Michael Ruppert

"The Lifeboat Hour"

Sundays at 9 pm EST

Michael C. Ruppert was uniquely qualified to write and speak about energy issues, politics and economics before Bluemark Films’ 2009 documentary “Collapse” became a critically-acclaimed, worldwide sensation. “Collapse” the DVD went on sale worldwide June 15, 2010 where it has lodged firmly as a bestseller and leader in rentals. Its companion book, upon which the film was based, “Confronting Collapse” has shocked politicians, economists, academics and everyday people with its simplicity, clarity, and bluntly accurate (if stark) assessment of where the human race stands at the end of the Age of Oil. Michael’s longtime readers are not surprised. Mike has an unprecedented track record of accurate energy-related, economic, military, and geopolitical analysis and prediction, established over a decade, both in his former newsletter “From The Wilderness” (FTW), and in his first book, “Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil”, (New Society, 2004). It has been estimated that he has an eighty per cent accuracy rate with a written record proving it. Until now that record has been ignored by the mainstream media and government. It cannot be ignored any longer.

FTW, which ceased operations in late 2006, archived more original reporting on Peak Oil and related topics than any other publication at the time. FTW subscribers included major decision makers, members of congress and mainstream media. Mike has lectured in eight countries and at more than 20 universities. He has addressed California’s prestigious Commonwealth Club and given more than 200 radio and TV interviews as well as appearing in more than 15 independent films.  “Crossing the Rubicon” is in the Harvard Business School and many other university libraries. The startling accuracy of the predictions he made in that book and in FTW prompted a 2008 surge in its popularity among the people who keep America running as the economic crash which Mike had predicted for so many years became real.

“Crossing the Rubicon” is also a book about the attacks of September 11^th. Although the U.S. government has spent millions of dollars refuting other 9/11 “conspiracy theories” – which Ruppert himself disavows – it has never even acknowledged “Rubicon” with its 1,000 undisputed footnotes and investigation of U.S.-run war games which allowed the attacks to succeed. Mike’s current belief is that all attention must now be focused solely on an energy and economic crisis which threatens all of human civilization.

Mike was born an only child in Washington, D.C. into a family with deep connections to the U.S. intelligence community. Mike graduated from UCLA in 1973 with honors in Political Science. He interned for L.A.’s Chief of Police and was groomed by officers with connections to the CIA. After graduating in June, 1973 Mike graduated from the LAPD Academy as Valedictorian. He was assigned to South Central L.A. where he earned near-perfect evaluations and many commendations for investigation, bravery and attention to duty.

Mike resigned from the LAPD in late 1978 after receiving death threats for refusing to participate in operations involving CIA drug smuggling into the U.S. As a whistleblower, Mike spent years in his own wilderness before revelations and government documents confirmed his allegations. He came into the public spotlight after a 1996 confrontation with then CIA Director John Deutch. Many credited Mike’s fearless performance on live TV with costing Deutch what was considered to be a guaranteed appointment as Secretary of Defense.

Although rarely acknowledged by the major media, Mike’s prowess and track record of investigative journalism is legendary. After founding his newsletter in 1998 Mike went on to break major investigations including many stories that later went mainstream without acknowledgment.

In May of 2006, after being contacted by Mary Tillman, mother of pro-football star turned Army Ranger Pat Tillman, Mike and his Military Affairs Editor, Stan Goff (US Army Special Forces, retired) spent days analyzing and decoding 2000 pages of Army records. The  AP, Washington Post and L.A. Times (among others) stories which broke the Tillman case open in August and September were virtual cut and pastes of FTW’s original copyrighted series from June of 2006. Every congressional handout which forced eventual hearings was from FTW. Nine officers, including three generals, were disciplined and many believe that the sudden resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was a result of the Tillman scandal.

Mike is currently the CEO and founder of CollapseNet, and new web venture designed to facilitate relocalization efforts anywhere in the world. “Relocalization”, says Ruppert, “is the only hope we have to build lifeboats that can save as many lives as possible as human industrial civilization comes to an abrupt end and as a new and uncertain era with unforeseen challenges leaves us asking not what kind of a world we can save, but what remnants will be left to pass on to future generations.”

Mike is also a singer/songwriter living in Culver City California. He has co-written and sung many songs with the band New White Trash a studio/project band founded by longtime California musician Doug Lewis and multi-Grammy winner Andy Kravitz. He is planning to debut his own stage band “The Hundredth Monkey” in late 2010.

(For more detailed information on Mike Ruppert’s history and evolution please visit the From The Wilderness website biopage)

                       Follow Mike:

CollapseNet on Facebook

Michael Ruppert on Facebook