Apocalypse Soon

If you were to go back in time to the 70's, or even the 80's, and tell folks how things are coming along in America in 2007, their reactions would be interesting. Some would start planning to be gone long before now. Others might consider arming themselves. Heavily. But, if you couldn't prove it, then most would probably not believe you. "Cops are running around shocking women, children, and elderly people with phasers like In Star Trek? No way." A drunken president with the I.Q. of potted plant who twice openly stole the election has invaded Iraq, and is now sizing up Iran? I don't think so." China owns all the treasuries and dollars? How could that be?" And, of course, "Oh, there's no way that we would tolerate such madness." The young people would rise up and revolt like they did in the 60's."

I would have had no such problem believing what was to come. Having partially grown up in the Washington, D.C. area, I learned to expect the worst. Being made to witness President John F. Kennedy's funeral in Arlington on a ripping cold day at such a tender age was a bitter pill to swallow. I knew the bad guys had won, and there was no going back. I also knew from seeing Abbie Hoffman, Bob Marley, Frank Zappa and John Lennon and others cut down in their prime that there would be no elder statesmen in these times that speak for me. There are voices in the wilderness, and that is all. Those in the limelight had better be part of the machine, or be dead.

Sometime between now and when I run off to a remote cabin and live on diet pills and Mountain Dew, I hope to knock a few heads back on the harsh reality of our present situation. It's looking more and more like we're goose-stepping in the footprints of certain forefathers that came from the Fatherland. Nowadays, we call it Homeland, but it makes no matter. What's important is to know what the smart people did the first time around. Granted, it was easier for them when escape was just a short train ride to Switzerland, or Morocco, or wherever. And, it's getting to be more and more difficult for us to get around. So, it may be that we'll either have to stand and fight, or be good little monkeys and take whatever they dish out. Someone should start organizing in those Walmart parking lots. They sell megaphones, don't they? I know what they won't be selling pretty soon. Good luck, patriots.

Walk, Don't Run

Northern Rock, Britain's eighth-largest bank, is experiencing some technical difficulties. It seems that everyone is lining up to get their money out. That means the bank will be insolvent before half of their customers get anything more than a complementary ballpoint pen. On Friday, the bank's computer system collapsed under the weight of all the online customers hurriedly making withdrawals. Somewhere, an empty bottle hit the floor.

The majority of Northern Wreck's investments were in mortgages, so it's trouble in paradise for those folks. It's now being said that the beleaguered bank will be bought out by the other bigs, and the grapes of wrath are looking pretty ripe. Today, we see that Alliance & Leicester, another mortgage bank, is similarly on the skids. They plunged 47% in the last twenty minutes of trading. A box of hammers couldn't fall any faster than that. Maybe there's a reason why Jesus overturned the money-lending tables after all.

What's it all mean? Alan Greenspan said today that the euro could replace the dollar as the reserve currency of choice. I guess that would spell the end for the pound as well. Those who laughed years ago at the suggestion of a New World Order are no longer laughing. The smoke and fire is there for all to see, and a new era is upon us. When the Pharaoh comes, try to look busy.

Map-Maker, Map-Maker, Make Me A Map

By now, we've all heard Miss South Carolina's answer to the question of why Americans can't find the U.S. on a map. Despite the fact that she seemed to be speaking in code, her answer is resonating with the millions who have watched the video. They no doubt revel in their superiority as they compare their intellect to that of an 18 year-old beauty pageant bimbo. And thus, the bar is set even lower still. Somewhere, Kurt Vonnegut is spinning in his grave.

It's unfortunate that our favorite beauty queen missed an opportunity to give an original and informed answer to her question. She could've said that it's becoming increasingly difficult to find anything on a map, given that man-made incursions are causing our maps to be re-drawn faster than anyone can keep up with. Between global warming and ambitious lake-draining projects causing changes to our landscape, it's hard to know what the real geography is anymore. And, what with all the geopolitical growing pains we suffer, it's hard to know where the borders are. Map-making is getting to be like painting the Golden Gate Bridge- as soon as you're done, you have to start over again. I sure wouldn't want that job.

I wonder what maps will look like by the year 2020. This one would be interesting, but it's probably more than you could hope for. You don't need a map to know that, to find a peaceful and rational future, you can't get there from here. If I had the proper resources, I'd leave this country in a crystal meth minute, but what's the use? No matter where you go, there you are. Welcome to South Carolina.

Swords To Plowshares

So, the never-ending quest to disarm the American public has taken a new turn. It seems that the feds have developed a program to train clergymen to persuade their congregations to turn in their weapons and obey the government during martial law. Is it too late for Charlton Heston to don the collar and take his place in the pulpit? He sure was convincing as Moses, so he's bound to make a scene.

This scenario begs the question- is martial law imminent, or is this yet another scare tactic? Given all the other recent preparations, including the National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive, I would say that we are on very shaky ground. The Hurricane Katrina crisis seemed to have been a dry run for gun-grabbing, as forced confiscation of firearms did indeed happen. Thus, a precedent has been set, and the feds have a frame of reference for a future disarming on a bigger stage.

The reasons for martial law outlined in the Presidential Directive are vague at best, but easy to estimate. A crashing economy, heightened tension and violence between immigrants and natives,
and panic over dwindling resources like water in the southwest all loom on the horizon. A large-scale false-flag terror attack is not unlikely. Pick your poison, but count on something along these lines happening. The only real question is when.