the frack thread

[mobbsey]

The Food and Water Europe press release is at --
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/pressr ... shale-gas/

http://www.desmogblog.com/2012/10/10/sh ... ops-poland

Shale Gas Industry Brings PSYOPs and Spy Ops to Poland

Steve Horn, DeSmogBlog, Wednesday 10th October 2012


Roughly a year ago today in Houston, the shale gas industry was caught red-handed discussing its use of military tactics and personnel on U.S. soil to intimidate and divide communities in order to continue its fracking bonanza.

In a gathering thought to be exclusively among friends, one industry public relations professional representing Range Resources, Matt Pitzarella, said his company utilizes psychological warfare (PSYOPs) tactics on citizens living in the Marcellus Shale basin. The Marcellus is one of the epicenters of the global hydraulic fracturing boom ("fracking").

...

A year later, we're learning that the oil industry is taking its aggressive military-style approach global. According to a press release published by Food and Water Europe, the industry is spying on fracking critics in Poland.

{SNIP}

[emordnilap]

Not surprising; see biff's thread about the anti-climate change cabal. Money trumps sense any day.

[emordnilap]

And then there's:

In 1983, there were 50 major corporations dominating the world’s media. By 2002, this had been reduced to nine. Rupert Murdoch says that eventually there will be three, including his own. If we accept this, media and information control will be the same, and we shall all be citizens of a murdochracy.

from here.

[mobbsey]

Media control is hype, usually fed by those who live in awe of it. In reality that idea of anti-democratic "thought control" is illusory (just look at the Arab Spring -- or the fact the frack pack are resorting to PR spin and psyops/surveilance to peddle their wares).

There are always photocopiers -- and if pushed the printing press can still be recreated in a workshop (it's relatively easy to make the paper too).

Likewise you can usually find the components in a variety of household electronic goods to create an AM radio transmitter (even short wave, if you want to go international), and with a little more effort an FM transmitter too (ah!... memories!... ).

A media dominant world is a phenomena that is made by the sheeple, for the sheeple, and lives off the exploitation of those very same sheeple. Human skill and technical knowledge can easily circumvent that system, provided the will exists to do so.

[emordnilap]

Human skill and technical knowledge can easily circumvent that system, provided the will exists to do so.

Yes.

[emordnilap]

This is coincidental:

So skilfully did Nato's political leadership 'manage' the English language media that to this day many people remain unaware of the ambiguities surrounding the February-March 1999 Rambouillet conference.

The author here is writing in relation to the paradox of the bombing of Kosovo, where:

..."democracy-defending" Nato was bombing Kosovo and Serbia - to force Serbia to oppress Kosovo...

It just happens to be in a book I'm reading; the instances of media manipulation almost incidentally mentioned, being so commonplace.

A US major, in a conversation with the author, couldn't believe how she had so many facts 'wrong' about the former Yugoslavia. "Don't you watch tv?" he said. All became clear to him when she said she'd never owned one.

[mobbsey]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/ ... QZ20121015

UK sees new shale gas reserve estimate by end-2012

Reuters (London), Monday October 15th 2012


* Shale gas reserves could enhance UK energy security
* Government indicates support for shale gas industry

Britain expects to issue a new estimate of its shale gas reserves in the Bowland formation in the north before end-2012, followed by a more comprehensive figure for the whole of the country in 2013, the energy ministry said on Monday.

The Bowland formation covers a huge area with potentially significant reserves, extending beyond current shale gas drilling locations in Lancashire by companies such as Cuadrilla Resources to the Isle of Man, north Wales, south Cumbria and the East Midlands.

"The Bowland Shale estimate will be released by year end," a spokesman for Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) said. "There will be a more comprehensive estimate of UK shale reserves in 2013," he added.

The estimate is eagerly awaited as substantial recoverable reserves could enhance Britain's energy security, offset declining North Sea output and reduce import dependence.

Last week Energy Secretary Edward Davey, who heads the department, said he hoped to encourage new shale gas exploration as Chancellor (finance minister) George Osborne considered "a generous new tax regime" to encourage investment in the energy source.

{SNIP}

[JohnB]

Last week Energy Secretary Edward Davey, who heads the department, said he hoped to encourage new shale gas exploration as Chancellor (finance minister) George Osborne considered "a generous new tax regime" to encourage investment in the energy source.

I wonder what would happen if all of it was under London and the surrounding area.

[emordnilap]

You don't wonder at all, John. You know.

John Pilger called Cameron and Osborne "fossilised spivs". He has a way with words.

[Emma]

I’m a bit skeptical about this natural shale gas vs. the gasoline argument. From a carbon standpoint shale gas may be cleaner but if I’m correct, at normal temperatures it is a gas, while gasoline is a liquid. We need liquid oil to run cars etc so the process of making shale gas to liquid, the time, money and energy it takes is surely similar to extracting gasoline alone? Is the energy and carbon output not similar in the end?
I’m starting to worry that there is no alternative and we’re going to just have to invent new technology to run our world.

[mobbsey]

I’m starting to worry that there is no alternative and we’re going to just have to invent new technology to run our world.

Why not just do without it? -- or at least 60%-70% of it?
(we can just about do a third of present consumption from renewables).

[mobbsey]

Potential health risks cited in Canadian state report on shale gas industry { }

Two articles from Canada -- here and here.

According to CBC's summary, the Canadian state government should ensure the following when permitting shale gas developments:

* Require disclosure of all chemicals used.

* Monitor air, water and drinking water quality, including baseline measurements pre-development.

* Prevent fracking in sensitive areas, including wet fields.

* Require setbacks, noise/vibration standards, emergency response training.

* Monitor the health of people living, working or going to school near fracking sites.

* Establish an implementation group and oversight mechanism.

* Ensure optimal emergency response capacity to deal with potential physical injuries at work sites and in the vicinity.


The chief medical officer's report is on-line at --
http://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Depa ... opment.pdf

[mobbsey]

See, "it does what it says on the tin" (the frack fluid tin, that is!)

The report's web site is at --
http://www.earthworksaction.org/issues/ ... evelopment

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012%2D10 ... urvey.html

Marcellus Gas Wells Likely Harming Public Health: Survey

Jim Efstathiou, Bloomberg, 18th October 2012


People living near natural gas wells in Pennsylvania say drilling has triggered respiratory problems, fatigue, severe headaches and skin rashes, according to a study from Earthworks, a Washington-based environmental group.

The findings come from a survey released today of 108 residents in 14 Pennsylvania counties. Since 2009, more than 5,000 wells have been drilled in Pennsylvania’s portion of the Marcellus Shale using hydraulic fracturing. This process requires sending millions of gallons of chemically treated water and sand underground to break shale rock and free trapped gas.

{SNIP}

[RenewableCandy]

Water runs deeper than I thought! http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... ver-DODGY TAX AVOIDERS

I used to think 4 km would have put it below the entire Biosphere. Wrong!

[vtsnowedin]

I’m starting to worry that there is no alternative and we’re going to just have to invent new technology to run our world.

Welcome to the forum Emma. We are getting a lot of robo first posts at present so don' be dismayed if you're not responded to right away. Throw in a comment here and there and we will figure it out soon enough.
Now to your post: New technology to run the world? That would help of course but it is much easier to say then to do and there is no assurance that any new technology can be developed in a time frame that averts disaster complete with human population crash.