Perfect Storm Brewing

As at April 18, 2008 a barrel of crude on the New York Mercantile Exchange closed at $116.69 US. This most recent price increase was being attributed by analysts to rebel instability in Nigeria. A Nigerian rebel group has claimed responsibility for sabotaging a pipeline run by a Royal Dutch Shell PLC joint venture. Rebel instability now joins financial hedging by the investment community as the factors contributing to the rise of oil prices, courtesy of the corporate media.

For all that can be said about the international investment community, especially the insiders and market makers, it cannot be said that these individuals are stupid, within the accepted guidelines and "rationale" of their game. They well know about Peak Oil, its consequences, and that a barrel of crude is likely destined for $200, possibly by year's end. The investment maxim, "Invest when there's blood in the streets," has never carried more weight nor been more applicable on a global scale.

Notwithstanding the existing pressures on the world financial system, the "stool" to be kicked out from beneath the condemned will likely come in the form of the global investment community twigging on the fact that, relative to Peak Oil, all listed companies on the world's exchanges are grossly over-valued. Market equilibrium, contentious at the best of times, is further skewed by the taking of unparalleled short positions. In turn, global P/E's collapse accordingly precipitating pressures for a massive sell-off. The only conundrum is, who in their right mind is going to buy? The fragile glue of rube investor confidence which keeps the whole shell game going evaporates. The psychological meltdown precedes the physical meltdown. The scenario for a type of stock market cannibalism on the world's exchanges is unprecedented. Programmed and institutionalized greed indicate that the global investment beast will feed on its own belly.

Coupled with the rise of oil prices is a 40 per cent average rise in food costs worldwide since mid-2007. Food riots in Haiti, Egypt and Ivory Coast with soldiers guarding fields and warehouses is a portent of things to come. The carrying capacity of the planet minus oil is likely around 3 billion, which insinuates a human cull of around 4-5 billion by century's end. It is all energy related. It is all to do with living in the era of Peak Oil. In this era of irreversible energy decline (supply) coupled with exponential population growth (demand) the industrial world as we have known it begins its collapse. The situation is simply non-sustainable, on a scale to place the empty platitudes and policies of liberal and greenish politicians, and their governmental mandarins, to a position of well-intentioned and self-serving finger painting. It is a perfect storm brewing.

The Novacadia Alliance has been asked by The Middlebury Institute, the sponsor of the Third North American Secessionist Convention, November 14-16, 2008, to address the issue of Peak Oil and how it relates to the secessionist movement. The theme that has been put forward is: "Peak Oil and Regional Secession: Historical Crisis Opens a Twenty Year Window of Opportunity."

Radio Interview up on Novacadia Alliance Web Site

The one-hour radio interview, Peak Oil and Bioregional Secession, with former New Hampshire Senator, Burt Cohen, recorded on March 27th and re-broadcast on April 3, 2008 on the Progressive Radio Network is now up on the Home Page of The Novacadia Alliance.

Novacadia Network, Facebook Group

Announcement: A Facebook group for the Novacadia Network has been fired up.

Political Mandate and Identity Shift to a Proposed Novacadia Independence Party

During the course of "marketing" my independent candidacy in Central Nova in 2007 I became affiliated with the fledgling Atlantica Party. Our point of mutual concern and interest was the notion of Maritime Union for the Atlantic provinces. However, we disagreed fundamentally on the political motives for Maritime Union to such an extent that I felt it was in everyone's best interests to simply withdraw my support.

The Atlantica Party is somewhat soft on Maritime Union, placing it well behind its other policy initiatives of political and electoral reform. As a bioregional secessionist, I hold that Maritime Union must be at the philosophical and political forefront. The political equation is simple: Maritime Union precedes regional secession.

Furthermore, the Atlantica Party’s premise for Maritime Union is to foster greater economic prosperity for the Maritimes. Again, the premise for Maritime Union of the proposed Novacadia Independence Party is diametrically opposed to that of the Atlantica Party’s position. Due to the social and economic consequences inherent in the approaching era of Peak Oil, it is imperative to prepare the public for a drastic economic downturn. The extent of the economic depression that is foreseen by some Peak Oil advocates will make the Dirty Thirties seem like a stroll through the park. It will be a depression brought about by the dictates of nature, as opposed to the bursting of a humanly-vain speculative bubble. It will not be a matter of merely "riding it out." The so-called "good times", i.e. the accumulation of petrochemical byproduct stuff, are about to end...and they're not coming back.

It is this latter economic meltdown that is one of the prime factors that will generate an implosion of social institutions, the institution of the large industrial nation state inclusive. Secessionism is thus the assumption of political responsibility to meet and address social hardships of unforeseen proportions. Secessionists do not will secession; they merely pluck it off the tree of history like an overripe fruit. The political challenge for North American secessionists is to steer through several decades of crisis and hurt in order to come out on the other side of this pending societal collapse and catharsis, somewhat bruised and battered, but coming out nonetheless. We owe it to ourselves to offer the public a vision of hope, if not directly for ourselves, then at least for our children's children's children.

Taken within the context of economic mandate, the Atlantica Party is identified by the public with the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) which is a strong supporter of the commercial designation of Atlantica. If this public perception is valid or not does not really matter. What matters is that it is held. As a result, along with the identity to AIMS itself there is the public perception that the Atlantica Party is a political front for an extreme right wing, corporatist agenda. The constant denial of Jonathan Dean, the Atlantica Party leader, that the party is not affiliated with AIMS hardly negates the fact that it is one of the first questions asked of him by both the public and the media.

Rightly or wrongly, the perception of affiliation exists. Again, rightly or wrongly, the perception of the Atlantica Party being a shill for AIMS straddles the party with a major liability before it is even out of the gate. Although the “marketing baggage” for the Atlantica Party at this stage is minimal, it can only increase rather than decrease. Of course, if the economic policies that are eventually created by the Atlantica Party lean markedly towards the neo-con, radical right, then the above concerns are all moot.

It is for these reasons that it was necessary to cut bait, i.e. distance and differentiate, from the Atlantica Party. We maintain an alliance for being champions of Maritime Union, although we are diametrically opposed on the historical rationale for being such. Now the regional secessionist initiative has been taken to the fore; it has been elevated to the political high ground. The secessionist imperative for Novacadia is now positioned for the public to clearly see, contemplate, and decide to support, or not. The ethical tactic of “no secrets” is much stronger than that of a “hidden agenda.”

No doubt, this splitting of a couple of political small fry that are not even registering on the radar will, in time, make for some interesting years on the Nova Scotia and Maritime political fringes. The Green Party should take notice that the Novacadia Independence Party and the Atlantica Party have every intent to become players. There is certainly nothing wrong with some good, old fashioned competition.

Personally, I am confident that, over time, support can be and will be weaned from both the Atlantica Party and the Greens. If I did not believe that the Novacadia Independence Party will come out on top after several years of ideological street fighting, then I would not have bothered putting this initiative into play. Beyond the fringe, however, the grass becomes somewhat thicker, more complicated and a much greater challenge.

Novacadia Independence Party, Draft Principles

Foster and encourage the principle that pending ecological degradation and attendant social crises as a consequence of depleted global oil reserves and global warming will engender drastic reformulation of social, economic and political institutions.

Recognize the social, economic and political consequences that will unfold during this century of depleted global oil reserves and global warming, and formulate policies accordingly.

Transfer the recognition of a legitimate economic and cultural designation comprising the Maritime provinces to a historically necessary political designation called Novacadia.

Return integrity, self-determination and a necessary pre-Confederation commonality-of-vision to the Novacadia bioregion.

Foster and encourage the eco-political principles of institutional decentralization and recognition of identifiable bioregions as self-governing political jurisdictions.

Support and promote the political notion of Maritime Union for the Atlantic provinces and regions consisting of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Gaspé Peninsula.

Foster, encourage and support the creation of provincial Novacadia parties in the Maritime provinces which will recognize and support the constitutional principles contained herein.

Support and promote a political affiliation, under the identity of Novacadia, of the Maritime provinces with the American New England states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, up to and including the right and necessity of secession from the Canadian and American nation states in order to create the Republic of Novacadia.

Support and promote ecological principles for bioregional stewardship.

Foster and encourage the principle that no individual or group shall initiate the use of force or fraud against any other or as a means of achieving political, economic or social goals.

Support the principle that the right to own private property is essential to the preservation of human liberty and integrity.

Support the principle that privileges, monopolies, and powers that certain private and public corporations have won from government threaten the health, prosperity, and liberty of the common weal and that such corporations have greatly compromised free enterprise and self-government by the people.

Transition: Independent Candidacy to Formation of Atlantica Alliance

The new web site for the Atlantica Alliance is up and running. The old site for my independent candidacy in Central Nova has simply been given a new domain name.

For anyone who is interested in delving into the evolving secessionist partnerships of the Atlantica Alliance, I would suggest visiting The Middlebury Institute and The Second Vermont Republic. Further links to the North American secessionist movement can be accessed by visiting the latter two sites.

Peak Oil and Atlantica Secession, Radio Interview

A radio interview with yours truly recorded on March 27th will be re-broadcast on Thursday, April 3, 2008 on the Progressive Radio Network. The interview was conducted by former New Hampshire Senator, Burt Cohen, for his weekly program on Portsmouth Community Radio.

The re-broadcast is at 17:00 Eastern Time, 18:00 Atlantic Time. The url for PRN is http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/. PRN has a listener audience of one million. Tune in and be in one millionth and first.

A note about the Atlantica Alliance web site in my profile: I am currently morphing my independent candidacy in Central Nova into The Atlantica Alliance. This calls for a site name change and that may take a day or two to clear. The blog remains as is though and is current.