The most terrifying countdown has already begun, and every tick of the clock brings the World one second closer to the most horrifying events in modern human history. The scope of this unfolding cataclysm is far too large to encompass in this meager blog post, but the true horrors everyone who lives on this planet will begin to experience over the course of the next three months will be difficult to put into words.
Major banks, financial institutions, government agencies, as well as important religious and world leaders have been sounding the alarm for the past several months. The news outlets tend to place all the blame for the food shortages and inflation on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but the truth is the shortages and skyrocketing prices were already well into play for months before the invasion. Not that the War has helped any, of course.
A few days ago, the United Nations made the startling announcement that the global supply of wheat, which feeds a vast amount of humanity, was down to only a ten-week supply. This news should place everyone on the planet on edge, but most people in First World countries simply shrugged off the news, with the entitled feeling "That has no bearing on my life, only people in Third World countries need to worry about that." For many decades, that was probably the case, but it isn't the case now.
Last week, the Bank of England issued a warning that the world would begin to see "Apocalyptic" food shortages that would lead to violence and unrest in large parts of the world. The truth is, this unrest and collapse has already begun. Sri Lanka has been in collapse for the past several months, with deadly riots in the streets and the overthrow of the government. There is no food, no fuel, no medicines, no supplies...no hope. Pakistan has now entered similar territory, with its government in disarray coupled with electrical blackouts, a heatwave, food shortages and a breakaway region threatening civil war. Riots broke out in Iran this past week as well, as unaffordable food prices and the lack of fresh drinking water drove people to the streets. South Africa is bracing for more deadly unrest, following last years' rioting that left several hundred people dead and cities on fire.
As I said, this unrest will not be limited to Third World countries. Martin Lewis, a respected author and financial expert in the UK, warned on national television that the nation would begin to see food riots and unrest in the next several weeks over food and energy prices that have placed millions at risk of poverty. Many families in Great Britain are being forced to choose between having food or having heat in their homes, as the energy crisis continues its choke-hold across Europe. Other European countries such as the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany, who have already witnessed unrest and rioting in the streets due to Covid lockdowns, are bracing for yet more violence due to food shortages and runaway inflation.
In the US, police departments across the nation are quietly being informed to begin preparations for civil unrest, violent protests and rioting as well, due to a combination of extreme political divide and inflation. Warnings of a diesel fuel shortage abound, a shortage that will have dire consequences across the US and Canada. Supply chains, already in a battered state due to the Chinese lockdowns, inflation and a stinging labor shortage, will simply crumble under the added strain. Food, medicine and important materials are simply not being delivered in a timely manner now, leaving many factories, retail outlets and businesses empty-handed and on the precipice of closure without adding a fuel shortage into the poisonous disaster recipe.
Hospitals are not receiving replenishments of vital personal protective equipment, plastic tubing, gauze, even day-to-day OTC medicines such as Ibuprofen are in low supply in some regions. Medicine deliveries are being delayed, causing patients to search around for pharmacies that might have their important medicines in stock, with many having to drive miles out of their way to receive it, many after prolonged and potentially dangerous waits. The same applies to vet clinics treating animals and pets across the country, and the pet food situation is set to worsen, especially cat food, after Canada bans deep sea fishing off its coasts, where much of the fish supply that goes into canned cat food is purchased.
Power companies are not receiving vital elements in maintaining the power grids. This past week, energy regulators issued the dire warning that a large area of the US & Canada would be subject to major blackouts this summer, especially during heatwaves, which have already begun. In Michigan, residents have been warned to expect controlled blackouts (called brownouts in the industry) this summer in order to prevent the power grid from failing completely. This is the current situation in many third world countries around the world, including in Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Peru and Pakistan, where the power grid cannot be maintained due to lack of energy sources or parts and manpower. Blackouts such as this, especially during the heat of summer, have a notorious reputation for creating major social and civil unrest, often leading to violence in the streets as well as looting and rioting.
The world has yet to truly feel the effects of the Shanghai lockdowns, now going into its third month. Most people in the US and other countries are under the mistaken belief that elves are working non-stop at Santa's Workshop in the North Pole making all the crap you purchase at Walmart, Target, the Dollar Tree, et. al. They mistakenly believe that the elves work in 24-hour shifts with no day off except Christmas Day, toiling to make those cheap goods. They also mistakenly believe that Santa loads all the crap onto his magic sleigh and that he swoops down each night and delivers the goods to all the retail outlets across the country. NO, that isn't how it works, and the squeeze of the China lockdowns is not being felt in its full impact...just yet. But in the coming months, as the store shelves sell down and remain empty, the message will be received. And it isn't just the plastic junk at the Dollar Store that isn't coming from China, it is also a great deal of processed foods that won't arrive from that part of the world, either. (Think Ramen noodles!)
India's decision to stop wheat exports is truly devastating to many parts of the world that rely almost wholly on food exports to feed their population. Countries like Egypt and Yemen, who receive almost 100 percent of their food from other countries, will begin to suffer the effects over the next few weeks. Yemen is already in famine and a devastating civil war, and I anticipate violence and unrest to sweep across Egypt and other areas of the Middle East and Africa over the next several months. A devastating drought has already placed millions at risk of hunger in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia, the UN has warned. This violence will then spread to parts of Asia, South and Central America, Oceania, and then on to Europe & North America.
Sadly, the warning will fall on deaf ears as the effects of food, fuel, medicine and material shortages will explode across the entire planet, leaving the population of the world in a crisis we have never before faced in modern times.
Major banks, financial institutions, government agencies, as well as important religious and world leaders have been sounding the alarm for the past several months. The news outlets tend to place all the blame for the food shortages and inflation on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but the truth is the shortages and skyrocketing prices were already well into play for months before the invasion. Not that the War has helped any, of course.
A few days ago, the United Nations made the startling announcement that the global supply of wheat, which feeds a vast amount of humanity, was down to only a ten-week supply. This news should place everyone on the planet on edge, but most people in First World countries simply shrugged off the news, with the entitled feeling "That has no bearing on my life, only people in Third World countries need to worry about that." For many decades, that was probably the case, but it isn't the case now.
Last week, the Bank of England issued a warning that the world would begin to see "Apocalyptic" food shortages that would lead to violence and unrest in large parts of the world. The truth is, this unrest and collapse has already begun. Sri Lanka has been in collapse for the past several months, with deadly riots in the streets and the overthrow of the government. There is no food, no fuel, no medicines, no supplies...no hope. Pakistan has now entered similar territory, with its government in disarray coupled with electrical blackouts, a heatwave, food shortages and a breakaway region threatening civil war. Riots broke out in Iran this past week as well, as unaffordable food prices and the lack of fresh drinking water drove people to the streets. South Africa is bracing for more deadly unrest, following last years' rioting that left several hundred people dead and cities on fire.
As I said, this unrest will not be limited to Third World countries. Martin Lewis, a respected author and financial expert in the UK, warned on national television that the nation would begin to see food riots and unrest in the next several weeks over food and energy prices that have placed millions at risk of poverty. Many families in Great Britain are being forced to choose between having food or having heat in their homes, as the energy crisis continues its choke-hold across Europe. Other European countries such as the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany, who have already witnessed unrest and rioting in the streets due to Covid lockdowns, are bracing for yet more violence due to food shortages and runaway inflation.
In the US, police departments across the nation are quietly being informed to begin preparations for civil unrest, violent protests and rioting as well, due to a combination of extreme political divide and inflation. Warnings of a diesel fuel shortage abound, a shortage that will have dire consequences across the US and Canada. Supply chains, already in a battered state due to the Chinese lockdowns, inflation and a stinging labor shortage, will simply crumble under the added strain. Food, medicine and important materials are simply not being delivered in a timely manner now, leaving many factories, retail outlets and businesses empty-handed and on the precipice of closure without adding a fuel shortage into the poisonous disaster recipe.
Hospitals are not receiving replenishments of vital personal protective equipment, plastic tubing, gauze, even day-to-day OTC medicines such as Ibuprofen are in low supply in some regions. Medicine deliveries are being delayed, causing patients to search around for pharmacies that might have their important medicines in stock, with many having to drive miles out of their way to receive it, many after prolonged and potentially dangerous waits. The same applies to vet clinics treating animals and pets across the country, and the pet food situation is set to worsen, especially cat food, after Canada bans deep sea fishing off its coasts, where much of the fish supply that goes into canned cat food is purchased.
Power companies are not receiving vital elements in maintaining the power grids. This past week, energy regulators issued the dire warning that a large area of the US & Canada would be subject to major blackouts this summer, especially during heatwaves, which have already begun. In Michigan, residents have been warned to expect controlled blackouts (called brownouts in the industry) this summer in order to prevent the power grid from failing completely. This is the current situation in many third world countries around the world, including in Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Peru and Pakistan, where the power grid cannot be maintained due to lack of energy sources or parts and manpower. Blackouts such as this, especially during the heat of summer, have a notorious reputation for creating major social and civil unrest, often leading to violence in the streets as well as looting and rioting.
The world has yet to truly feel the effects of the Shanghai lockdowns, now going into its third month. Most people in the US and other countries are under the mistaken belief that elves are working non-stop at Santa's Workshop in the North Pole making all the crap you purchase at Walmart, Target, the Dollar Tree, et. al. They mistakenly believe that the elves work in 24-hour shifts with no day off except Christmas Day, toiling to make those cheap goods. They also mistakenly believe that Santa loads all the crap onto his magic sleigh and that he swoops down each night and delivers the goods to all the retail outlets across the country. NO, that isn't how it works, and the squeeze of the China lockdowns is not being felt in its full impact...just yet. But in the coming months, as the store shelves sell down and remain empty, the message will be received. And it isn't just the plastic junk at the Dollar Store that isn't coming from China, it is also a great deal of processed foods that won't arrive from that part of the world, either. (Think Ramen noodles!)
India's decision to stop wheat exports is truly devastating to many parts of the world that rely almost wholly on food exports to feed their population. Countries like Egypt and Yemen, who receive almost 100 percent of their food from other countries, will begin to suffer the effects over the next few weeks. Yemen is already in famine and a devastating civil war, and I anticipate violence and unrest to sweep across Egypt and other areas of the Middle East and Africa over the next several months. A devastating drought has already placed millions at risk of hunger in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia, the UN has warned. This violence will then spread to parts of Asia, South and Central America, Oceania, and then on to Europe & North America.
Sadly, the warning will fall on deaf ears as the effects of food, fuel, medicine and material shortages will explode across the entire planet, leaving the population of the world in a crisis we have never before faced in modern times.