Power plant explosion in Connecticut, another cat-bond insurance scam? – Marc Stinebaugh

Only three days before the massive explosion that killed at least five workers at a natural gas plant in Middletown, Connecticut, the US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) issued urgent new recommendations on how to prevent explosions when handling or purging natural gas pipelines.

Afghan Terrorists or Freedom Fighters?

Afghanistan is rapidly becoming Obama’s waterloo as he accelerates our presence in an unwinnable war that is really an illegal occupation. If I were an Afghan, as I am an American, while a foreign force was landed in my country, I never would lay down my arms ! ~ Never! Never! Never!

Peak Soil Investment: This Quiet Land Grab is Just Beginning

According to the Economist, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and China have been “quietly” buying up more than $20 billion of this asset.

Video: Europe Begins to Freeze as Gas Taps are Turned off in Energy War

Several European countries have had their deliveries of gas through Ukraine cut off, a situation which the EU describes as “unacceptable”. Gazprom says Ukraine’s energy company has shut off a number of pipelines. Meanwhile, the head of Naftogaz has announced he is ready to resume negotiations

MSM: Russia’s Gazprom cuts all gas to Ukraine

MOSCOW – Russia’s gas monopoly Gazprom says it has cut all gas supplies to Ukraine after talks on a new supply deal failed.

Gazprom spokesman Igor Volobuyev says the cuts began as planned at 10 a.m. (0700GMT and 2 a.m. EST) Thursday.

A spokesman for Ukrainian gas company Naftogaz has confirmed a steady drop in supplies.

There are fears that a cutoff could lead to a replay of a January 2006 gas crisis.

MSM: Russia may cut off oil flow to the West

Fears are mounting that Russia may restrict oil deliveries to Western Europe over coming days, in response to the threat of EU sanctions and Nato naval actions in the Black Sea.

The Eurasian Corridor: Pipeline Geopolitics and the New Cold War

The ongoing crisis in the Caucasus is intimately related to the strategic control over energy pipeline and transportation corridors.

There is evidence that the Georgian attack on South Ossetia on August 7 was carefully planned. High level consultations were held with US and NATO officials in the months preceding the attacks.

The attacks on South Ossetia were carried out one week after the completion of extensive US – Georgia war games (July 15-31st, 2008). They were also preceded by high level Summit meetings held under the auspices of GUAM, a US-NATO sponsored regional military alliance.