new year's clearinghouse

end of the year or end of the world (as we know it)?
from global research: [A]n end-of-year essay of sorts is in order, especially so given the bumpy ride capitalism has bestowed on us this past twelve months. And the portents for 2009 look to be even worse as capitalism, desperate to shed over-valued assets, descends into the abyss. Look at it this way: after the Crash of ‘29 and the launch of the New Deal, it took some six years to engineer the outbreak of WWII, the surefire way of literally burning up surplus capital in awesome quantities. And if history has any lessons for us, some equivalent global conflagration is now in order. However, is this possible under these new circumstances and over what timescale can such a capitalist catastrophe be engineered?

chronology: major world events in 2008: part1 & part2

and a few other last-minute downers...
sewage & drinking water mingle in texas*
automatic speed-limiting devices should be fitted to cars*
nobody frightens children like the tsa*
US/japanese bioterrorists recreate 1918 flu*
nixon/kissinger celebrated ‘72 bombing of north vietnam*
henry kissinger: eminence noire*
lbj's treason tapes*
did poppy bush kill kennedy & frame nixon?*
new proof of lies/deception by US/uk & the sinking of the lusitania*
holocaust love story a fabrication*
ex-army employee pleads guilty to acting as israeli agent*
cdc to oregon: why aren't you taking our yummy shots?*
defense contractors see $$$ in cyber security*
new year’s eve security enhanced in nyc*
national guard soldiers to usher in new year at times square*
US stocks suffer worst year since great depression*
blackout looms in time warner/viacom fight*
kathy griffin says 'dicks' during live cnn new year's show*
this modern world 2008 year in review, part1: goodbye to all that*
this modern world 2008 year in review, part2: the end of an error*
2008: the year the US media lost relevance*