Is Truth Enough? – The Bush Administration’s Lies and the Anti-War Movement’s Truths
A transcription of a talk given to the “Truth and Consequences” Anti-War Forum at the University of Maine, Augusta, Maine, on March 20, 2004.
Society
THE COMING COPPER CRUNCH
“…With the current growth rate in demand for copper running at over 400,000 tons annually, even assuming all capacity is brought on line, within 3 to 4 years available supply will not be able to meet world demand. Why the looming imbalance? As is so often the case these days, look to China and India, where the rush to build the infrastructure necessary to sustain economic growth is soaking up commodities on a global scale. It is a very good time to start paying attention to copper…”
Power blackouts likely: Electricity systems are becoming ever more vulnerable, and there’s no quick fix.
Two groups of researchers have independently brought forward evidence of intrinsic weaknesses in the North American power grid. Their analyses both conclude that massive power blackouts such as the one that took out New York last summer are likely to happen again.
New Zealand faces dramatic electricy price rises
New Zealand – News Roundup: Dramatic electricity price rises are on the horizon for homes and businesses this year.
Shop ‘Til the Earth goes ‘Pop’
Fatter and ever hungrier for the latest physical comforts and social-status symbols, the average U.S. citizen is leading the world in building a global consumer society that is wreaking havoc on the world’s natural resources.
It’s not about oil or Iraq. It’s about the US and Europe going head-to-head on world economic dominance.
Why is George Bush so hell bent on war with Iraq? Why does his administration reject every positive Iraqi move? It all makes sense when you consider the economic implications for the USA of not going to war with Iraq. The war in Iraq is actually the US and Europe going head to head on economic leadership of the world.
St. Matthew Island — Overshoot & Collapse
The story of St. Matthew Island’s reindeer population from 1944 (29) to 1966 (42), featured in today’s Anchorage Daily News, is a potential metaphor for our times.
For many generations of reindeer, St. Matthew Island was literally a land of plenty. The reindeer population on the island exploded following its introduction. By 1963, the population had grown to more than 6000 reindeer. Two years later, 99% of that herd had died of starvation, having destroyed the environment that sustained them, depleting their primary energy source.
A New American Century? Iraq and the hidden euro-dollar wars
Despite the apparent swift U.S. military success in Iraq, the U.S. dollar has yet to benefit as safe haven currency. This is an unexpected development, as many currency traders had expected the dollar to strengthen on the news of a U.S. win.
The First Law of Psychology is the Second Law of Thermodynamics
Abstract
Entropy is the primary adaptive problem that life forms must solve; consequently, evolutionary processes have crafted intelligence systems that are fundamentally designed to acquire, manage and direct energetic resources toward the maintenance of life processes and the attainment of life-stage specific goals.
Human brain “paid off” by long life
Children in modern day hunter-gatherer societies consume more calories than they produce, accumulating an enormous debt that peaks at age 20.
The coming helium shortage
Where will you be when the world runs out of helium? It’s surprising how many scientists and nonscientists alike are oblivious of the pending helium shortage. But it is a fact—we will run out of helium.
Revisiting The Limits to Growth: Could The Club of Rome Have Been Correct, After All? (Part One)
Over the past few years, I have heard various energy economists lambast this “erroneous” work done. Often the book has been portrayed as the literal “poster child” of misinformed “Malthusian” type thinking that misled so many people into believing the world faced a short mania 30 years ago.
