as vast areas across the nation’s north and south stand by for continued drenching.”
“Antarctica just saw the fastest glacier collapse ever recorded.
“Antarctica’s Hektoria Glacier stunned scientists by retreating eight kilometers in just two months, with nearly half of it collapsing in record time. Satellite and seismic data captured the dramatic chain reaction in near real time. The findings raise concerns that much larger glaciers could one day collapse just as quickly.”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260226042454.htm
“Antarctica’s Mineral Riches Exposed as Climate Warms…
“Two regions of Antarctica hold the most promising mineral deposits: the 810-mile-long Antarctic Peninsula, which sticks up from the continent like a thumb toward the southern tip of South America; and the 2,000-mile-long Transantarctic Mountains that separate East and West Antarctica.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/climate/antarcticas-mineral-riches-exposed-as-climate-warms.html
“The death toll from landslides and flooding in eastern Brazil has risen to 64, as authorities continue to search for survivors.
“The update on Friday came days after a long period of heavy rain in the state of Minas Gerais, with the cities of Juiz de Fora and Uba particularly hard hit.”
“Deforestation leads to more extreme weather events in the Amazon region.
“…deforestation threatens to destroy this unique ecosystem and its important functions. One-fifth of the area has already been cleared, and there is no end in sight to this intensive use. This has serious consequences for biodiversity and the global and regional climate.”
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-deforestation-extreme-weather-events-amazon.html
“Exceptional warmth along the Peruvian and Chilean coast due to an intense Coastal Nino:
“35.2C [95.4F] yesterday in the Eastern Lima station of Carabayllo ties the record of the highest temperature ever recorded in the metropolitan area of Lima. The 3 hottest nights in Tacna’s history were all recorded in the past nights. Chile missed by 0.4C the national record of its highest Minimum in history.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2027002857279385819
“52 dead as El Niño ravages Peru.
“The rainy season is also threatening the country’s infrastructure, with 999km of roads damaged and 457km of the national road network declared under emergency… In the case of vehicular bridges, 29 structures have been completely destroyed by surging rivers, while 100 have been damaged.”
https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/53-dead-as-el-nino-ravages-peru
“A severe hailstorm in Bogotá has caused traffic chaos…
“Significant rainfall was also reported in Suba, Fontibón, and Barrios Unidos . Additionally, incidents were reported, primarily related to flooding in roads and homes, hail, and damage to public utilities and sewer systems.”
“Mental heat in MEXICO: Records have been shattered, locally shot above March AND APRIL records:
“41.0 Hermosillo; 39.3 Empalme; 39.2 Ciudad Victoria; 39.0 Ciudad Constitucion; 39.0 Loreto; 36.6 Mexicali; Min 26.0 Santa Rosalia; Temperatures have reached 43C/110F.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/2027220380826607648
“How brutal wildfires, violent rivalries and controversial reforestation are transforming rural Mexico…
“…a combination of rapidly increasing wildfires, massive infrastructure projects and government intervention in formerly subsistence-level farming are transforming these isolated, primarily indigenous Mayan-speaking settlements beyond recognition — some say for the better, others for the worst.”
“Florida hits 100% drought coverage for first time on record…
“With long-range outlooks favoring warmer temperatures and limited rainfall, the current deficits are likely to carry into the spring and could allow drought conditions to persist or worsen without meaningful rain.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/florida-hits-100-drought-coverage-223226452.html
“Deep Freeze and Drought Are Fueling a Massive Florida Wildfire…
“The National Fire has burned more than 25,700 acres — an area larger than Manhattan — since Sunday in the Big Cypress National Preserve south of Naples. The region is a popular tourist destination known as “Alligator Alley” for its plentiful wildlife.”
“A weather station at Falcon Dam in Star County, Texas hit a blistering 106 degrees on Thursday. This preliminarily set a new U.S. record for hottest winter day in recorded history.
“Other parts of the Rio Grande Valley reached 100 degrees, including Laredo, while San Antonio and Corpus Christi rose to 95 degrees — temperatures not usually seen until late May.”
https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/texas-eyes-historic-february-heat-more-snow-looms-northeast
“Racing against heat: Yuma’s lettuce farmers battle extreme temperatures [Arizona].
“Lettuce farmers in Yuma are accelerating their harvest operations this season as temperatures approach triple digits earlier than usual, pushing growers to adjust schedules and logistics to protect crop quality.”
“Temperatures reached a record 92 degrees in Phoenix today, officially tying both the daily and monthly high temperature records, according to the National Weather Service.
“Phoenix not only set a record high on Feb. 27 but also officially reached 90 degrees, about 20 degrees above February’s average high of 70.”
“The Colorado River is nearing collapse. It’s Trump’s problem now.
“Now, as the region weathers its driest winter in recent history, a reckoning has arrived. By the end of September, the seven states need to agree on a new set of rules that will determine how to divvy up the river’s flow during dry years.”
https://grist.org/politics/colorado-river-deal-trump-burgum/
“New statewide record high for the month of February and meteorological winter – 101°F 4 mi. east of North Shore, California!”
“Old record – 100F at Indio Fire Station, set on February 27th, 1986 [The Global Warmer]
https://x.com/TheGlobalWarmer/status/2027565982898667588
“Driest month EVER in the Quad Cities [Iowa and Illinois]!
“It’s not often we break an all-time weather/climate record in the Quad Cities, but it looks like we’re about to do that once February comes to an end! …So far this February we have had NO measurable precipitation at the official climate site in Moline!”
https://www.ourquadcities.com/news/local-news/driest-month-ever-in-the-quad-cities/
“Shrinking North American bird population is getting worse faster. Experts blame agriculture, warming.
“Billions fewer birds are flying through North American skies than decades ago and their population is shrinking ever faster, mostly due to a combination of intensive agriculture and warming temperatures, a new study found.”
“Controversial geoengineering ‘antacid’ test in ocean attempts to reverse climate change…
“Last August, a team of researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) poured more than 16,000 gallons of a caustic solution into federal waters off the coast of Massachusetts. Their mission: evaluating a controversial, eleventh-hour strategy to reverse climate change.”
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/26/science/ocean-geoengineering-trial-results-whoi/
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Well, we’ve moved to the next level in the Middle East…Meh
Rock the Casbah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu79TzKDUJo
The Clash…Live video….at least we can be “amused” by it all
I’d go for Tommy Gun or Ivan Meets GI Joe (war as distraction) for what’s happening at the moment.
I am ashamed to admit “Should I stay or should I go?” and “Rock the Casbah” are the only two Clash tracks I know. Both of those sound apposite, George. From “Tommy Gun”:
An’ we can watch you make it
On the nine o’clock news
Standing there in Palestine, lighting the fuse
Whatever you want, you’re gonna get it
Tommy gun…
I can see it’s kill or be killed
A nation of destiny has got to be fulfilled
Whatever you want, you’re gonna get it
Tommy gun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFHEuKkTa5k&list=RDbFHEuKkTa5k&start_radio=1
London Calling, Clampdown and Straight to Hell are good for a collapse theme.
From Duke yesterday:
“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school in more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals. It is some fifty miles of concrete pavement. We pay for a single fighter with a half-million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people. . . . This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower
Nice quote. I didn’t know he was such an idealist.
The latest published 27/02/2026 from Rothschild & Co:
—————————
Gold, the Dollar, and another New World
Foreword: the Revolution Devours its own…
…Another New World
“…to pretend that the search for another new world was well worth the burning of mine…” [Josh Ritter]
https://www.rothschildandco.com/en/newsroom/insights/2026/02/wm-market-perspective-gold-the-dollar-and-another-new-world/
———————————–
ME: yet still no discussion of Overshoot & Collapse as our world goes up in flames with every decreasing ERoEI barrel.
Will I-ran start an even faster version of We-run?
++++You’re a creature of habit
Run like a rabbit
Scared of a fear you can’t name
Your own paranoia
Is looming before you
And nobody thinks that it’s a game+++ {Dan Fogelberg, Power of Gold}
Don’t just do something… stand there?
Bob Shaw Are Humans Smarter than Yeast?
“… yet still no discussion of Overshoot & Collapse as our world goes up in flames with every decreasing ERoEI barrel.”
Bob, I think the concept of EROEI is too esoteric and its ramifications too daunting for it to ever gain mainstream traction… “Energy security” on other hand is definitely catching the attention of policy-makers… Human overshoot is still basically taboo but climate overshoot, in the sense of guardrails exceeded, is finding its way into the public discourse, eg:
“Temporary climate overshoot—especially for 1.5 °C—is now unavoidable… We outline priorities for a new generation of models and scenarios that integrate different climate sciences, supporting robust climate strategies in a world of overshoot.”
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-026-02563-7
I currently feel by far the most foreboding of any time since becoming properly collapse aware around 2005, and I don’t think its all just from entering a doddery old age. The economy, geopolitical order, social contracts, biodiversity, stable climate and, ultimately, a liveable planet – they are all going away at once.
I agree. It feels like this war is the first domino of The End.
Cassandra,
“Everyone, deep in their hearts, is waiting for the End of the World to come.”
[Haruki Murakami]
George, your foreboding is well-founded; our polycrisis is certainly intensifying.
Waiting? The Jude’s/Christian/Islamic trilogy of terror have started the endgame to the end of days they so fervently pray for. The faithful have no use for this life, but care only for the next. Masses of people will destroy you if you “insult” their religion, yet insult our intelligence on a daily basis by claiming nonsense a twelve-year-old would scoff at, all while preaching an absolutism that is incompatible with coexistence with non-believers: you’re either with us or against us. They have now unleashed the weapons of a science they don’t believe in onto each other without bothering to concoct even a flimsy excuse for doing so, starting a conflagration for which there is no reasonable conclusion, as all of the participants deny reason. Only faith matters … ie globalized madness is now at the helm, deliberately steering the ship of state, now transformed into Noah’s Arc of Instability, onto the shoals to redeem their immortal souls and escape hellfire’s hot coals. Only now without any of those nasty critters, who will be so much collateral damage to be toasted like marshmallows along with the rest of us.
Apocalypse Now has always been the reality show the Trumplestiltskin was destined to host, as spinning gold into straw has ever been his only talent.
“…have started the endgame to the end of days they so fervently pray for.”
Rob, it is a worry that there are, as you suggest, factions on both sides of this conflict (dispensationalists and Mahdists) who are comfortable with Armageddon.
Yeah we will see how long before the dominos start falling. I know there are alot of people unware how bad things really are. I have tried to warn my own family but get black stares and looks when i say rolling blackouts and water shortages are coming.
“I’m so glad we had this time together
Just to have a laugh and sing a song
Seems we just get started and before you know it
Comes the time we have to say, ‘So long!'”
From The Carol Burnett Show… I had to look it up. The comments section is showing up some glaring holes in my musical knowledge today. 😆
That takes me back! Great show. Perfect ditty for this time. 😬
Don’t feel too old. I’m only 30 and I’ve been dreading things more and more. Especially now that America has fucked with Iran.
>>> I’m only 30
Thanks Kord, I’m always interested in hearing from young people who are aware of our polycrisis. Do you know any others your age that understand our predicament?
Truth Wizard is the only other one I know.
I’m with you George. This main have been posted before:
A January 2026 UN report declared the world has entered an era of “Global Water Bankruptcy” signaling a permanent, structural crisis rather than temporary scarcity. Driven by climate change and unsustainable overconsumption, this state means many water systems have crossed irreversible damage thresholds, affecting 75% of the global population.
UN News
UN News
+4
Key details of the UN water bankruptcy declaration:
Definition: The reportGlobal Water Bankruptcy: Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era, highlights that humanity is consuming water faster than it can be naturally replenished.
Scope of Damage: Over 50% of the world’s large lakes have lost water since the 1990s, and roughly 70% of major aquifers are in decline.
Impact: Water shortages cost the global economy an estimated
billion annually, acting as a driver for conflict and food system failure.
Action Needed: The UN urges a shift toward “bankruptcy management” prioritizing the protection of remaining resources, improving efficiency without increasing consumption, and managing inevitable, permanent losses.
United Nations University
United Nations University
+5
“Overuse and pollution must end urgently as no one knows when whole system might collapse, says Prof Kaveh Madani, who led the report.”
I’m going to go out on a limb and say overuse and pollution are not going to end.
I’m guessing Pan’s heard about the umm, war, that’s just broken out between the good ol U$A and the evil satanic empire of Eye-ran. This awesome mega-mashup sums up my feelings about both today’s climate headlines and the aforementioned event:
Hotter Than a Highway to Hell With the Devil.
Jupiviv, I had naively thought that the US would at least wait until after the next round of talks in Vienna, but now it seems the talks themselves were a smokescreen. It was certainly an eye-popping headline to greet me as I fired up the laptop first thing this morning. Those will be coming thick and fast now…
Nice fusion of rock legends there. Finally some tracks I have actually heard of. 😂
I’ll post one of my own – Dire Straits’ haunting anti-war song, “Brothers in Arms”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhdFe3evXpk&list=RDjhdFe3evXpk&start_radio=1
Pan’s link above: “A weather station at Falcon Dam in Star County, Texas hit a blistering 106 degrees on Thursday. This preliminarily set a new U.S. record for hottest winter day in recorded history.
——————–
ME: My Texas Roundup Report
We now have a contract on our old hand-laid stone house in Mason. Can’t wait to go north after the closing March 30th because this house has no AC [built 1911]. Buyers still have one week to break the contract; the ‘having second thoughts’ legal escape clause. I sure hope they don’t back out.
We bought it cheap at the bottom of the housing crash, selling it cheap so the next owner can do extensive, expensive upgrades to live in it year-round. The rock walls conduct the collected daytime heat into the inside at night requiring a ceiling fan blowing on me while I flip-flop all night trying to stay cool. In the sixteen years of ownership: CC in Texas has changed radically enough to bring too many heating days for us old folks. I just can’t tolerate the heat as easily as I did when I was young.
The next owner has plans for new, super-efficient windows, LOTS of insulation, central Air-Cond., new doors & screen doors, plus much more. IMO, the house really needs the upgrades too.
Burn Ban in effect for most of the winter here–>dusty & dry, steady winds dessicating the moisture from the plants & soil, not a cloud in sight. Small chance for some small rain a few days ahead in the forecast. Time will tell…
“I sure hope they don’t back out.”
Good luck, Bob! I hope you get out of your sweatbox. 🤞
Good luck Bob! Lots of “very warm” mentions in your forecast:
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/mason/76856/daily-weather-forecast/335841
My message box and telephone is very active today . Some earthworms whom I had no contact with for several years turn up and ask ” what is happening ” ? Well , my answer is that if you did not understand what I have been talking about ( peak oil) for 20 years and about POD ( Peak Oil Dynamics ) as per Rockman on TOD then I can’t explain or help you . Go back to sleep . Most of my contacts are from India , many millionaires in dollar terms whose progeny is stuck up in UAE . Sad . Are human beings smarter than yeast ? Answer : NO . Mike B on February 28, 2026 at 4:49 pm
“I’m so glad we had this time together
Just to have a laugh and sing a song
Seems we just get started and before you know it
Comes the time we have to say, ‘So long!’”
Thanks to Mike B for getting me reading “The collapse of the bronze age “
Thanks, Ravi. I’ll post my column here in two weeks when it comes out. It’s a retrospective of peak oil.
Good stuff, Mike B. I’ll be interested to read.
So why the attack now ? My theory . The silver market in Shanghai was closed from 15th Feb – 3rd March . Price differential between COMEX , LME and Shanghai continues to be about 13-15% . COMEX shutdown for technical reasons ( an excuse to avoid physical delivery ) . I await what will happen on Monday and Tuesday as the oil markets and the Shanghai silver market opens . May you live in interesting times — Chinese proverb . Question what if we have a SSF ( Synchronized System Failure ) as warned by David Korowitcz . A crisis brought about by the unison of problems in the oil markets and precious metal markets ? Next week is going to be interesting .
https://www.binance.com/en/square/post/295646313423073
Midterms
>>> Midterms
Hi Survivalist, I’m not sure what you mean here. Midterm elections in the US? Or? What are you thinking?
Trump attacked Iran because he wants to distract from Epstein Files and improve Republican results at US midterm election. Same with Cuba and Venezuela actions. Whitehouse and DOJ are carrying a lot of water for a bunch of men in power who like to fuck kids. This is a distraction from that.
Ravi, it is certainly going to be an interesting week. De-escalation looking very unlikely at this point. An oil tanker has been attacked; an ominous development:
“An oil tanker was attacked off the coast of Musandam in the Strait of Hormuz. Four people were injured and all 20 crew members were evacuated, according to Oman’s Maritime Security Centre.”
https://www.euronews.com/business/2026/03/01/first-oil-tanker-attacked-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-according-to-oman
River Wyless- Born in the Right Country
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=374V10dsREs&si=3-vBC50bAgNATk_L
“…a folk-pop critique of systemic inequality, white privilege, and the illusion of the American Dream.” It is easy on the ear, Texas Guy.
Thematically, it reminded me of Bruce Hornsby’s “The Way It Is”, although I’m sure there must be gazillions of others in similar vein.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlRQjzltaMQ&list=RDGlRQjzltaMQ&start_radio=1
The Pretenders back in 1981 with the fabulous Chrissie Hynde preforming live with songs like Day After Day …with bombs flying up in the sky and we’ll get together after the war is over….and the tune Dog Food…man, the 80s were the best..actor Mickey Rourke saying that in the movie the 2008 Wrestler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LzRab8uFYg&t=3274s
The Pretenders live Germany 1981 Recorded by me from digital satellite onto VHS HiFi VCR. Few people in the UK could receive this station, but at this time I had two satellite dishes and two receivers, one for standard SKY channels, the other for stations in France, Germany etc.
Boy, were we lucky to be alive back then…
This is probably not a bad time to retreat into the comforts of music and nostalgia, Vince. 😆
I just love Chrissie Hind. What a distinctive voice she has. One of my favourite tracks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMOKamtpUA8&list=RDcMOKamtpUA8&start_radio=1
I love that one, too! Haven’t listened to it in a long time.
Damn strait the 1980s were the best and that pussy Cobain came and ruined it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCRhnoau5QI
Bar sequence between Marisa Tomei and Mickey Rourke with spanish subtitles.
Got to love it Pan..
ME: Since the bombs & missiles are being flung back & forth again in the Mideast, I expect this debate to begin again:
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‘Send your own son’: Netizens react to Trump’s Iran bombings; calls for Barron Trump to enlist in US army after Iran strikes
The 19-year-old son of President Donald J Trump, who just wrapped up his freshman year at NYU, has found himself at the center of a growing social media firestorm where netizens react to Trump’s Iran bombings with the growing demand of enlisting Barron Trump in the US army.
‘If you want war, send your own kid’
On X, many have echoed a common refrain: if President Trump is prepared to send other people’s children into harm’s way, shouldn’t his own son be first in line?
“Trump has us at war. Barron should sign up for the Army now”, reacted one user.
Another commented, “POTUS @Trump should order his son Barron to immediately enlist into US Army and be sent to fight Iran. Bravo”
“And with the first pick of the 2025 US Draft, the US Army Selects…Barron Trump out of Mar-a-Lago”
A political hot potato in combat boots
There is no legal requirement for the children of US presidents to serve in the military.
Barron Trump, by all public accounts, has maintained a low profile since his father returned to office. But the renewed scrutiny stems not solely from Barron Trump’s personal choices, but from a broader debate over political accountability and military service. President Donald Trump, now serving his second term, avoided the Vietnam War draft five times, once citing bone spurs. No member of the Trump family has served in the armed forces.
As the administration faces questions about the legality and consequences of the strikes on Iran, online discourse has increasingly invoked what critics label “Chickenhawk Syndrome” — a term referring to political leaders who support military action without having direct personal or familial involvement in combat.
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/send-your-own-son-netizens-react-to-trumps-iran-bombings-calls-for-barron-trump-to-enlist-in-us-army-after-iran-strikes/ar-AA1HBV5M
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ME: I could see Trump eagerly trying to send off his son [Munchhausen Syndrome by proxy] to show how brave he is as President, but Melania screaming, “No way!”
If this new Iran War drags on interminably, the first effects could be very high gasoline & diesel prices, with perhaps long lines of vehicles queued up at filling stations as in the 1970s. I also remember the ‘odd or even’ last number on the license plate determining what day you were allowed to get in the gas lines.
If AI is truly effective in creating lots of unemployed young men: Is reinstating the Draft the best way to effectively & quickly reduce the headcount of Useless Eaters?
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Video: Oil tanker attacked in Strait of Hormuz amid Middle East conflict; 20 crew, including 15 Indians, evacuated
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/video-oil-tanker-attacked-in-strait-of-hormuz-amid-middle-east-conflict-20-crew-including-15-indians-evacuated/ar-AA1XiKl9
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ME: Needless to say, but expect the price of PMs to jump upward later today when the Metals Markets opens. Inflation is bound to jump upwards too in the coming months as the price of energy percolates through to infest the cost of every product.
Bob Shaw Are Humans Smarter than Yeast?
I see you beat me to it with the tanker news, Bob. USS Abraham Lincoln apparently hit now.
What a mess. I’m not sure there is any putting this genie back in the bottle.
Edit: The USS AL only targeted, apparently.
Iran has some very savvy anti ship ballistic missiles; all kinds of fancy radar seekers, optical sensors, and terminal guidance packages; all coming in on target at hypersonic speeds. The first widespread, publicly reported use of true anti-ship ballistic missiles in active conflict occurred during the 2023–2024 Red Sea crisis, where Houthis targeted international shipping. As far as I know this is the first war time deployment of ASBM’s by a state actor, and is likely much more sophisticated. I can’t wait to see the damage assessment, or lack there of.
No confirmation of the following. I lived in Al Khobar a couple of miles from ARAMCO during the Iran Iraq war. I could go up on my roof and see the smoke from fires burning in Iran. That’s how close the 2 countries are together. What’s interesting is to see the locals cheering when Iranian missiles hit US Navy facilities in Bahrain. Also the Eastern Province of KSA is mainly Shiite. Folks need to get a grip and soon
https://www.facebook.com/atvgambia/posts/breaking-news-iranian-suicide-drone-strikes-qatari-oil-platform-in-the-persian-g/1273365208190991/
Get a load of this video!
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Trump is first president stupid enough to help Netanyahu
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/rep-sarah-jacobs-trump-is-first-president-stupid-enough-to-help-netanyahu-in-iran-regime-change/vi-AA1Xi93S?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=69a426dbc6e34a02b3fe8679c9de51c0&cvpid=69a447091c254598a0d79b14ab706f28&ei=91
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ME: Wild Speculation as usual. My alternative viewpoint on why war now…
Maybe Netanyahu has finally convinced Trump that CC is real and will soon make the Mideast uninhabitable due to wet-bulb temps & extreme drought. Greenland [the Promised Land 2.0!], Canada, US, and Europe for the next Jewish Diaspora.
I can easily envision the new ‘Moses’ Trump triumphantly posed atop a Greenland sea-cliff as the Israelis disembark on the beach below after their second Exodus.
Action! Roll the cameras & start up the orchestra!
If Trump wins or loses the Mideast Battle, it won’t matter, because he & Bibi Netanyahu cannot win against the overwhelming force of CC. Becoming Moses II would be the ultimate legacy win for Trump; his narcissism needs would be fulfilled.
He can’t lose because it will be a win-win-win. Ah, the Master of the Deal has done it again.
Both are very old demented stuck in the past paradigm world view and doubt that time frame enters in their concerns.
Actually, Trump has memory problems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JnxVO1ueVk&t=96s
rump’s HEALTH COLLAPSES as America GOES TO WAR!
MeidasTouch
6.04M subscribers
Estimates are that the Chinese can manufacture a billion weaponized drones per year if necessary
Silver Price Prediction: Will Geopolitical Chaos Drive XAG/USD to $104 as $100 Target Looms?
Silver is no longer just a “precious metal”, it has become the primary financial barometer for global instability.
Quick overview
Silver has surged nearly 8% to the $93.80–$94.50 range due to escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
A critical liquidity trap in the COMEX market is causing a disconnect between paper and physical silver, heightening demand.
Major banks are revising silver price targets, with some predicting potential prices as high as $300 if supply issues persist. {ME: Billionaire Eric Sprott predicts $300/oz}
Traders should exercise caution as the market approaches key resistance levels, with volatility expected at the Monday open.
https://www.fxleaders.com/news/2026/03/01/silver-price-prediction-will-geopolitical-chaos-drive-xag-usd-to-104-as-100-target-looms/
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Bob Shaw Are Humans Smarter than Yeast?
It’s not about attacking Iran. It’s about more distraction from the Epstein files. Wonder how many around the world are going to be named in the files? I think that all the little insignificant concerns of this species does not keep global warming & NTHE awake at night. It’s going to be entertaining when it’s too hot to go to war or even hate anyone.
“The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry” Looks like the plans are working out perfectly. Wait! It’s not my fault.
Poland is really giving’ ‘er on the Epstein Files.
ME: This is a fascinating article. Well worth the read plus see the graphics:
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Pakistan, Venezuela & now Iran: Why Chinese-made weapons keep failing…
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/defence/international/pakistan-venezuela-now-iran-why-chinese-made-weapons-keep-failing/articleshow/128915571.cms
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Bob Shaw Are Humans Smarter than Yeast?