SHTFPLan
Mac Salvo
We’ve been told a lot of things since the global economic crisis first became apparent in 2007. In March of that year Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said, “the impact on the broader economy and financial markets of the problems in the sub-prime markets seems likely to be contained.” Clearly, Mr. Bernanke’s assessment was incorrect and the sub-prime real estate issues were only part of a broader, systemic issue.
The fundamental problems within our economy became mainstream news in the latter part of 2008 when stock markets around the world were in free fall and most major financial institutions were on the cusp of insolvency. In response, our government, with the full support and confidence of Congress, took unprecedented steps to save the system by injecting, first billions, and then trillions of dollars to bailout failed companies, stabilize deflationary price collapses and stimulate the economy.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson eventually wrote a book about the crisis, aptly titled On the Brink. But how close to the brink were we? If Representative Brad Sherman is to be believed, we were close. So close, in fact, that according to Sherman, Congressional members were told that if the bailout was not authorized by Congress the collapse would be so severe that martial law may have to be declared - basically, tanks in the streets. The following short video is Brad Sherman discussing the situation on the House floor:
Are we now to believe that the actions taken by Congress, The President, US Treasury and The Federal Reserve have resolved the fundamental problems facing our nation?
For those 17% of people who think the economy is in recovery and the other 33% who believe it will happen soon, we point you to the latest statement from current Treasury Secretary Timothy Geitherner, who outlines the severity of the problem in a January 6, 2011 letter to Congress writes:
I am writing in response to your request for an estimate by the Treasury Department of when the statutory debt limit will be reached, and for a description of the consequences of default by the United States.
Never in our history has Congress failed to increase the debt limit when necessary. Failure to raise the limit would precipitate a default by the United States. Default would effectively impose a significant and long-lasting tax on all Americans and all American businesses and could lead to the loss of millions of American jobs. Even a very short-term or limited default would have catastrophic economic consequences that would last for decades. Failure to increase the limit would be deeply irresponsible. For these reasons, I am requesting that Congress act to increase the limit early this year, well before the threat of default becomes imminent.
Treasury would prefer not to have to engage again in any of these extraordinary measures [suspension of the issuance of certain types of government debt and government investment vehicles]. If we are forced to do so again, these measures could delay the date by which the limit is reached by several weeks. Once these steps have been taken, no remaining legal and prudent measures would be available to create additional headroom under the debt limit, and the United States would begin to default on its obligations.
The Treasury Secretary of The United States of America just said that if we don’t get another $1 trillion or so dollars by March of this year then this country will begin to default on its debt obligations. These remarks are extremely serious and should be understood for what they are.
We are, literally and without mixing words, on the brink of economic catastrophe.
The scary thing is, according to Mr. Geithner and the many supporters of raising our debt ceiling, that borrowing more money is the only solution available.
In a recent commentary we pointed out the opposing view from Karl Denninger of Market Ticker, who said that raising the debt ceiling would essentially lead to the very same consequence as leaving it as is:
Let me be clear: If you extend the debt ceiling and by doing so allow deficits of this sort to continue for another year, say much less two, you will have placed a loaded shotgun in the mouth of this nation and pulled the trigger.
It will go off, and you will splatter this nations’ economic and political system all over the wall.
It’s a Catch 22 and there’s no way out.
Defaulting on or inflating away our debt are the only viable solutions. Both of these will lead to the same end - a complete and total collapse of the way of life Americans have become used to.
Just as Henry Paulson, President Bush, et. al. warned of economic collapse and depression in 2008, Mr. Geithner warns of the very same today. All of the trillions spent, all of the laws passed, and all of the manipulations of global asset markets, have done absolutely nothing to resolve the fundamental systemic problems we faced prior to the onset of the crisis.
It is, quite literally, going to be the end of the world as we know it - and it cannot be stopped.
It’s time for each individual to take steps to prepare for a national debt default and a complete debasement of the US dollar. It won’t be long before we either can’t meet our debt obligations or our creditors finally put a stop to our out of control borrowing. And when they do, the chances are high that we will experience a hyperinflationary monetary collapse, complete with disruptions to the normal flow of commerce, food shortages and out of control prices. The only refuge will be to understand what is money when the system collapses and start preparing now. The government is getting ready for it, so should you.
View Article With Links HERE
Saturday, January 8, 2011
European Nations Begin Seizing Private Pensions
Christian Science Monitor
Hungary, Poland, and three other nations take over citizens' pension money to make up government budget shortfalls.
By Jan Iwanik
People’s retirement savings are a convenient source of revenue for governments that don’t want to reduce spending or make privatizations. As most pension schemes in Europe are organised by the state, European ministers of finance have a facilitated access to the savings accumulated there, and it is only logical that they try to get a hold of this money for their own ends. In recent weeks I have noted five such attempts: Three situations concern private personal savings; two others refer to national funds.
The most striking example is Hungary, where last month the government made the citizens an offer they could not refuse. They could either remit their individual retirement savings to the state, or lose the right to the basic state pension (but still have an obligation to pay contributions for it). In this extortionate way, the government wants to gain control over $14bn of individual retirement savings.
The Bulgarian government has come up with a similar idea. $300m of private early retirement savings was supposed to be transferred to the state pension scheme. The government gave way after trade unions protested and finally only about 20% of the original plans were implemented.
RELATED: Europe's 5 most generous pension systems
A slightly less drastic situation is developing in Poland. The government wants to transfer of 1/3 of future contributions from individual retirement accounts to the state-run social security system. Since this system does not back its liabilities with stocks or even bonds, the money taken away from the savers will go directly to the state treasury and savers will lose about $2.3bn a year. The Polish government is more generous than the Hungarian one, but only because it wants to seize just 1/3 of the future savings and also allows the citizens to keep the money accumulated so far.
The fourth example is Ireland. In 2001, the National Pension Reserve Fund was brought into existence for the purpose of supporting pensions of the Irish people in the years 2025-2050. The scheme was also supposed to provide for the pensions of some public sector employees (mainly university staff). However, in March 2009, the Irish government earmarked €4bn from this fund for rescuing banks. In November 2010, the remaining savings of €2.5bn was seized to support the bailout of the rest of the country.
The final example is France. In November, the French parliament decided to earmark €33bn from the national reserve pension fund FRR to reduce the short-term pension scheme deficit. In this way, the retirement savings intended for the years 2020-2040 will be used earlier, that is in the years 2011-2024, and the government will spend the saved up resources on other purposes.
It looks like although the governments are able to enforce general participation in pension schemes, they do not seem to be the best guardians of the money accumulated there.
The table below is a summary of the discussed fiscal-retirement situations (source):
*These figures do not include the costs of higher taxes, price inflation and low interest rates, which additionally devaluate retirement savings.
[This article was originally posted at mises.pl]
View Article With Links HERE
Hungary, Poland, and three other nations take over citizens' pension money to make up government budget shortfalls.
By Jan Iwanik
People’s retirement savings are a convenient source of revenue for governments that don’t want to reduce spending or make privatizations. As most pension schemes in Europe are organised by the state, European ministers of finance have a facilitated access to the savings accumulated there, and it is only logical that they try to get a hold of this money for their own ends. In recent weeks I have noted five such attempts: Three situations concern private personal savings; two others refer to national funds.
The most striking example is Hungary, where last month the government made the citizens an offer they could not refuse. They could either remit their individual retirement savings to the state, or lose the right to the basic state pension (but still have an obligation to pay contributions for it). In this extortionate way, the government wants to gain control over $14bn of individual retirement savings.
The Bulgarian government has come up with a similar idea. $300m of private early retirement savings was supposed to be transferred to the state pension scheme. The government gave way after trade unions protested and finally only about 20% of the original plans were implemented.
RELATED: Europe's 5 most generous pension systems
A slightly less drastic situation is developing in Poland. The government wants to transfer of 1/3 of future contributions from individual retirement accounts to the state-run social security system. Since this system does not back its liabilities with stocks or even bonds, the money taken away from the savers will go directly to the state treasury and savers will lose about $2.3bn a year. The Polish government is more generous than the Hungarian one, but only because it wants to seize just 1/3 of the future savings and also allows the citizens to keep the money accumulated so far.
The fourth example is Ireland. In 2001, the National Pension Reserve Fund was brought into existence for the purpose of supporting pensions of the Irish people in the years 2025-2050. The scheme was also supposed to provide for the pensions of some public sector employees (mainly university staff). However, in March 2009, the Irish government earmarked €4bn from this fund for rescuing banks. In November 2010, the remaining savings of €2.5bn was seized to support the bailout of the rest of the country.
The final example is France. In November, the French parliament decided to earmark €33bn from the national reserve pension fund FRR to reduce the short-term pension scheme deficit. In this way, the retirement savings intended for the years 2020-2040 will be used earlier, that is in the years 2011-2024, and the government will spend the saved up resources on other purposes.
It looks like although the governments are able to enforce general participation in pension schemes, they do not seem to be the best guardians of the money accumulated there.
The table below is a summary of the discussed fiscal-retirement situations (source):
*These figures do not include the costs of higher taxes, price inflation and low interest rates, which additionally devaluate retirement savings.
[This article was originally posted at mises.pl]
View Article With Links HERE
Mass Animal Die-Offs EVERYWHERE in USA (AND Worldwide!)
American Holocaust
The following is a report from the UK. Go to it's actual article for pictures.
This is similar to what is happening in Montana with the wildlife being killed BECAUSE OF DEADLY PENTAGON SPRAYING, confirmed through my in-depth investigation on site for several years.
The question must be asked: how much of this is deliberate testing of deadly chemicals designed by the military in various nations to bring famine (etc.) under the NWO world controllers of the future?-Pamela Rae Schuffert
View Article HERE
View Latest Updated Article HERE
Thousands of fish found floating in Florida after cold snap
200 birds found dead on highway bridge in Texas
50 dead jackdaws found on city street in Sweden
100 tons of sardines, croaker and catfish wash up dead on Brazilian coast
Hundreds of fish dead in New Zealand
And in Britain, 40,000 devil crabs join list of casualties
More and more animals are being found dead as the mysterious spate of mass bird and fish deaths has turned into a global phenomenon.
The latest two separate incidents saw thousands of fish found floating in a creek in Florida and 200 birds found dead on a highway bridge in Texas.
Experts were yesterday carrying out tests on around 50 jackdaws found dead in a street in Falkoping, Sweden, that appear to have suffered the same fate as thousands of their cousins who fell from the sky in separate incidents in the U.S.
Problem on a large scale: Thousands of dead fish have washed up on the shores of Spruce Creek in Port Orange, Florida
The plot thickens: Rescue chief Christer Olofsson holds a dead bird in Falkoping, Sweden.
Dozens of jackdaws were found dead on the street:
Shortly before midnight on Tuesday, residents found 50 to 100 jackdaws on a street in Falköping, southeast of Skövde
Flock: Two mass bird deaths within days of each other have baffled experts, with some blaming fireworks for confusing the birds or parasites.
Swedish experts have said the shock of fireworks being let off near the city, in the south-east of the country, and difficulty finding food may have led to the deaths of the jackdaws.
Many of the birds are believed to have died from stress or as a result of being run over by vehicles while disoriented.
And scientists have also been left baffled by at least 100 tons of sardines, croaker and catfish washing up dead along the Brazil coastline near Paranaguá.
There were more fish deaths reported today in New Zealand, while in England, the carcasses of 40,000 devil crabs are strewn across a beach in Kent.
Hundreds of dead starlings and robins were found scattered in backyards in the Kentucky town of Gilbertsville while an estimated two million dead fish have washed ashore in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.
They are the latest in a spate of incidents which are being blamed on New Year fireworks, thunderstorms, cold weather, parasites and even poisoning.
The internet has been abuzz with conspiracy theories about secret government experiments being behind the deaths, or it being a sign of a looming Armageddon at the end of the Mayan calendar next year.
The mass deaths include:
450 red-winged blackbirds, brown-headed cowbirds, grackles and starlings found littering a highway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
3,000 blackbirds on roofs and roads in the small town of Beebe, Arkansas
Thousands of 'devil crabs' washed up along the Kent coast near Thanet
Thousands of drum fish washed along a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River
Tens of thousands of small fish in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
Thousands of dead fish found floating in warm Florida creek
Hundreds of snapper fish found dead in New Zealand
Scores of American Coots found dead on Texas highway bridge
Tests are being carried out on the dead animals, but results are not expected for several weeks.
Mystery: A starling lies along the Morganza Highway in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Experts said hundreds of birds may have died after hitting power lines
Confused: A worker stoops to pick up one of the many birds' carcasses which littered Beebe, Arkansas. Numerous theories are being put forward as to what may have killed them
Post-mortem examination: Dr Brandon Doss takes a close look at red-winged blackbirds brought into his lab as part of research being carried out to find out what killed them
Thousands of Brazilian fishermen are struggling to make ends meet after the sale of seafood was temporarily suspended when masses of fish were discovered dead in Paranaguá, Antonina and Guaraqueçaba Pontal do Paraná.
Experts have speculated that cold weather or chemical leaks could be behind the deaths.
Edmir Manoel Ferreira, president of the Federation of Fishermen's Colony of Parana, said the deaths had been discovered since Thursday last week.
Gruesome: New Year revellers watched in horror as the birds rained down on houses and cars in Beebe
Creepy: Thousands of dead drum fish were also discovered just miles away lining the shores of the Arkansas River
'On Thursday we began to find a lot of dead fish. One community had to bury 15 tons alone.
'We are experiencing a very sad situation on the coast.'
Samples of the dead fish have been sent to the Centre for Marine Studies at the Universidade Federal do Parana.
One of the latest incidents saw thousands of fish found rotting and floating in Spruce Creek, Florida, after a period of cold weather.
Mullet, ladyfish and catfish have been washing up as winds cause the carcasses to gather on bends along the creek.
And 200 birds were found dead on a highway bridge crossing Lake O' the Pines in Big Cypress Creek, Texas.
Experts believed the birds had been hit by passing vehicles while walking or apparently trying to roost on the bridge.
The cold weather in Britain has also been blamed for the deaths of 40,000 Velvet swimming crabs - also known as 'devil' crabs - found littering beaches in Thanet.
Last year, the Environment Agency set up an inquiry into unexplained numbers of deaths amid fears a mystery virus could be to blame.
But it concluded the crab deaths were linked to the cold weather.
Tony Childs, Thanet Coast Project Manager, said: 'We had a crash in numbers last year and we hadn't expected such a large population.
'As happens with the circle of life in nature, we expect the crabs to be naturally dispersed from our shores very quickly by our local seagulls.
'We are hopeful the crab population will soon recover.'
Scientists blamed fireworks for confusing blackbirds in Beebe, Arkansas, with then crashed into homes, cars and each other as people celebrated the New Year.
Another 450 birds were also found dead along a highway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They are believed to have hit power lines after becoming disoriented.
Fifty of the creatures were found near a power line 30ft from Louisiana Highway 1. A second group was discovered stretched from the power line across the highway just a quarter of a mile away.
Dan Cristol, a biology professor and co-founder of the Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, said the Louisiana birds may have been ill or startled from their roost before hitting the power line.
'They don't hit a power line for no reason,' he said.
Thousands of them: Crabs washed up at Palm Bay, Margate, are thought to have died of hypothermia
A healthy specimen: A live devil crab in its favourite pose, by a rock under the sea... in warmer conditions
New Year's revellers spent the holiday weekend cleaning up dead red-winged blackbirds in Beebe. Some blamed the bad weather, while others said one confused bird could have led the group into a fatal plunge.
Experts in Beebe said fireworks may have caused frightened birds to fly lower than normal, where they crashed into homes and other objects.
Karen Rowe, an ornithologist with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said: 'The blackbirds were flying at rooftop level instead of treetop level.
'Blackbirds have poor eyesight and they started colliding with things.'
Wildlife officials in both Arkansas and Louisiana have sent the carcasses to researchers at the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, and the University of Georgia.
In 1999, several thousand grackle birds fell from the sky and staggered around before dying in north Louisiana.
It took five months to get the diagnosis - an E. coli infection of the air sacs in their skulls.
It comes after 100,000 drum fish were discovered in the Arkansas River, just 100 miles from Beebe.
Officials said the deaths were not related to the birds, and they had likely been affected by illness as it was one species.
They blame the deaths - affecting menhaden, spots and croakers - on the stress of cold water.
Tens of thousands of small fish have also been discovered dead in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.
Another explanation was that violent thunderstorms may have disoriented the flock.
Red-winged blackbirds are among North America's most abundant birds, with somewhere between 100million and 200million nationwide, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York.
A few grackles and a couple of starlings were also among the dead. Those species roost with blackbirds, particularly in winter.
Down by the (green) riverside...
Nature lovers were startled when they recently went down to the river in Goldstream Provincial Park in Vancouver Island, Canada.
For some reason, the water had turned fluorescent green.
The mysterious colouring lasted for about an hour, flowing down into the environmentally sensitive estuary. Green green grass... and water: This river in Goldstream Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, Canada turned a mysterious colour for an hour before returning to normal
And then the river, known for its dramatic salmon runs, eagles and other wildlife, was back to its normal colour.
Ministry of Environment teams have begun an investigation and samples have been collected for analysis.
No dead fish or animals have yet been found.
Although not yet confirmed, the authorities believe it was a prank carried out using water-testing dye.
View Original Article HERE
The following is a report from the UK. Go to it's actual article for pictures.
This is similar to what is happening in Montana with the wildlife being killed BECAUSE OF DEADLY PENTAGON SPRAYING, confirmed through my in-depth investigation on site for several years.
The question must be asked: how much of this is deliberate testing of deadly chemicals designed by the military in various nations to bring famine (etc.) under the NWO world controllers of the future?-Pamela Rae Schuffert
View Article HERE
View Latest Updated Article HERE
Thousands of fish found floating in Florida after cold snap
200 birds found dead on highway bridge in Texas
50 dead jackdaws found on city street in Sweden
100 tons of sardines, croaker and catfish wash up dead on Brazilian coast
Hundreds of fish dead in New Zealand
And in Britain, 40,000 devil crabs join list of casualties
More and more animals are being found dead as the mysterious spate of mass bird and fish deaths has turned into a global phenomenon.
The latest two separate incidents saw thousands of fish found floating in a creek in Florida and 200 birds found dead on a highway bridge in Texas.
Experts were yesterday carrying out tests on around 50 jackdaws found dead in a street in Falkoping, Sweden, that appear to have suffered the same fate as thousands of their cousins who fell from the sky in separate incidents in the U.S.
Problem on a large scale: Thousands of dead fish have washed up on the shores of Spruce Creek in Port Orange, Florida
The plot thickens: Rescue chief Christer Olofsson holds a dead bird in Falkoping, Sweden.
Dozens of jackdaws were found dead on the street:
Shortly before midnight on Tuesday, residents found 50 to 100 jackdaws on a street in Falköping, southeast of Skövde
Flock: Two mass bird deaths within days of each other have baffled experts, with some blaming fireworks for confusing the birds or parasites.
Swedish experts have said the shock of fireworks being let off near the city, in the south-east of the country, and difficulty finding food may have led to the deaths of the jackdaws.
Many of the birds are believed to have died from stress or as a result of being run over by vehicles while disoriented.
And scientists have also been left baffled by at least 100 tons of sardines, croaker and catfish washing up dead along the Brazil coastline near Paranaguá.
There were more fish deaths reported today in New Zealand, while in England, the carcasses of 40,000 devil crabs are strewn across a beach in Kent.
Hundreds of dead starlings and robins were found scattered in backyards in the Kentucky town of Gilbertsville while an estimated two million dead fish have washed ashore in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.
They are the latest in a spate of incidents which are being blamed on New Year fireworks, thunderstorms, cold weather, parasites and even poisoning.
The internet has been abuzz with conspiracy theories about secret government experiments being behind the deaths, or it being a sign of a looming Armageddon at the end of the Mayan calendar next year.
The mass deaths include:
450 red-winged blackbirds, brown-headed cowbirds, grackles and starlings found littering a highway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
3,000 blackbirds on roofs and roads in the small town of Beebe, Arkansas
Thousands of 'devil crabs' washed up along the Kent coast near Thanet
Thousands of drum fish washed along a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River
Tens of thousands of small fish in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
Thousands of dead fish found floating in warm Florida creek
Hundreds of snapper fish found dead in New Zealand
Scores of American Coots found dead on Texas highway bridge
Tests are being carried out on the dead animals, but results are not expected for several weeks.
Mystery: A starling lies along the Morganza Highway in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Experts said hundreds of birds may have died after hitting power lines
Confused: A worker stoops to pick up one of the many birds' carcasses which littered Beebe, Arkansas. Numerous theories are being put forward as to what may have killed them
Post-mortem examination: Dr Brandon Doss takes a close look at red-winged blackbirds brought into his lab as part of research being carried out to find out what killed them
Thousands of Brazilian fishermen are struggling to make ends meet after the sale of seafood was temporarily suspended when masses of fish were discovered dead in Paranaguá, Antonina and Guaraqueçaba Pontal do Paraná.
Experts have speculated that cold weather or chemical leaks could be behind the deaths.
Edmir Manoel Ferreira, president of the Federation of Fishermen's Colony of Parana, said the deaths had been discovered since Thursday last week.
Gruesome: New Year revellers watched in horror as the birds rained down on houses and cars in Beebe
Creepy: Thousands of dead drum fish were also discovered just miles away lining the shores of the Arkansas River
'On Thursday we began to find a lot of dead fish. One community had to bury 15 tons alone.
'We are experiencing a very sad situation on the coast.'
Samples of the dead fish have been sent to the Centre for Marine Studies at the Universidade Federal do Parana.
One of the latest incidents saw thousands of fish found rotting and floating in Spruce Creek, Florida, after a period of cold weather.
Mullet, ladyfish and catfish have been washing up as winds cause the carcasses to gather on bends along the creek.
And 200 birds were found dead on a highway bridge crossing Lake O' the Pines in Big Cypress Creek, Texas.
Experts believed the birds had been hit by passing vehicles while walking or apparently trying to roost on the bridge.
The cold weather in Britain has also been blamed for the deaths of 40,000 Velvet swimming crabs - also known as 'devil' crabs - found littering beaches in Thanet.
Last year, the Environment Agency set up an inquiry into unexplained numbers of deaths amid fears a mystery virus could be to blame.
But it concluded the crab deaths were linked to the cold weather.
Tony Childs, Thanet Coast Project Manager, said: 'We had a crash in numbers last year and we hadn't expected such a large population.
'As happens with the circle of life in nature, we expect the crabs to be naturally dispersed from our shores very quickly by our local seagulls.
'We are hopeful the crab population will soon recover.'
Scientists blamed fireworks for confusing blackbirds in Beebe, Arkansas, with then crashed into homes, cars and each other as people celebrated the New Year.
Another 450 birds were also found dead along a highway in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They are believed to have hit power lines after becoming disoriented.
Fifty of the creatures were found near a power line 30ft from Louisiana Highway 1. A second group was discovered stretched from the power line across the highway just a quarter of a mile away.
Dan Cristol, a biology professor and co-founder of the Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, said the Louisiana birds may have been ill or startled from their roost before hitting the power line.
'They don't hit a power line for no reason,' he said.
Thousands of them: Crabs washed up at Palm Bay, Margate, are thought to have died of hypothermia
A healthy specimen: A live devil crab in its favourite pose, by a rock under the sea... in warmer conditions
New Year's revellers spent the holiday weekend cleaning up dead red-winged blackbirds in Beebe. Some blamed the bad weather, while others said one confused bird could have led the group into a fatal plunge.
Experts in Beebe said fireworks may have caused frightened birds to fly lower than normal, where they crashed into homes and other objects.
Karen Rowe, an ornithologist with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, said: 'The blackbirds were flying at rooftop level instead of treetop level.
'Blackbirds have poor eyesight and they started colliding with things.'
Wildlife officials in both Arkansas and Louisiana have sent the carcasses to researchers at the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, and the University of Georgia.
In 1999, several thousand grackle birds fell from the sky and staggered around before dying in north Louisiana.
It took five months to get the diagnosis - an E. coli infection of the air sacs in their skulls.
It comes after 100,000 drum fish were discovered in the Arkansas River, just 100 miles from Beebe.
Officials said the deaths were not related to the birds, and they had likely been affected by illness as it was one species.
They blame the deaths - affecting menhaden, spots and croakers - on the stress of cold water.
Tens of thousands of small fish have also been discovered dead in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland.
Another explanation was that violent thunderstorms may have disoriented the flock.
Red-winged blackbirds are among North America's most abundant birds, with somewhere between 100million and 200million nationwide, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York.
A few grackles and a couple of starlings were also among the dead. Those species roost with blackbirds, particularly in winter.
Down by the (green) riverside...
Nature lovers were startled when they recently went down to the river in Goldstream Provincial Park in Vancouver Island, Canada.
For some reason, the water had turned fluorescent green.
The mysterious colouring lasted for about an hour, flowing down into the environmentally sensitive estuary. Green green grass... and water: This river in Goldstream Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, Canada turned a mysterious colour for an hour before returning to normal
And then the river, known for its dramatic salmon runs, eagles and other wildlife, was back to its normal colour.
Ministry of Environment teams have begun an investigation and samples have been collected for analysis.
No dead fish or animals have yet been found.
Although not yet confirmed, the authorities believe it was a prank carried out using water-testing dye.
View Original Article HERE
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