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Peak Oil Book

2008-09-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

If you only read one book about peak oil, this is the one to read: The Long Descent: A User's Guide to the End of the Industrial Age

Here are some excerpts from the book, and here are some book reviews:
Amanda Kovattana
Frank Kaminski
Lupa

A Day Late and a Dollar Short?

2008-06-10T21:13:00.000-07:00

Articles of Impeachment Read in Congress Against Bush

Better late than never, I suppose . . .

More on Cultural Conservers

2008-05-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

This week's post on cultural conservers by John Michael Greer is even more intriguing than last week's was.

Entertainment

2008-05-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

Quoting from an email quoted in an article in Minyanville:

Kevin -

Talked with my Mom tonight. She played Canasta with her girlfriends today (she's the youngest at 66). Topic of conversation was how much things feel like they did going into the Great Depression (several of them lived through it). Interestingly, the biggest concern wasn't that it was coming, they all lived through and survived so that wasn't the focus. Instead they were concerned that the vast majority of young people today have absolutely no idea how to entertain themselves for free. Thus they think the societal impact of a depression may be bigger than the economic and they just might be right.

Cultural Conservers

2008-05-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

Go here to read about John Michael Greer's thoughts on what will need to be done to preserve the bits of western industrial civilization that are worth preserving. This subject is very interesting to me, and I intend to explore more how this sort of thing might be accomplished.

More on the Democratic nominating process

2008-03-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

It's not very often these days where an election is held where I don't feel compelled to vote against anybody, but oddly enough that seems to be what is happening with this year's contest for President. With that, here are my views on the candidates:

1) John McCain - I have great respect for his integrity and leadership abilities, but I am a long way from him politically. Like the first President Bush, I won't vote for him, but I could live with it if he were to become President, and I feel no compelling reason to vote against him.

2) Barack Obama - One of the few politicians that I actually find inspiring. My cynicism with regards to national politics is at a higher level than ever this year, but I will actually vote for him if he gets the nomination.

3) Hillary Clinton - aka "the audacity of ego" - She is quite a divisive figure, and that will not go away any time soon. If she gets elected President, we will get to endure 4 or 8 more years of highly vicious politics in Washington D.C. Some other reasons I won't vote for Hillary:
a) She is the textbook example of a carpetbagger. I have no idea why the people of New York voted for her over a home-grown politician, particularly as it was obvious, even 8 years ago, that she viewed the Senate (and the state of New York) merely as stepping stones to becoming President.
b) Her "it's me or nobody" towards the Democratic nomination. I don't really care if the national Democratic party tears itself apart over this - that is a problem for the party, of which I am not a part. However, the competition has really revealed her character, which - to put it mildly - is unappealing. All politicians are competitive and have big egos. Clinton, however, seems to be driven by a lust for power untempered by any other consideration whatsoever.
c) She's a bully: Clinton big dollar donors threaten Pelosi and the DCCC

And now, for some linkblogging on this subject:
From Daily Kos, Obama Campaign Depicts Clinton as Serial Exaggerator

Senator Clinton’s claims about her visit to Tuzla, Bosnia—and the footage disproving her account—have created quite a stir. And with good reason. As the Associated Press wrote yesterday: "What makes Clinton’s situation unique—and the Bosnia embellishments so damaging—is the fact that the New York senator has built her candidacy on the illusion of experience. Any attack on her credentials is a potential Achilles heel."

Unfortunately, Clinton’s fantastic invention of a sniper-raked landing is only one in a growing list of instances in which she has exaggerated her role as First Lady, particularly with respect to domestic policy.

Unlike Gore, who in a few individual instances made ill-advised comments that then got blown out of proportion, Clinton has made the questionable claims numerous times, and has even put some of them on her website, like saying she was involved in the creation or passage of key domestic accomplishments such as SCHIP and the Family and Medical Leave Act. The public record and the statements of people like Henry Waxman who were directly involved in that legislation doesn't support or even contradicts her claims.

Also from Daily Kos: Answering the Phone at 3am

[commenting on the fact that Clinton claims to have been "sleep-deprived" and "misspoke" regarding her claims of landing under sniper fire in Bosnia] Sleep-deprived... on all of these occasions? And she's the one telling us she'd be the best person to answer the red phone at the wee hour of 3 o'clock in the morning.

Northwest Progressive Institute: Clinton on Richardson's endorsement of Obama

What I wanted to point out, however, is the Clinton camp's response to the endorsement. Richardson has long had close ties to the Clintons--realistically, he probably wouldn't be quite who he is on the national stage today if not for Bill Clinton tapping him as Secretary of Energy--so his endorsement of Obama must also be viewed in that light. Trying to minimize the damage, Clinton spokesman Jay Carson had this to say:

"Both candidates have many great endorsers, but the voters, not endorsers, will decide this election, and there are still millions of voters in upcoming contests who want to have their voices heard."

Which is a noble and populist thing to say, but at this point it it is simply not credible to believe that the Clinton campaign actually means this. It's that pesky hard math problem her campaign faces: at this point there just aren't enough delegates left in the states that haven't voted yet for her to take the pledged delegate lead unless she wins by truly unimaginable margins. Thus, her only remotely plausible path to the nomination lies in convincing the superdelegates to give the nomination to her, despite the clearly expressed sentiment of the voters.

This has gone on too far. Hillary Clinton, I am publically calling on you, today, to admit what the rest of the nation has known for about a month now. You gave it a heck of a run, but you've come up short. Your campaign is, for all practical purposes, over and can serve no further purpose than to provide fuel for future attacks on Barack Obama. I call on you to honor the proper sentiment expressed by your spokesman: respect the judgment of the millions of voters from left states and right states, big states and small states, states that matter and those that--well, all of them matter, really.

They have judged you, and found you wanting. It is time for you to withdraw.

From Middle Earth Journal: Hillary's Glass House

Since Hillary Clinton has decided to be critical of Obama's religious affiliations I guess it's only fair to look at hers. I remember this profile of Hillary by Joshua Green a few years back but had forgotten the disturbing information that she was a member of a right wing Washington prayer group. Green rightly thinks it's time to revisit this association and reminds us of the details: Hillary's Minister Problem

Power Hungry?

2008-03-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

The latest from the Clinton Campaign: Obama "Can't Win a General Election"

That's laughable. A little analysis (see also here) reveals that Clinton is the one who probably can't win a General Election, and this thought is seconded by conservatives, some of whom are salivating at the uniting (in opposition to Hillary) effect that a Clinton candidacy would have on the Republican Party.

Oh, and there is also the detail that there is no realistic way Clinton can get the nomination at this point. Why is she still in the race? Is she so power hungry that if she can't get the nomination she thinks she deserves, she will destroy her own party's chances in retaliation?

Why the Democrats would be idiotic to nominate Hillary . . .

2008-02-28T11:40:00.000-08:00

. . . because she would probably get trounced by McCain, while Obama in turn will probably be able to soundly defeat McCain. So it would appear that the choice of nominee will be a large indicator of whether the Democratic Party would like to hold the presidency this time around, or if in fact they are really rooting for a President McCain. Food for thought.

P.S. Hominid Views has been keeping pretty close track of the polls, and these posts that I referenced seem to get updated on very regular basis.

Write Your Legislator

2008-01-25T00:11:00.000-08:00

From Flexcar:

As you are well aware, we have been working hard on your behalf to exclude car sharing members from paying the states car rental tax. We know, as do you, that car sharing has numerous and proven environmental and community benefits. And its never been more important to find solutions to our transportation and climate change challenges than it is now.

Many of you have asked us from the beginning how you could help. Its now time to act.

Two bills (SB 6484 and HB 2889) have been introduced into the Washington State Legislature that recognize the difference between car rental and car sharing and exempt car sharing members from the car rental tax. We support these bills and are hopeful that they will pass but we need your help.

Before the bills can be voted on, they need to move from the Finance and Transportation Committees (in the House) and the Transportation Committee (in the Senate). We have provided links to the leaders of these respective committees to make it easy for you to share your support for car sharing. At the bottom of this note, we have also provided a link to make it easy for you to contact the legislators from your district.

We ask that you send an email to these leaders and help them understand the personal impact that car sharing has had on your life. Perhaps it has allowed you to save money by selling a car and using one of our vehicles on occasion. Perhaps you live on Bainbridge and can ride the ferry to work, and use us for business meetings. Whatever the case, it is important for legislators to hear/read about what car sharing means to you and the importance to you of keeping car sharing affordable.

We will continue our advocacy on your behalf and will keep you posted on progress. We truly appreciate your help. In the meantime, please contact the offices of the leaders below as well as your own legislators.

Senate Transportation Committee Chair Mary Margaret Haugen (http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/haugen)
House Finance Committee Chair Ross Hunter (http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/hunter)
House Transportation Committee Chair Judy Clibborn (http://www.leg.wa.gov/House/clibborn)

Find your Legislator (http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx)

Jamie Cheney
General Manager

The letter I sent to my legislators:

I am writing to encourage you to support SB 6484. Being part of a car-sharing program has made a positive difference in my life, as in the lives of many others, and car-sharing programs benefit all of us by promoting more efficient use of resources. For me specifically, being part of a car-sharing program has allowed my family to become a one-car family (we had two cars before), which reduces carbon dioxide emissions, road congestion, and fossil fuel usage. These are advantages that benefit all of us and which are not provided by traditional car rental companies. Pass SB 6484 to keep car-sharing affordable and maximize the benefit for all citizens of Seattle and Washington.

Sincerely,
Roy Smith

The New Oil Year

2008-01-02T14:53:00.000-08:00

Oil futures rise to $100 a barrel