It was a pretty disappointing presidential campaign by the two major parties given that neither talked about my key issues — peak oil and global warming — with any passion or consistency. Both major parties seem content to avoid what are essentially the two toughest challenges today and going into the future. The issue behind all issues Yes, there's been plenty of red meat … [Read more...]
Portrait of a climate science denier: Piers Corbyn
I've got better things to do than write about climate science deniers. I could schedule a proctological exam. Or listen to Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits enough times to memorize the words to "Can't Smile Without You." Or ask a teenage girl to explain why The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part Two will be the most awesome film made since Au revoir les enfants. Yet, if you … [Read more...]
Letting go
We spend enormous amounts of time, energy, and treasure in imposing our will on nature … dreaming of permanent solutions, monuments to our ambitions and dreams. But in periods of slack, decline, or collapse, our abilities no longer suffice for all this management. We have to let things go. – Ernest Callenbach This summer, I'm on an odyssey to five unique intentional … [Read more...]
La vie en verte (a life in green)
At the 80th Academy Award ceremony in 2008, the nominations for Best Actress included Cate Blanchett, Julie Christie, Laura Linney, and Ellen Page; all actresses that American audiences were relatively familiar with. But when Forest Whitaker tore open the famous white envelope and called out “And the Oscar goes to...Marion Cotillard!” many viewers at home likely hesitated … [Read more...]
Teaching climate change denial
Why would an organization call itself The Heartland Institute (HI)? To me the heartland of America is our country’s center – the Midwest and the Great Plains. The stereotype of this region arouses pictures of farm country, where good, honest, hardworking folks lead sober, unsophisticated lives. My suspicion is that the HI would like to piggyback on the values just … [Read more...]