Arstechnica on the economic growth impact of peak oil production

Unfortunately, since most governments are unwilling to admit the prospect of indefinite economic stagnation due to our reliance on fossil fuels, they've been unable to generate the political will to even begin these efforts.

Full article: We've hit "peak oil"; now comes permanent price volatility

We put enough preservatives in our food to embalm an elephant

What Happens To Old And Expired Supermarket Foods

With the current economic troubles, expired foods are increasingly becoming a part of America’s diet. Salvage stores are seeing a steady uptake in business from cost conscious consumers.

Full Story: Forbes

A hypothesis about the future of retail

SF Writer Charles Stross makes some acute observations about the current retail business environment and ceteris paribus the future of, perhaps not only retail, but service and manufacturing as well.

Walking around various British cities over the past couple of years I've noticed an increasing number of vacant shop fronts (some in prime retail situations). I've also noticed a disturbing loss of diversity in our high streets, as quirky local shops give way to cookie-cutter national chains. I have, like most people, had the frustrating experience of trying to work out whether my mobile phone contract or the airline flight I'm been booking is actually the cheapest one that meets my needs, or whether I'm being gouged by a computer somewhere. And so I'm trying to put the pieces of the jigsaw together because I'm interested in guessing what our retail experience is going to look like in 10 years' time—the traditional "if this goes on ..." exercise beloved of science fiction writers. Which leads me via the following chain of logic to a hypothesis about the future of retail.

Full Story: Part 1: Charlie's Diary
Part 2: High Street Blues

How to prepare a typical scandinavian christmas supper

Post-apocalyptic Pop Art

Can on display in a former Canadian nuclear bunker.

Combining Andy Warhol and Fallout! Absolutely awesome!

Via Warren Ellis: Exploring A Canadian Nuclear Bunker

Krugman absolutely nails it in 1996. Mind blown.

White Collars Turn Blue By Paul Krugman Published: September 29, 1996 New York Times

Marketing dispute

The Norwegian tourist board is unhappy about an attempt by its counterpart in Finland to market the country using a video of the northern lights. The Norwegians claim the Finns are trying to "steal" the celestial phenomenon from them.

[Spiegel] Aurora Furore: Who Owns the Northern Lights?

Quote of the Day

What we need now is really bold leadership from European politicians and the ECB. Also peace, love, brotherhood, and a pony for everyone, which seem about equally likely.

— Paul Krugman, New York Times, 7 November 2011

Full Story: New York Times
Via: Fabius Maximus

Political Psychology: When the System goes on the couch

Science, being what it is, trades in generalities. Just as there is no science of this recession, there is no science of why I just ate a cookie, or of the workings of John McCain's noble mind. There is, I am sad to say, no Palinology, and thus no general explanation for Sarah Palin, good or bad. However, there exists a well-developed branch of psychology that studies personality, as well as a rich field called industrial and organisational psychology, which I imagine has a good deal to say about personality and management style. If Mr Ambinder so far has not found the science, perhaps he was looking in the wrong place by looking to political science. That said, political psychology is a fascinating and burgeoning area of study within political science. It's even useful. If, for example, you wish to understand what's going on, psychologically speaking, when politicians, bureaucrats, pundits, and your brother-in-law deny that a policy (the stimulus, say) has failed because, really, it almost worked, then you will certainly gain from Philip Tetlock's illuminating work on "Close-Call Counterfactuals and Belief-System Defenses".

Full Story: Journalism and political science

Comments disabled

The amount of Spam hitting CV these days is getting annoying. I am disabling comments for the time being.

An odd, romantic, story

The protest movement that began with Occupy Wall Street is very clear about what it is against - an international capitalism that is cruel, unfair and untenable. But the movement refuses to say what it is for.

Full Story: Dream On - Adam Curtis [BBC]

The Division of Europe

At 7:45 p.m., European Council President Herman Van Rompuy could no longer avoid the embarrassing and unpleasant task of throwing out 10 people. Friendliness was called for, of course, and nice words. But so too was firmness: Their presence was no longer required, and they were asked to leave the assembly hall of the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels.

Full Story: Spiegel International

Hey, at least we got the iPhone!

Approximately how far have humans traveled from the surface of the Earth in your lifetime? [e.g., since 1980 or so]

• a) 600 km (low Earth orbit, 0.1 times the Earth radius)
• b) 6,000 km (about the radius of the Earth)
• c) 36,000 km (geosynchronous orbit; about 6 Earth radii)
• d) 385,000 km (about the distance to the Moon; 60 Earth radii)
• e) beyond the Moon

Answer here: http://physics.ucsd.edu/do-the-math/2011/10/why-not-space/

Leslie Nielsen is the Man

Finns celebrate Fail Day

Seriously.

The national day of failure is celebrated in Finland on Thursday. The day aims to encourage people to start up businesses even if it means taking risks and possibly failing.

Finns embrace failure Thursday: YLE

Sure beats helping young people start up businesses by creating a good business environment...