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30. August 2010

28 Comments

When in Ecuador, do as the pre-industrial do: a brief getaway from the industrial-economic monster

This guest post is authored by Emmanuela Mujica, a recent graduate of the University of Arizona’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program. Emmanuela is working toward a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in sustainability at University of Texas-Arlington, where she is currently a laboratory technician. A native of Puerto Rico, she hopes [...]

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22. August 2010

40 Comments

High tide of hate mail

The high tide of hate mail has rolled into my email in-box. I haven’t had such an invigorating dose of hate mail since I wrote an op-ed piece for Arizona’s largest and most conservative newspaper. I thought I’d share, just for your voyeuristic fun. This is by no means a comprehensive account, and the mail [...]

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16. August 2010

102 Comments

A review before the exam

Actually, this review is too late for the many people who have already endured economic collapse. As any of those folks can tell the rest of us, we do not want to receive the lesson after the exam. I’ve written all this before, but I have not recently provided a concise summary. This essay provides [...]

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11. August 2010

14 Comments

Greatest hits

Three years and 185 essays into the blogosphere, I’ve decided it’s time for a “greatest hits” essay. The best part, for you: It’s only a line or two per essay, and I’ve selected from only a dozen essays. The best part, for me: I get to pick ‘em. They’re in chronological order. Feel free to [...]

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6. August 2010

23 Comments

Cleaning up

My office, that is. I was asked to move out of my office the same month one of my articles graced the cover of the premier journal in my field Although faculty members are fleeing my department like fleas from a drowning dog, the interim department head needs my office. It’s the only faculty office [...]

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2. August 2010

28 Comments

Muddling along

After a woefully inept introduction, this essay forces me to stare into the abyss of planet-destroying myth. If you believe we’re headed for a muddle-through future in which we correct massive ecological overshoot with the tranquility of Buddhist monks, this is the essay you’ve been waiting to read. Come on along, if you dare, keeping [...]

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24. July 2010

14 Comments

Visiting Chicago

I will be speaking in Rockford, Illinois the afternoon of Monday, 27 September as part of International Bioenergy Days 2010. Details are here. But this brief post is not about my conference presentation. It’s about my visit to Chicago. As long as I’m flying in and out of Chicago, I would like to interact with [...]

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22. July 2010

24 Comments

The risks of fiddling

American Empire provides bread, circuses, and all the toys we (think we) need, stolen from other countries and future generations. I can understand why people are reluctant to abandon the empire. In exchange for inhabiting a cubicle, you get to harvest the fruits of empire while avoiding any steps toward self reliance. You get to [...]

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19. July 2010

2 Comments

Dan Treecraft has the last word on his affliction

Regular reader and some-time commenter Dan Treecraft filled most of the front page in yesterday’s edition of the Spokesman-Review, the local morning daily in his home city of Spokane, Washington. The article is sure to stir some commentary, consistent with Dan’s approach to life. Read the story here. Dan has been busy writing. You can [...]

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16. July 2010

16 Comments

Economic and environmental consequences of expensive oil

What are the causes and consequences of expensive oil? The first question is posed in this article, and answered surprisingly well by a neoclassical economist. He understands the relationship between the price of oil and economic growth, and he hints at constrained supply while also expressing irrational exuberance about continued economic growth. As an economist, [...]

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