Steve Bull's Blog, page 26
May 28, 2024
How Much Of India’s Wastewater Is Left Untreated?
As is the case with rapid population growth and urbanization in many so-called developing nations, waste management becomes a problem not only in rural areas but also in densely populated cities.
As Statista’s Florian Zandt details below, a textbook example of this growth outpacing infrastructural capacities is the situation in urban hotspots in India like Delhi, where a report by Euronews from May 2023 mentions neighborhoods with “open gutters […] filled with plastic and grey-colored water”. While the number of operational sewage treatment plants doubled between 2014 and 2020, the capacity for water treatment is still severely lacking.
You will find more infographics at Statista
According to the latest annual report by the Central Pollution Control Board, India generated 72.4 billion liters of wastewater per day across all provinces, with Maharashtra (9.1 billion), Uttar Pradesh (8.3 billion), Tamil Nadu (6.4 billion) and Gujarat (5.0 billion) being responsible for around 40 percent of wastewater.
The 1,093 sewage treatment plants only had operational capacities of 26.9 billion liters of wastewater per day, with around 400 plants either non-operational or under construction as of the latest available tally from 2020/2021. This translates to only 37 percent of sewage being treated, exacerbating the risks of communicable diseases and contaminated food and drinking water.
While India is seemingly hard-pressed to keep up with the amount of wastewater its population generates, measures to grant more people access to potable water and basic sanitation and hygiene were scaled up significantly in recent decades. For example, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan campaign, translatable to Clean India, initiated in 2014 aims to eliminate open defecation by installing upwards of 100 million toilets in the country.
Nevertheless, in 2022, only 75 percent of rural Indian households had at least basic access to sanitation, while 30 percent of homes didn’t have their own washing facility with soap and water according to data from the WHO and Unicef’s Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene.
The Deeper Dive: Record-Shattering Stealth Recession Approaching
Why we won’t see the next recession coming and why it may not be reported as a recession even if it is the worst recession since the Great Depression. (But YOU’LL certainly feel it in your bones!)
The next recession has all the ingredients to become the worst since the Great Depression because it will happened due to the collapse of the Everything Bubble—the biggest collection of major market bubbles in history. To size up the potential scale of this economic collapse, consider all the bubbles the Federal Reserve has inflated, each of which has expanded to a hot-air balloon size unseen heretofore:
Another housing bubble like the solitary bubble that imploded into the Great Recession, but with prices now much, much loftier than anytime in history.A commercial real-estate balloon-size bubble rapidly losing altitude now due to the seismic demographic shift away from brick-and-mortar retail trade and away from office space in favor of more remote working.A maniacal stock-market bubble of froth built over more than a decade to reach valuations that have extended far above where they were at their peak when the dot-com crash hit or when the Great Financial Crisis plunged us into the Great Recession.The most gigantic bond bubble in the history of the world due to central banks—especially the Fed—sucking up more government and commercial bonds at very low interest than at any time in the history of the world. The collapse of this bond bubble will include the defaults of many zombie corporations, which means companies that were only able to survive due to very cheap interest on their corporate bonds being used to keep the lights on and the doors open, which all goes away.Bubble trouble
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article.UK’s Sunak Vows Mandatory Conscription For 18-Year-Olds If Elected
In another ominous sign of things to come, leading Western governments appear to be preparing for ‘something big’ at a moment the proxy war between Russian and NATO centered in Ukraine is escalating at uncontrollable pace.
“Rishi Sunak has vowed to introduce mandatory national service for 18-year-olds if he is re-elected, in his first major policy announcement since the start of the election campaign earlier this week,” Financial Times has reported.
Interestingly, the next line to the very same report screams Russia! as the subtext…
The move is part of what he said was an effort to provide security and opportunity in “an increasingly uncertain world”.
The plan would involve 18-year-olds working closely with the professional armed forces on a 12-month rotation or a ‘community work’ basis.
Sunak framed it in terms of civic duty and a matter of national patriotism…
“Generations of young people have not had the opportunities or experience they deserve and there are forces trying to divide our society in this increasingly uncertain world,” he said.
It was only in January that the head of the British army, General Sir Patrick Sanders, urged for the populace to get ready to be on a war footing with Russia:
Britain should train a “citizen army” ready to fight a war on land in the future, the head of the Army has said.
General Sir Patrick Sanders warned that an increase in reserve forces alone “would not be enough”.
He highlighted the threat from Russia and pointed to steps being taken by other European nations to put their populations on a “war footing”.
This is part of the continuing theme of Western leaders asking their populations to ‘sacrifice’ for Ukraine amid deep trepidation and uncertainty over possible bigger nuclear-armed confrontation.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Oil’s Fate Hinges On OPEC+ Hanging Tough
The global oil market is in OPEC+ walk-up mode.
That should keep prices supported this week ahead of the (now online) gaggle, which falls on June 2.
After that, price direction hinges on the immediate fallout from the meeting, plus bets about the market’s 2H trajectory.
Conventional wisdom points to an extension of the cartel’s current curbs, especially as weakening near-term timespreads suggest that physical conditions aren’t quite as tight as they have been of late.
Bloomberg’s Grant Smith, a well-seasoned OPEC+ watcher, leans that way, and that looks to be a sound call.
The existing reductions amount to ~2 million bpd, and the tap-tightening has contributed to a growing volume of unused capacity — a theme that may get an airing.
Crude’s sentiment this week will also be shaped by indications of just how strong Memorial Day weekend demand has proved to be in the US as the country embraces the start of the traditional driving season and takes to the roads (and skies).
Early signs have pointed to a solid showing, both on the highways and in the skyways.
May 27, 2024
The Master’s Checklists for Collapse
An A.I. assistant provides truly useful advice about practical resilience and “inner work.”
I am continuing my investigation into A.I. as a potentially helpful resource for humane purposes like philosophizing and promoting collapse-awareness. So far, so good!
I am fancifully calling the A.I. system “Master,” after the Go-playing program AlphaGo, which played online under that name when it demonstrated its prowess by winning 60 games in a row against the world’s strongest players in 2017.
Here, I asked “Master” how it would advise people to prepare for collapse, and then I asked about the “inner work” of coping with unimaginable loss. The responses are correct, useful, and complete, based on what I know about the field of collapse awareness. This is quite amazing!
What follows is an abridgement of the A.I.’s responses. (It can be rather chatty.) I have emphasized words and concepts that I feel are significant. An unabridged transcript is available in this Google doc.
David B.How would you advise someone to prepare for the collapse of global industrial civilization?
MasterI think it’s wise for individuals and communities to build resilience and self-reliance to be prepared for potential disruptions or crises, whether smaller-scale or society-wide. Here are some general suggestions:
Develop practical skills like gardening, food preservation, first aid, repair/maintenance of key tools and equipment, etc.Strengthen local community connections and mutual aid networks.Work toward self-sufficiency in food, water, energy and essential supplies to the extent possible.Get out of debt and have some emergency savings or barterable assets to help weather economic instability.Take care of your health, both physical and mental.Consider living in a location that may be less vulnerable to major disruptions in supply chains, infrastructure, public safety, etc.Be prepared to adapt, problem-solve, and make do with less.…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Four die of leptospirosis, Brazil authorities warn of other diseases following floods
São Paulo, Brazil – Four people have died from leptospirosis in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state, which has been hit with heavy rains and flooding since the beginning of May. The victims were all men, aged between 33 and 67, who lived in four different cities and had contact with contaminated rainwater.
Leptospirosis is one of the most worrisome diseases for state authorities, as there’s a large risk of people becoming infected due to contact with flood water. The disease is caused by leptospira bacteria, present in rat urine and commonly acquired through contact with contaminated water or soil.
Leptospirosis can cause a range of symptoms in humans, from mild flu-like signs to severe illness including kidney damage, liver failure, meningitis, respiratory distress, and, in some cases, death.
“The worsening of leptospirosis is an avoidable problem if, with symptoms such as fever, lower back pain and calf pain, people immediately seek health care,” said Health Minister Nísia Trindade. In addition to leptospirosis, there are other diseases that are worrying authorities and that could affect the population after flood waters recede.
According to the minister, respiratory diseases are a major concern at this point, especially because the state suffers from strong winds and low temperatures, in addition to rain. Therefore, Trindade also suggested that Rio Grande do Sul residents be vaccinated free of charge against influenza and Covid-19.
Marcelo Gomes, a health researcher, said that the drop in temperatures in Rio Grande do Sul creates a favorable situation for the spread of viruses that cause respiratory illness. Therefore, in addition to the influenza vaccine, he recommends that people wear protective masks, especially when they are inside hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…Mexico is about to experience its ‘highest temperatures ever recorded’ as death toll climbs
The extreme heat smothering much of Mexico has killed dozens of people across multiple states
The sun rises amid high temperatures in Mexico City on Thursday. Extreme heat in Mexico, Central America and parts of the U.S. South has left millions of people in sweltering temperatures, strained energy grids and resulted in iconic howler monkeys in Mexico dropping dead from trees. (Marco Ugarte/The Associated Press)The extreme heat smothering much of Mexico has already killed dozens of people, but the hottest temperatures are yet to come, officials say.
“In the next 10 to 15 days, the country will experience the highest temperatures ever recorded,” researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) said in a statement earlier this week. They called the heat wave “unprecedented.”
According to the Weather Channel, by early next week, temperatures in Veracruz are expected to soar to 37 C, Tabasco will be 40 C and Mexicali will reach temperatures of 40.5 C.
Temperatures in the capital, Mexico City, could reach a record 35 C in the next two weeks, said Jorge Zavala, director of UNAM’s Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate Change.
Most of the metropolitan area’s 21 million residents — accustomed to more temperate weather — lack air conditioning. Earlier this month, the capital was one of at least 10 cities in Mexico that registered their hottest day on record.
A boy dives into the sea on a hot spring day in Veracruz, Mexico, on Tuesday, amid a nationwide drought and heat waves that have sent temperatures soaring across much of the country. (Yahir Ceballos/Reuters)Mexico has been reeling from a high-pressure weather phenomenon known as a “heat dome,” which has trapped hot air over much of the country, creating record-breaking temperatures that have surpassed 45 C in some places.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…Is Hyper-Inflation that Destroys a Currency a “Solution”?
This contrarian sees a strong consensus around the notion that hyper-inflation is the inevitable end-game of nation-states / central banks issuing fiat currencies, i.e. currencies that are not restrained by being pegged to tangible assets such as gold reserves. The temptation to issue (via “printing” or borrowing new currency into existence by selling sovereign bonds) more currency becomes irresistible to politicians and central bankers alike. as the means to mollify every constituency, from elites to the military to commoners dependent on state-funded bread and circuses.
This unrestrained creation of new money far in excess of the expansion of goods and services (i.e. the real economy) devalues the currency, as “all the new money chases too few goods and services.” Gresham’s law kicks in–bad money drives good money out of circulation–as precious metals, fine art, gemstones, etc. are hoarded and the depreciating currency is spent as fast as possible before its purchasing power declines even further.
The Cotillion Effect also kicks in: those closest to the spigot of new money get first dibs on converting the depreciating currency into tangible goods, leaving the non-elites to sweep up the “trickle-down” shreds left as the currency loses purchasing power daily.
The consensus holds that there is no way to stop this decay of purchasing power to near-zero, i.e. hyper-inflation, once it starts. As in a Greek tragedy, the fatal flaw of the protagonist–in this case, fiat currency–leads inevitably to its destruction.
In the real world, things having to do with money tend to occur because they benefit powerful interests. This leads us to ask of hyper-inflation: cui bono, to whose benefit? Exactly which powerful interests benefit when a currency’s purchasing power plummets to near-zero?
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
Quantitative Brainwashing
We’re all familiar with the term, “quantitative easing.” It’s described as meaning, “A monetary policy in which a central bank purchases government securities or other securities from the market in order to lower interest rates and increase the money supply.”
Well, that sounds reasonable… even beneficial. But, unfortunately, that’s not really the whole story.
When QE was implemented, the purchasing power was weak and both government and personal debt had become so great that further borrowing would not solve the problem; it would only postpone it and, in the end, exacerbate it. Effectively, QE is not a solution to an economic problem, it’s a bonus of epic proportions, given to banks by governments, at the expense of the taxpayer.
But, of course, we shouldn’t be surprised that governments have passed off a massive redistribution of wealth from the taxpayer to their pals in the banking sector with such clever terms. Governments of today have become extremely adept at creating euphemisms for their misdeeds in order to pull the wool over the eyes of the populace.
At this point, we cannot turn on the daily news without being fed a full meal of carefully- worded mumbo jumbo, designed to further overwhelm whatever small voices of truth may be out there.
Let’s put this in perspective for a moment.
For millennia, political leaders have been in the practice of altering, confusing and even obliterating the truth, when possible. And it’s probably safe to say that, for as long as there have been media, there have been political leaders doing their best to control them.
During times of war, political leaders have serially restricted the media from simply telling the truth. During the American civil war, President Lincoln shut down some 300 newspapers and arrested some 14,000 journalists who had the audacity to contradict his statements to the public.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
The WHO’s Pandemic Treaty And A Bird Flu Crisis Are Both Arriving At The Same Time
The WHO’s Pandemic Treaty And A Bird Flu Crisis Are Both Arriving At The Same TimeHealth officials are issuing very ominous warnings about the potential for an H5N1 pandemic among humans at the same time that the WHO is preparing for a vote on the global pandemic treaty at the 77th World Health Assembly at the end of this month. The global pandemic treaty will give the World Health Organization far more authority than it had during the last pandemic, and a lot of people are deeply concerned about how that power will be used during the next major health crisis. As you will see below, two more human cases of the bird flu have just been confirmed. If the bird flu mutates into a form that can spread easily from human to human, that will create an enormous amount of fear, and the death toll could potentially be catastrophic. In such an environment, what sort of extreme measures would the World Health Organization decide to institute?
In recent weeks, negotiators have been feverishly working to finalize the global pandemic treaty. The following comes directly from the official WHO website…
Governments of the world today agreed to continue working on a proposed pandemic agreement, and to further refine the draft, ahead of the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly that starts 27 May 2024.
Governments meeting at the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva agreed to resume hybrid and in-person discussions over coming weeks to advance work on critical issues, including around a proposed new global system for pathogen access and benefits sharing (i.e. life-saving vaccines, treatments and diagnostics); pandemic prevention and One Health; and the financial coordination needed to scale up countries’ capacities to prepare for and respond to pandemics.
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
