The ramping up of the fear factor of the Russian Bear continues apace. Sweden is about to start stockpiling food, Finland declares that a war with Russia will happen and Danes are rushing to stock up their larders. As this Blog asks over and over again, why is the majority working class in various states allowing itself to be be pushed into a war, and a possible nuclear one at that, that no sane person would want? The enthusiasm on the part of the ruling elites is based upon the continuing profits to be made by a small minority and the totally mistaken idea that a war against Russia is a winnable one. Would China sit back and remain on the fence? China is itself firmly in the sights of the ‘Western Bloc’ of capitalist states. The ‘Western Bloc’ in this this case meaning the USA which will have no qualms about bullying its various vassels to join them in such an enterprise.

The situation is already a serious one and once the propaganda machines go into full force and begin to play the ‘nationalist’ card then the level of escalation will move toward an even more threatening stage of danger to us all.

As Shelley wrote, ‘We are many, they are few.’ Does the world have to move to the precipice of Armageddon before it wakes up and says we have had enough, we are no longer prepared to let a greedy, grasping, covetous, avaricious social system, capitalism, endanger the many for the sake of the few?

‘Sweden has announced that it will begin stockpiling food and agricultural supplies for the first time since the Cold War, citing what officials describe as a growing threat from Russia. Moscow has rejected these claims, insisting that it poses no danger to any NATO or EU countries.

The Swedish Board of Agriculture stated that it will create emergency reserves of grain and other key supplies to ensure that citizens have access to sufficient food “in the event of a serious crisis and, in the extreme, war.” The government has allocated around $57 million in its 2026 budget to fund the program.

The first storage facilities will be established in the north of the country due to its “strategic military importance” and low level of self-sufficiency in grain, according to Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin, who said “there is no time to lose.”

The new stockpiles will be built up over the period of 2026-2028. The Board of Agriculture said the goal is to guarantee food supplies equivalent to 3,000 calories per person per day during a state of heightened alert.

Lawmakers in neighbouring Finland, meanwhile, have said they will conduct underground training exercises next month to practice working in wartime conditions, similarly citing a supposed threat from Russia.

Moscow has repeatedly denounced what it calls anti-Russian hysteria and fearmongering pushed by Western European leaders, stressing that it has no reason or intention to take hostile actions against any EU or NATO countries. Russian officials have dismissed the claims as nonsense meant to justify inflated military budgets and the bloc’s ongoing militarisation.’

‘Western European countries must be ready to fight Russia if they offer security guarantees to Kiev as part of a potential settlement of the Ukraine conflict, Finnish President Alexander Stubb has said.

In an interview with The Guardian Stubb stressed that if the West decides to provide any assurances to Kiev, they should stick to the notion that “security guarantees in essence are a deterrent.”

Asked if the guarantees would mean that European countries are saying they would be ready to engage militarily with Russia in case of an attack on Ukraine, the president replied: “That is the idea of security guarantees by definition,” adding that they would be meaningless without real force behind them.

He added that Russia should not have any say in the matter. “So for me it’s not an issue [whether] Russia will agree [to guarantees being given to Ukraine] or not. Of course they won’t, but that’s not the point,” he added.’

‘The public anxiety in Denmark over the drone incursions shows how the zone of concern over Russia is steadily growing and how a conflict that once felt far away all of a sudden can feel close.

“We’ve seen a crazy increase in sales,” said Valdemar Badsted, a salesperson at Wolf Tactical, a military surplus shop in Copenhagen. “People are getting worried about war.”

Danes are rushing to buy emergency rations and equipment such as camping sets. At Wolf Tactical, sales of freeze-dried camping food have shot up by 400 percent, its owner said. Danish news outlets have reported that at other stores, there’s been a run on emergency rations, emergency radios, rice and canned mackerel, too.’

The ramping up of the fear factor of the Russian Bear continues apace. Sweden is about to start stockpiling food, Finland declares that a war with Russia will happen and Danes are rushing to stock up their larders. As this Blog asks over and over again, why is the majority working class in various states allowing itself to be be pushed into a war, and a possible nuclear one at that, that no sane person would want? The enthusiasm on the part of the ruling elites is based upon the continuing profits to be made by a small minority and the totally mistaken idea that a war against Russia is a winnable one. Would China sit back and remain on the fence? China is itself firmly in the sights of the ‘Western Bloc’ of capitalist states. The ‘Western Bloc’ in this this case meaning the USA which will have no qualms about bullying its various vassels to join them in such an enterprise.

The situation is already a serious one and once the propaganda machines go into full force and begin to play the ‘nationalist’ card then the level of escalation will move toward an even more threatening stage of danger to us all.

As Shelley wrote, ‘We are many, they are few.’ Does the world have to move to the precipice of Armageddon before it wakes up and says we have had enough, we are no longer prepared to let a greedy, grasping, covetous, avaricious social system, capitalism, endanger the many for the sake of the few?

‘Sweden has announced that it will begin stockpiling food and agricultural supplies for the first time since the Cold War, citing what officials describe as a growing threat from Russia. Moscow has rejected these claims, insisting that it poses no danger to any NATO or EU countries.

The Swedish Board of Agriculture stated that it will create emergency reserves of grain and other key supplies to ensure that citizens have access to sufficient food “in the event of a serious crisis and, in the extreme, war.” The government has allocated around $57 million in its 2026 budget to fund the program.

The first storage facilities will be established in the north of the country due to its “strategic military importance” and low level of self-sufficiency in grain, according to Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin, who said “there is no time to lose.”

The new stockpiles will be built up over the period of 2026-2028. The Board of Agriculture said the goal is to guarantee food supplies equivalent to 3,000 calories per person per day during a state of heightened alert.

Lawmakers in neighbouring Finland, meanwhile, have said they will conduct underground training exercises next month to practice working in wartime conditions, similarly citing a supposed threat from Russia.

Moscow has repeatedly denounced what it calls anti-Russian hysteria and fearmongering pushed by Western European leaders, stressing that it has no reason or intention to take hostile actions against any EU or NATO countries. Russian officials have dismissed the claims as nonsense meant to justify inflated military budgets and the bloc’s ongoing militarisation.’

‘Western European countries must be ready to fight Russia if they offer security guarantees to Kiev as part of a potential settlement of the Ukraine conflict, Finnish President Alexander Stubb has said.

In an interview with The Guardian Stubb stressed that if the West decides to provide any assurances to Kiev, they should stick to the notion that “security guarantees in essence are a deterrent.”

Asked if the guarantees would mean that European countries are saying they would be ready to engage militarily with Russia in case of an attack on Ukraine, the president replied: “That is the idea of security guarantees by definition,” adding that they would be meaningless without real force behind them.

He added that Russia should not have any say in the matter. “So for me it’s not an issue [whether] Russia will agree [to guarantees being given to Ukraine] or not. Of course they won’t, but that’s not the point,” he added.’

‘The public anxiety in Denmark over the drone incursions shows how the zone of concern over Russia is steadily growing and how a conflict that once felt far away all of a sudden can feel close.

“We’ve seen a crazy increase in sales,” said Valdemar Badsted, a salesperson at Wolf Tactical, a military surplus shop in Copenhagen. “People are getting worried about war.”

Danes are rushing to buy emergency rations and equipment such as camping sets. At Wolf Tactical, sales of freeze-dried camping food have shot up by 400 percent, its owner said. Danish news outlets have reported that at other stores, there’s been a run on emergency rations, emergency radios, rice and canned mackerel, too.’

The ramping up of the fear factor of the Russian Bear continues apace. Sweden is about to start stockpiling food, Finland declares that a war with Russia will happen and Danes are rushing to stock up their larders. As this Blog asks over and over again, why is the majority working class in various states allowing itself to be be pushed into a war, and a possible nuclear one at that, that no sane person would want? The enthusiasm on the part of the ruling elites is based upon the continuing profits to be made by a small minority and the totally mistaken idea that a war against Russia is a winnable one. Would China sit back and remain on the fence? China is itself firmly in the sights of the ‘Western Bloc’ of capitalist states. The ‘Western Bloc’ in this this case meaning the USA which will have no qualms about bullying its various vassels to join them in such an enterprise.

The situation is already a serious one and once the propaganda machines go into full force and begin to play the ‘nationalist’ card then the level of escalation will move toward an even more threatening stage of danger to us all.

As Shelley wrote, ‘We are many, they are few.’ Does the world have to move to the precipice of Armageddon before it wakes up and says we have had enough, we are no longer prepared to let a greedy, grasping, covetous, avaricious social system, capitalism, endanger the many for the sake of the few?

‘Sweden has announced that it will begin stockpiling food and agricultural supplies for the first time since the Cold War, citing what officials describe as a growing threat from Russia. Moscow has rejected these claims, insisting that it poses no danger to any NATO or EU countries.

The Swedish Board of Agriculture stated that it will create emergency reserves of grain and other key supplies to ensure that citizens have access to sufficient food “in the event of a serious crisis and, in the extreme, war.” The government has allocated around $57 million in its 2026 budget to fund the program.

The first storage facilities will be established in the north of the country due to its “strategic military importance” and low level of self-sufficiency in grain, according to Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin, who said “there is no time to lose.”

The new stockpiles will be built up over the period of 2026-2028. The Board of Agriculture said the goal is to guarantee food supplies equivalent to 3,000 calories per person per day during a state of heightened alert.

Lawmakers in neighbouring Finland, meanwhile, have said they will conduct underground training exercises next month to practice working in wartime conditions, similarly citing a supposed threat from Russia.

Moscow has repeatedly denounced what it calls anti-Russian hysteria and fearmongering pushed by Western European leaders, stressing that it has no reason or intention to take hostile actions against any EU or NATO countries. Russian officials have dismissed the claims as nonsense meant to justify inflated military budgets and the bloc’s ongoing militarisation.’

‘Western European countries must be ready to fight Russia if they offer security guarantees to Kiev as part of a potential settlement of the Ukraine conflict, Finnish President Alexander Stubb has said.

In an interview with The Guardian Stubb stressed that if the West decides to provide any assurances to Kiev, they should stick to the notion that “security guarantees in essence are a deterrent.”

Asked if the guarantees would mean that European countries are saying they would be ready to engage militarily with Russia in case of an attack on Ukraine, the president replied: “That is the idea of security guarantees by definition,” adding that they would be meaningless without real force behind them.

He added that Russia should not have any say in the matter. “So for me it’s not an issue [whether] Russia will agree [to guarantees being given to Ukraine] or not. Of course they won’t, but that’s not the point,” he added.’

‘The public anxiety in Denmark over the drone incursions shows how the zone of concern over Russia is steadily growing and how a conflict that once felt far away all of a sudden can feel close.

“We’ve seen a crazy increase in sales,” said Valdemar Badsted, a salesperson at Wolf Tactical, a military surplus shop in Copenhagen. “People are getting worried about war.”

Danes are rushing to buy emergency rations and equipment such as camping sets. At Wolf Tactical, sales of freeze-dried camping food have shot up by 400 percent, its owner said. Danish news outlets have reported that at other stores, there’s been a run on emergency rations, emergency radios, rice and canned mackerel, too.’

The ramping up of the fear factor of the Russian Bear continues apace. Sweden is about to start stockpiling food, Finland declares that a war with Russia will happen and Danes are rushing to stock up their larders. As this Blog asks over and over again, why is the majority working class in various states allowing itself to be be pushed into a war, and a possible nuclear one at that, that no sane person would want? The enthusiasm on the part of the ruling elites is based upon the continuing profits to be made by a small minority and the totally mistaken idea that a war against Russia is a winnable one. Would China sit back and remain on the fence? China is itself firmly in the sights of the ‘Western Bloc’ of capitalist states. The ‘Western Bloc’ in this this case meaning the USA which will have no qualms about bullying its various vassels to join them in such an enterprise.

The situation is already a serious one and once the propaganda machines go into full force and begin to play the ‘nationalist’ card then the level of escalation will move toward an even more threatening stage of danger to us all.

As Shelley wrote, ‘We are many, they are few.’ Does the world have to move to the precipice of Armageddon before it wakes up and says we have had enough, we are no longer prepared to let a greedy, grasping, covetous, avaricious social system, capitalism, endanger the many for the sake of the few?

‘Sweden has announced that it will begin stockpiling food and agricultural supplies for the first time since the Cold War, citing what officials describe as a growing threat from Russia. Moscow has rejected these claims, insisting that it poses no danger to any NATO or EU countries.

The Swedish Board of Agriculture stated that it will create emergency reserves of grain and other key supplies to ensure that citizens have access to sufficient food “in the event of a serious crisis and, in the extreme, war.” The government has allocated around $57 million in its 2026 budget to fund the program.

The first storage facilities will be established in the north of the country due to its “strategic military importance” and low level of self-sufficiency in grain, according to Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin, who said “there is no time to lose.”

The new stockpiles will be built up over the period of 2026-2028. The Board of Agriculture said the goal is to guarantee food supplies equivalent to 3,000 calories per person per day during a state of heightened alert.

Lawmakers in neighbouring Finland, meanwhile, have said they will conduct underground training exercises next month to practice working in wartime conditions, similarly citing a supposed threat from Russia.

Moscow has repeatedly denounced what it calls anti-Russian hysteria and fearmongering pushed by Western European leaders, stressing that it has no reason or intention to take hostile actions against any EU or NATO countries. Russian officials have dismissed the claims as nonsense meant to justify inflated military budgets and the bloc’s ongoing militarisation.’

‘Western European countries must be ready to fight Russia if they offer security guarantees to Kiev as part of a potential settlement of the Ukraine conflict, Finnish President Alexander Stubb has said.

In an interview with The Guardian Stubb stressed that if the West decides to provide any assurances to Kiev, they should stick to the notion that “security guarantees in essence are a deterrent.”

Asked if the guarantees would mean that European countries are saying they would be ready to engage militarily with Russia in case of an attack on Ukraine, the president replied: “That is the idea of security guarantees by definition,” adding that they would be meaningless without real force behind them.

He added that Russia should not have any say in the matter. “So for me it’s not an issue [whether] Russia will agree [to guarantees being given to Ukraine] or not. Of course they won’t, but that’s not the point,” he added.’

‘The public anxiety in Denmark over the drone incursions shows how the zone of concern over Russia is steadily growing and how a conflict that once felt far away all of a sudden can feel close.

“We’ve seen a crazy increase in sales,” said Valdemar Badsted, a salesperson at Wolf Tactical, a military surplus shop in Copenhagen. “People are getting worried about war.”

Danes are rushing to buy emergency rations and equipment such as camping sets. At Wolf Tactical, sales of freeze-dried camping food have shot up by 400 percent, its owner said. Danish news outlets have reported that at other stores, there’s been a run on emergency rations, emergency radios, rice and canned mackerel, too.’

HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS? (Zoom)

Shouting Down

Clamorous cacophony of discontent:

Public outrage finds some collective voice,

Finds its feet, finds its demagogic choice

Of blame bearer, but then does not relent

To draw breath, reflect, perhaps consider

How another view might well be taken,

One more profound, one that might awaken

Perception, challenge the highest bidder

For visceral thought to think again

About those parties who’re in contention,

Laying claim to popular dissention,

Offering their quack final solution.

While anger and shouting are in season,

They’re muting the measured voice of reason.

D. A.

 The sixteenth of October 1962 saw the beginning of the thirteen day confrontation between the United States and Soviet Russia after the Soviets had transported missiles and launchers to the island of Cuba in response to the American siting of nuclear missiles in the UK, Italy and Turkey.

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists Doomsday clock stands today at eighty nine seconds to midnight.

The 1962 crisis was probably the closest the planet came to a nuclear conflagration.

Santayana’s dictum that those who don’t remember the past are likely to repeat would seem to have been forgotten by many assuming that they were familiar with it in the first place.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are now in conflict.

America is threatening to use military force in Venezuela.

Israel is more than likely to attack Iran again and hope to drag in support from US.

There is a ‘peace agreement’ between Palestine and Israel but the likelihood of Israel abiding by that agreement are slim.

There is the stated intention of the US to defeat China.

The world remains a very dangerous place and becomes more dangerous every day.

The military-industrial complex continues to profit from the suffering caused by capitalist states pursuing capitalist aims.

As previously stated on this Blog, ‘How much longer before we all recognise where our collective interest lies and we abolish capitalism for ever before capitalism abolishes us?’

Being homeless is devastating, whether a person is sofa-surfing, living in a hostel or sleeping on the street.

But it’s not just a matter of insecurity and misery. Last year 1611 homeless people died in the UK, a record high. Most deaths are linked to suicide or drugs, but some die after being assaulted. Roughly one in ten of those deaths were people who were rough sleeping, and rough sleeper numbers rose by 20% in the year to over 4600.

The Homelessness Minister claimed that the government was ‘accelerating efforts to tackle the root causes of homelessness’. But the root cause is the profit motive, and no capitalist government will tackle that.

https://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/

All Socialists Now?

Adding insult to injury by not only increasing power costs as we are now in the seasons where heating becomes more necessary but British capitalism can’t even guarantee to keep the gas fires lit. Don’t blame it on those pesky Russians, Blame it firmly on a social system where energy providers cares not for its customers but only for profits.

‘Britain faces a drop in domestic gas production this winter, making it increasingly reliant on imports to keep homes warm and power plants running, the Financial Times reported citing the country’s national gas grid operator.  

National Gas UK forecasts that the UK will receive 6% less gas from its domestic offshore fields this winter than last. This will be offset by a 7% increase in imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Norway will remain the UK’s primary supplier, meeting about 36% of its winter needs, while domestic production will account for only 33%. The third key source will be the global LNG market, which is expected to supply 24% of Britain’s gas.  

“Our margins for winter 2025/2026 are tighter than we have seen in the last four years,” the FT cited the company’s annual winter outlook as saying. “This is largely due to the well-documented continued decline in supplies from the UK Continental Shelf.”

According to official government statistics, British gas production plummeted 10% between 2023 and 2024, hitting its lowest level since 1973. National Gas UK identified LNG as the “key source to meet rising winter demand.”  

Britain’s growing reliance on LNG is forcing a major re-engineering of its national gas grid, according to John Butterworth, head of National Gas UK. He explained that the system, originally built for Scottish North Sea gas, is now struggling to adapt to supplies landing at terminals in Wales and southern England. Butterworth added that domestic gas production is forecast to fall a further 6% in 2025, deepening the country’s dependence on imports.   

The vulnerability of Britain’s gas supply was highlighted this past January by a Daily Telegraph report that natural gas stocks had fallen to a “concerning” low amid a sustained cold snap. The report noted that storage facilities were only half full, holding 26% less gas than a year earlier. The supply crunch underscored a systemic reliance on gas, which fuels about 40% of the UK’s electricity and heats 28 million households – a vulnerability exacerbated by the UK’s ban on Russian LNG imports, which took effect in January 2023.’