For those of you who read this Blog, I produce a bi-monthly TV show called It’s the END of the World as We KNOW it and I FEEL fine. Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of interviewing James Howard Kunstler. The interview is about 3 minutes in after the news. Also look below for an MP3 of the entire interview.

This Week:
1. Rate Cut and Run
2. Oil Pimping
3. Asian Rice Blues
4. Nano Disaster
5. DangerMouse and Jemini
6. Klusterfuck Nation

Direct Download (MP4 81MB)

Full interview with Jim Kunstler Direct Download (MP3 32MB 23 Min.)

Nice to see peak oil finally hitting the mainstream. Here is the article and video.

The guy’s preparation in the video is a good first step but needs to go several steps further before he can survive any longer term shortages. Stockpiling hydrocarbons and a pantry full of food is probably a good idea for everyone but we have to figure out how to get off the oil nipple and become a lot more self-sufficient within our communities.

Our very own JonBC seems a little reluctant to blow his own horn, so I will do it for him. Jon has put together a most informative (and fun!) collection of peak oil resources on his How to Boil a Frog website. Check out a little Peak Oil history, where we are now and how to get to a sane and sustainable tomorrow.

Thanks Jon!

Here’s a good blurb about GM & peak oil from down unda. Their CEO seems to have seen the light.

The Globe published a reasonably neutral story on a push under way in support of carbon taxes. I’m all for it. Mr Dion and his watered down Liberals and the Neocons don’t want it. I don’t see any other way to engage the minds, hearts and creativity of every citizen unless there is a direct and steadily increasing cost associated with burning fossil fuels. We’re going to get that with peak oil anyway. But at least with a carbon tax, the funds collected can be used to fund the creation of renewable energy infrastructure. What are you thoughts on a phased in, perpetually increasing tax on carbon until we get global warming under control?

I just found out about this. James Howard Kunstler will speak in Surrey at the end of the month. Details below.

Monday, January 21, 2008
Vancouver, BC
CANADA

7:00 PM
Urban Sustainable Development Fellowship Lecture (SFU Surrey Campus)
Simon Fraser University—Urban Studies Program

To attend contact:
Terri Evans
Tel: 778-782-7914
Email: urban@sfu.ca
www.sfu.ca/urban

Here is a good quick 5 minute exchange between both sides of the peak oil fence by Vijay Vaitheeswaran, correspondant for The Economist Magazine, and Robert L. Hirsch of SAIC International about peak oil.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4123

Read the complete Post.

I’ve been reading “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” a brilliant book tracing the origin of the food in 4 meals all the way back through industrial (and occasionally organic) agriculture. The author mentions clubs that urban residents can form where they order seasonal, organic meat, dairy & produce from local farms, and because they’re combining their orders, it becomes feasible for the farmers (who group their orders) to deliver. I made a mental note to look into organizations like EatWild, but it turns out we have an organic buying club right here in Vancouver – check it out at http://www.nowbc.ca/. There are several existing clubs, or you can form one if there isn’t one in your area. I’m looking into it!

High profile article in the Economist.

There was a good article by Rod Dreher in the Dallas Morning News last Sunday November 25th.