Civilization Is Now On Suicide Watch

61 Comments on "Civilization Is Now On Suicide Watch"

Nony on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 11:15 am 



Mike Ruppert. Truther craziness. Doomer silliness.

Kenz300 on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 11:40 am 



The worlds biggest environmental problem is over population.

Endless population growth makes every other problem harder to solve.

ghung on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 11:41 am 



Nony, most folks here are familiar with the depth of your disconnect from things that really matter, especially the non-human parts of the living planet. Your consistent smugness just puts an exclamation point on your pathological disregard for other species. Of course, you simply don’t care that the only thing you’ll leave behind, post-Nony, is the damage you’ve done. Nothing else you’ve ever done in your lifetime will matter at all. Dirt to dirt.

Plantagenet on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 11:55 am 



Species are lost when ecosystems are damaged and habitats are lost. Overpopulation is causing humans to spill across more and more land, destroying habitats.

J-Gav on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 1:09 pm 



Biodiversity loss, whether terrestrial, in the seas and rivers or in the air – (shall we call that ‘the birds and the bees?)and whether caused by climate change, human population encroachment, chemical or other forms of pollution …

could, in my view, represent nearly as grave a threat to humanity as an all-out nuclear war.

adamx on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 1:16 pm 



I have said before that we will either see a “collapse” from peak oil or we will see one from environmental collapse. If we can find the resources to expand, we will continue to expand. If we cannot, we will deflate.

It’s exactly like the reindeer on St. Matthew Island, only the earth is the island so it takes a lot, lot longer.

Northwest Resident on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 1:53 pm 



ghung — Thank you. That was very satisfying to read. The Nonys of the world are all for bulldozing entire mountain ranges, wasting water supplies, rolling right over all the animal and plant life that happen to get in the way of “progress” — just to keep their comfy little life as-is. They truly do not seem to give a rat’s ass about what they leave behind for future generations.

MSN Fanboy on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 1:53 pm 



I have to agree with Nony

noobtube on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 2:17 pm 



American-population = Over-population.

You can have 10 billion villagers living in peace and harmony with their environment.

Or, you can have 300 million American monsters destroying and devastating everything in their paths to fill their fat, diabetes-ravaged, heart-clogged, flat, wide asses with “mostly”-food from their groceries and fast-food markets which requires driving 3 miles, to get 30 pounds of “food”, in a gas guzzling 2-ton rolling garbage bin, so they can later buy some cheap Chinese junk (that will end up in the garbage in 6 months) from the local Sprawl-Mart to fill up their over-built, energy-sucking, matchstick McMansions, in the suburban wastelands, where they distract themselves with “stories” (news, comedy, drama, talk show, reality) on the TV and Hollywood fantasies, that ‘Mericans believe are the God’s-honest truth.

The world is overpopulated with Americans.

ghung on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 2:30 pm 



Sorry, NWR, I violated my rule of shunning the psychopaths. What irks me is their lack of imagination and capacity to live a comfy life without trashing the future for other folks. I’m willing to bet it didn’t even occur to Nony and Fanboy to actually read the Living Planet Report linked to in the article. The only way they can challenge the science is to dismiss it out of hand. Again, a lack of integrity imagination and capacity to defend their positions.

http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/living_planet_report_2014.pdf

Perk Earl on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 3:07 pm 



If 52% has been lost since 1970, then if an energy producing machine like the E-Cat does provide ample cheap energy like oil once did (and can be adapted to work for transportation), then another major human population expansion will surely occur. If it does by 2050 there will be 10-14 billion people, and we can probably figure most of the wildlife will be gone.

By 2100 people will go to Zoos consisting of very large ultra high def. video screens to look at animals recorded many decades previously (when they still existed). But of course we’ll keep the animals we like to eat. You can view those at animal and fish farms.

Most people I’ve talked to about my concerns for what we are doing to the wildlife, say, “Yeah, but humans come first.” I always marvel at that comment, like somehow that makes it all right.

Davy on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 3:27 pm 



Off subject but related. Today I am putting together a solar food dryer I purchased from Sunworks. Check it out folks it looks really effective. Season is over but I want to be ready for the big 2015 year of the death of BAU. That is per NR but hard to argue against his doomer logic.

ghung on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 4:23 pm 



Congrats, Davy. I’m jealous; been wanting one, and an oven too. I’m actually solar-drying some Tabasco peppers today,, in an electric Nesco dehydrator running on surplus PV power, but that ain’t the same.

JuanP on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 5:52 pm 



Davy, Nice purchase! I am buying the book as a gift for my friend, he is a DIYer. Thanks. Keepus updated on how it works and what you think of it. Does it come with wheels?

Nony on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 6:46 pm 



I’m burning a fire in the fireplace. Just for looks.

DMyers on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 6:51 pm 



“Most people I’ve talked to about my concerns for what we are doing to the wildlife, say, “Yeah, but humans come first.” I always marvel at that comment, like somehow that makes it all right.” [From Perk Earl comment above].

In the context of a consensus morality, that would truly make it right, to the average human. What strikes me about this attitude is its failure to recognize the course of action which would be most advantageous to humans. It presents a case where short term benefits of a certain degree will result in long term detriments of an even greater degree.

The alternative viewpoint holds that there is an interconnection of life on earth which originates by Nature’s design and, therefore, must be assumed to be correct. If we do substantial damage to various parts of the interconnected bio-system, we really have no idea how that damage will come back directly on us. Or, it may not be direct, but rather through a chain of events so obscure we wouldn’t have imagined they might lead to our own destruction.

The best attitude here would be err on the side of caution. An even more palatable solution would be: shun recklessness.

As to the question of whether intelligence is a lethal mutation, which is posed in the principle article, it is not really a new question but one which continues to be very interesting. I believe that intelligence alone is ultimately self-destructive, but I find that intelligence is bound up with characteristics that soften and modify its potential (e.g. wisdom, compassion, integrity). If those are taken away, whether through propaganda or direct extirpation, then intelligent self-destruction will commence a final act.

Intelligence may, indeed, be a fleeting attribute in the larger scheme of things. Ironically, its role may have been to evoke a great dying on a road of a billion years.

MikeB on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 7:17 pm 



Nony, thanks for the warning about Ruppert. I won’t even look at it.

GregT on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 7:28 pm 



Enjoy your fire Nony. I’m sure it must look good.

Davy,

What is the top panel of the dehydrator made out of?

Davy on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 7:34 pm 



Juan, here is the link. It is pricey even with it being unassembled. Material quality is good. The instructions are presented well. Assembly time took a while but I constructed it leisurely.
http://www.solarfooddryer.com/Kit_Specs.htm

Davy on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 7:35 pm 



Greg, it is some kind of poly (plastic) material with UV protection.

Makati1 on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 8:15 pm 



I wonder if the human race reached peak intelligence long ago and a few above (you know who you are) are now showing the loss?

Plants requiring bees to pollinate and reproduce: grapes, tomato, cranberry, all clovers, cocoa, most berries, most fruits, all beans, alfalfa, most nuts, cotton, most veggies, coffee trees, etc…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_crop_plants_pollinated_by_bees

Try taking the bees out of the picture and see how ‘unimportant’ the ecology is. The simple bee is among the diminishing species being killed off by human greed. Humans are committing suicide and don’t care. Insanity…

GregT on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 8:28 pm 



Davy,

Like vapour barrier? (Flexible) Or like plexiglass?

Nony on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 8:40 pm 



Bees have been here for millions of years. More doomer silliness. You will die soon, Maki. Bees will fuck and make baby bees.

http://www.foxsports.com/other/story/all-around-gymnastics-champion-simone-biles-scared-by-bee-on-podium-101014

ghung on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 8:58 pm 



MikeB- Nothing at all to do with Ruppert. Nony is just being his a’hole self.

theedrich on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 9:01 pm 



Frankly, it is impossible to discuss the state of the world honestly. It is simply politically incorrect to do so. Politics rules all.

Nony on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 9:06 pm 



I drank a bottle of wine. Put a log on the fire. Life is good.

DMyers on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 9:56 pm 



Nony, millions of years of being do not guarantee sustained being, as demonstrated by the extinction of the dinosaurs. You need to present a better case in explanation of, for example, “Colony Collapse Disorder” before dismissing the bee issue as “doomer silliness”.

Bees will only fuck if there are bees to fuck. You’re begging the question by making that a given. The bees continue to be the perfect example of our interconnectedness with small essentials that, for the most part, we have failed even to notice.

bobinget on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 10:17 pm 



I’m reminded of an old old New Yorker cartoon depicting two wild eyed sandwich board carrying
men meeting head on on a NYC sidewalk.
One sign reads “World Ends Tuesday” the second,
“World Ends Monday”. Tuesday’s sigh bearer shouts,
“pessimist!”

Welch on Sat, 11th Oct 2014 10:33 pm 



Wow, that Nony guy is a real A-Hole.

Makati1 on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 12:05 am 



Nony is a perfect example of my ‘peak intelligence’ comment. dulled by drugs and hate.

GregT on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 1:52 am 



I kept honey bees for over a decade. It’s amazing how much one learns about life, when one is a steward of life.

The Nonys of this world are clueless mouthpieces. They are a detriment to the future of humanity, and all life on this planet. Unfortunately, Nony is not alone, and you can’t fix stupid.

Northwest Resident on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 2:09 am 



GregT — How was your experience being a bee keeper? Worthwile? Do you plan on starting up again? Reason I’m asking is because I’m tentatively planning to start a hive this coming spring.

GregT on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 3:04 am 



NWR,

The biggest challenge that I encountered was bears. Bears love honey, and if there are hives in their vicinity, they will find them, and they will destroy them. Plenty of barbed wire, and a motion sensor hooked up to both a light and a radio helps.

In the fall, after you have taken the honey boxes off, and before they go into hibernation, they need to be treated for mites. Medication is mixed with sugar water. The bees will gather this and fill the comb, and will feed off of it during the winter.

Other than that, it is a matter of doing inspections to keep your hives clean, and to make sure that they are not overcrowded. If a hive becomes overcrowded, the bees will make another queen, and half of the hive will swarm.

The new queen will leave the hive, and half of your workers will follow her and make a new hive somewhere out in the wilderness. I have retrieved a swarm before. Once the queen is captured, the rest of the bees will follow.

Well worth the effort, and yes, I do plan on keeping bees again. I highly recommend keeping honey bees. They are truly amazing creatures, and the honey they produce is an extra added bonus.

HARM on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 4:38 am 



“Yeah, but humans come first.”

Most people, even well educated and well traveled people seem to have this viewpoint and rarely question it. As if “allowing” other species enough of “our” land and natural resources to survive is some sort of privilege to be casually granted or withheld by the whim of current dominant hyper-species. As if choosing not to increase our numbers through simple birth control (much less *reduce* our numbers) were some sort of crime against humanity. The arrogance of the apex ape.

Collectively, we are not smarter than yeast (tip of the hat to TOD). Unless there is an unlikely and very dramatic sea change of mindset and priorities, we will go on mindlessly multiplying, consuming and polluting in the name of “progress”. Until we can’t. After that, our numbers will collapse –and not in a benign or “humane” way. Just like a petri dish of yeast.

HARM on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 4:49 am 



http://peakoilbarrel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Vertebrate-Biomass-3.png

Davy on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 6:13 am 



Greg, it is a honeycomb hard plastic that is opaque and 3/8 thick. I will pull the protective covering off and give you the name latter in the day when I get up to the barn. The stuff looks choice for capturing solar radiation and food drying.

Davy on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 7:04 am 



Greg, honey bees are on my list. I have a friend who is good with them. I just have to watch taking on too much at one time.

ronpatterson on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 7:16 am 



Do the math.

The human population of the earth is increasing at a rate of about 1.15% per year. The domestic animal population is increasing at about the same rate.

The population of all other wild vertebrate fauna of the earth is decreasing at about 1.14% per year.

Boat on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 8:10 am 



Nony makes the case quite convincingly for short term oil security. I read the facts much the same way. Much angst is normal among peaker commenters who continue to make the alarm of the big crash as year by year the crash seems farther away. At some point the idea of peak oil will happen or may have already happened but the chances of a gradual shift to renewables and other forms of FF energy, avoiding the big crash, is also a viable idea.

Davy on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 8:28 am 



@ Boat- big crash as year by year the crash seems farther away.

Boat, I see your point but time is running out. Time is on the doom sets side. I would like you to give me a chuckle by telling me the economy is fine. Tell me the S&P correction is just another buying dip. I would like you to tell me the energy sector is solid. Then tell me Ebola will be contained. I further need assurances the energy war is only speculation. Finally tell me China is not slowing down. These assurances would go a long way to giving me piece of mind. I will accept we are OK short term but the longer term 1-2 years looks dismal on all fronts.

JuanP on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 8:40 am 



Greg, I followed the link david provided. The food dehydrator’s top is made of “High-quality polycarbonate glazing has 10-year manufacturer warranty for outdoor use, is 200x stronger than glass, and provides superior insulation.”

JuanP on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 8:41 am 



This time it’s different! 😉

Davy on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 9:12 am 



Thanks, Juan saved me a trip to the barn on this cold damp day.

Boat on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 9:17 am 



I dollar cost average so I just get more shares on any dip. The slow down in China is just a natural correction. Energy is more expensive and they are now the worlds largest importer. I actually like higher prices in fossil fuels. Spending more money on efficiency is the result, an area that will grow much faster with each price hike.
My worry about Fossil fuels depleating

Boat on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 9:19 am 



is short term like 3 decades if were lucky and politics doesn’t create unnecessary headwinds.

ghung on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 9:47 am 



I kept honey bees as a kid (was the first kid in my Boy Scout Council to get Bee Keeping merit badge ;-), and we’ve had bee keepers keep hives on our place (for the Sourwood) off and on for years. Our last bee keeper pulled out about 10 years ago because of colony loss and bears. While we have some wild colonies about, I became concerned that I was seeing few, if any, honey bees. I was also amazed at how many native pollinators filled the niche almost immediately. I had to remind myself that the European Honey Bee is not native to North America.

Non-native pollinators may be necessary for intense industrial-scale agriculture, but any anxiety I had about pollination on my place have been reduced. Anyway, it appears we now have a rather large wild European Honey Bee colony nearby, as I’ve been seeing a lot of honey bees this year.

Not sure what the industrial mono-crop producers, such as fruit growers, who spray for pests, killing everything, then import tractor-trailers full of non-native bees to do the pollinating, will do if this human-caused problem can’t be solved.

GregT on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 10:04 am 



Fossil fuel depletion is only one side of the energy equation. The other side is climate change. A few months back there was an article posted by the IEA. Conservative estimates give us 37 years worth of oil left in the ground at present rates of consumption. This included oil not yet found, but believed to be ‘discoverable’, ie Arctic oil.

The IPCC has said that we need to reduce CO2 emissions by 70% by 2030 to avoid a 2* C rise in global mean temperature. We continue to increase emissions by 6% per annum. The originally agreed upon threshold was actually 1*C. The IPCC target of 2*C is believed by many scientists to be a guarantee of runaway climate change. We are currently on track for 4* C, or a global mass extinction event.

The perfect storm is brewing on the horizon, and policy makers are well aware of the dire situation that we are in. We either crash BAU and deal with the resulting die off of our populations, or we cease to exist as a species, and take much of the rest of the species on the planet with us.

GregT on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 10:17 am 



Ghung,

I currently ‘keep’ mason bees. Not sure if they exist in your neck of the woods. They lay their eggs in 3/8 inch diameter tubes that I buy from the local gardening shops. They are called stingless, but will sting if threatened. Their sting is more like a fly bite.

The only maintenance that they need, is to have the tubes cleaned, or replaced when they leave in the spring. Very easy to deal with and great pollinators.

http://www.masonbeehomes.com

Northwest Resident on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 10:44 am 



GregT — Bears is one problem I won’t have. Those were eliminated from the Chehalem Valley where I live a long time ago, along with the deer and elk and other “pests”. It seems to me that for somebody thinking self-sufficiency, bees must be high on the list of priorities. The honey, in addition to being very nutritious, can be substituted for sugar in cooking recipes especially those requiring yeast for rising, the wax can be very useful, and the bees do the majority of the work for you. The only thing I wonder about is what if I can’t get the medication(s) needed to control mites and other bee afflictions. I’m going to do it — sounds very rewarding.

JuanP on Sun, 12th Oct 2014 11:02 am 



Bees also make Propolis, an incredible product with many uses.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propolis