Why is Gas SOO Expensive?!

Oil in the early 20th Century

Oil now

It used to be this easy.
















Now we have to do this.

Tar sand "oil" production

And this.











Which do you think costs more?

Why would we do it this way if the old way still worked?


We've already burned all the cheap, easy-to-get oil. Now it's harder.
And costlier.


Any questions?

Comic of the Week:

Introducing what I hope will be a regular feature.

I watch a lot of TV because I have CFS and I get tired REAL easy. One of my tools for dealing with it is Laughter Therapy. I have DVR and I use it: Comedy Central Presents, That 70s Show, whatever looks funny. I have quite a collection now, and I cull wa-ay more than I keep.

Here's the guy I'm laughing at right now. He's a wicked funny shit.

Jimmy Shubert

Comedy Central Stand-Up
Get More: Jokes,Joke of the Day,Funny Jokes

Please sign and Share.

Petition - A Petition to Support the Saving American Democracy Amendment : Bernie Sanders - U.S. Senator for Vermont

Support for reversing the Citizens United decision

President Barack Obama:

"With all due deference to separation of powers, last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that, I believe, will open the floodgates for special interests, including foreign corporations, to spend without limit in our elections."

Justice John Paul Stevens:

"The conceit that corporations must be treated identically to natural persons in the political sphere is not only inaccurate but also inadequate to justify the Court¹s disposition of this case.
"In the context of election to public office, the distinction between corporate and human speakers is significant. Although they make enormous contributions to our society, corporations are not actually members of it.
They cannot vote or run for office. Because they may be managed and controlled by nonresidents, their interests may conflict in fundamental respects with the interests of eligible voters.
"The majority¹s approach to corporate electioneering marks a dramatic break from our past. Congress has placed special limitations on campaign spending by corporations ever since the passage of the Tillman Act in 1907.
"The Court's ruling threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions across the Nation. The path it has taken to reach its outcome will, I fear, do damage to this institution."

Marc Maron

And now, a word from some roots...


Dad, depression and the retarded

Marc Maron | Myspace Video

Nothing's ordained

Nothing's ordained, nor fated.
Nothing's accidental.

All is choice and intention
of free souls
All children of TheOne
All. equally. so.

Organic Lard is Health Food!

Another guest post from the ever-generous Paul Wheaton and Team Permies...

By PAUL WHEATON

I remember …. because of the cookies ….

In the 80′s a Missoula bakery generated cookies that I had a hard time resisting. The secret ingredient? Lard. I still struggle with the idea... It was lard that made the cookies delicious?

In the cold case of Albertson’s, I remember buying lard and using it for all sorts of things. And then we were told that lard was bad, but Crisco was good! (Did you know that originally, Crisco was designed for candle wax? Just as they come out with their superior candle goo, people turn keen on the electric light bulb.) Then the lard disappeared. Now we are told that Crisco is bad.

A recent article in Acres USA shares how good lard is — some of the best food you can eat. Especially

Trying something new

The thing I keep finding about acceptance and forgiveness is the wonderful release and relief it is, to finally let that shit go and leave it behind.

I now see shortcomings as also being something that is between me and my peace of mind, my happiness, my success at life. Thought, word, deed or feeling -- "character defects" is a kinda kludgey way of saying something's not working for you.


I've recognized another dud, and taken action to turn away from it, toward a different outcome. To try something new - just to know that there's a choice, even for me, gives me goosebumps.

It's scary, trying something new, but exhilarating too... a little like flying, right after you make the jump. Except if I crash, I just get up and try something else. "Well, THAT didn't work. I don't have to keep doing THAT."

I keep feeling better and happier, more worthy and able to love and share. I know it's there for all of us.

Blessed Be All

See, what we're witnessing now...

... is the revolution in the streets to create the space,
the tension and the clarity,
to allow
Our Higher Natures
to emerge.

2012 is not the end of THE world,
just of THIS one.

An evolutionary change in human consciousness
is upon us.
One could call it a quantum leap -- or a miracle...
It proceeds even now.    and now.                          and now.

There's only Us
Humans on a living planet --!
All that lives here,
down as deep and far and back and wide
as the very first living cell on this planet
all interconnected to all that lives Now.
You. Me. Us. Them.
plants  animals      worms'n'germs...

All of it
all born of the first

*spark*




+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This planet is alive
and we are either
its higher nervous system
gaining self-awareness
or a virus. or a cancer.

Our choice and intention
creates the world we live in.
Focus your attention wisely.
Banish fear. Forget guilt.
Those voices are lying to you.

You are so much more
than you think you are.

Start making the change we need now... Spend less time resisting...

Start making the change we need now... Spend less time resisting...

Guest Post: Paul Wheaton, Permie Supreme

This one article will give you enough great permaculture ideas to keep your brain racing for at least a week... FeatherJack

BIO: Paul Wheaton is is the tyrannical ruler of two on-line communities. One is about permaculture and one is about software engineering. There is even one for Missoula. Paul has written several permacutlure articles starting with one on lawn care that he presented at the MUD Project 17 years ago, including articles on raising chickens, cast iron and diatomaceous earth. Paul also regularly uploads permaculture videos and permaculture podcasts. In his spare time, Paul has plans for world domination and is currently shopping for a hollowed out volcano in the Missoula area, with good submarine access.



Keep those branches, twigs, rotten logs and Christmas trees!

That stuff is gardener's gold! Organic matter!

Winter is the season for pruning trees. Sometimes taking out dangerous trees. I am mystified when people haul the wood away and in the sping they spend money for mulch. And equally mystified by people that rent an obnoxious, loud, smelly chipper.

here is a quick list of a dozen things that can be done with that wood, keeping it on your property and not having to fool with a chipper.

1. Make your own mulch: A huge branch can be reduced to flat mulch in about two minutes with a pruner. I usually clip at the bends in the tigs and branches. A huge pile of branches and twigs will become about 30 times smaller in 15 minutes.



2. Cover it in soil to make hugelkultur. This is best with the logs (green logs work too) and thick branches. This makes for a richer soil that needs less watering. Some people have built tall raised garden beds with this technique and they have a normal garden that doesn't need water all summer. This is an excellent use for a

Thermal Cooker Recipes

Recipes – All « The Thermal Cooker Thermal Cooking Weblog

Here are some recipes from Thermos:
Thermos Corned Silverside.
1 ½ to 2 kilogram piece of Corned Beef (choose a square cut piece to fit easily)
2 Bay leaves
1 large Onion
3 strips of Orange peel
4 Cloves
2 tablespoons of Brown Sugar
1 cup of Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon of Mustard
½ a tablespoon of Peppercorns
Water to cover.
Simmering time on the stove top: 30 minutes
Thermal Cooking time: 3 to 4 hours minimum.
Place all the ingredients into the inner pot.
Bring the contents to the boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer.
Simmer gently for 30 minutes with the lid on.
Turn off the heat and transfer the inner pot to the outer Thermal Container.
Leave to complete the cooking for 3 to 4 hours minimum.
You can add the required vegetables whole with the corned beef while it is being simmered or else you may wish to freshly cook vegetables to serve with the corned beef when you are ready to eat.

Tell Weather Reporters to Report Global Warming

Dear Friend:

Did you know that over 60% of meteorologists don’t believe in human-induced climate change?

It’s a big problem: weather reporters reach millions of people every night, and right now they’re not telling their viewers the full story about climate change. It's time for that to change.

Meteorologists are meeting this month at the annual conference of the American Meteorological Society, where the AMS Council will vote on a new official statement on climate change. Denier meteorologists don’t want the statement to pass, and are doing everything they can to derail the process. We can’t let that happen.

That’s why I joined the Forecast the Facts campaign, which is calling on the AMS to pass the statement immediately, and then promote it to AMS members so they start telling their viewers the full story on climate change. Will you join me?

Click below and tell the AMS: resist the deniers and pass the new statement immediately!

http://act.engagementlab.org/sign/AMS_Resist_LCV/

Share on facebook.

Tweet this

Please sign the petition and share the page widely. Thanks!

How One Governor Changed Her Mind On Gay Rights | MoveOn.Org

Really excellent statement -- It's not "special rights", it's the *same* *human* rights.

An act of dog: Why climate change is like walking Fido [VIDEO] | Grist

The owner is the climate, the dog is the weather... Easy-peasy!

An act of dog: Why climate change is like walking Fido [VIDEO] | Grist

EARTH: Source code: The methane race

This looks like it may be worth following:
"So far, this technology has discovered the body temperature of woolly mammoths and dinosaurs, and has even pinned down highly disputed ocean temperatures hundreds of millions of years old."

EARTH: Source code: The methane race

CLIMATE CHANGE: Biofuels Are Not the Solution - IPS ipsnews.net

CLIMATE CHANGE: Biofuels Are Not the Solution - IPS ipsnews.net

"The term "biofuels" is misleading. These plant-based fuels are better described as "agrofuels", for they are far from green.

"Those who still argue that agrofuels emit much less greenhouse gases than fossil fuels mostly ignore the fact that emissions are released during production, as a result of land-use change, fertiliser application and processing.

"Still, many governments, international financial institutions such as the World Bank, and multinational agribusiness, oil and transport companies are promoting agrofuels as a solution to world energy needs.

Nov. 1, 2011 Report Links Weird Weather to Climate Change

It's under a minute long. Just watch it.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Outdoors: Earth’s warming a warning | The Columbus Dispatch

The predicted warming, by the way, is about the same temperature increase as occurred after the Last Glacial Maximum some 20,000 years ago. The current change will come 100 times faster than the previous episode. Earth this time is not emerging from an Ice Age.

Outdoors: Earth’s warming a warning | The Columbus Dispatch