Author Archives: energyskeptic

Cyber Attacks an unprecedented threat to U.S. National Security

Preface. This post contains extracts from 3 congressional hearings in the House of representatives session on cyber attacks. Alice Friedemann  www.energyskeptic.com  Author of Life After Fossil Fuels: A Reality Check on Alternative Energy; When Trucks Stop Running: Energy and the … Continue reading

Posted in China and War, Cyber, CyberAttacks, U.S. Congress Infrastructure | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Cyber Attacks an unprecedented threat to U.S. National Security

Book Review of Englund’s “The Beauty and the Sorrow”

Confusion, chaos, rumor, fear, hope, terror, perhaps that’s exactly what you’d expect of war, but far more real when you’re reading ordinary people’s diaries, not accounts of generals or dry facts of history. Even though I’m old enough not to … Continue reading

Posted in War Books | Comments Off on Book Review of Englund’s “The Beauty and the Sorrow”

Book Review of Paleofantasy: What Evolution really tells us about sex, diet, and how we live

Alice Friedemann’s review of: Marlene Zuk. 2013. Paleofantasy: What Evolution really tells us about sex, diet, and how we live. My first introduction to Evolutionary Psychology was “The Adapted Mind” which posited we’re unhappy because of the tremendous difference between … Continue reading

Posted in Agriculture, Evolution, Health | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Book Review of Paleofantasy: What Evolution really tells us about sex, diet, and how we live

Stephen Leeb & Charles Hall on EROI & Investing

Stephen Leeb. 5 Jun 2013. Dangerous Times As Energy Sources Get Costlier To Extract. Forbes. The optimists believe that our energy problems have been largely solved. I wouldn’t bet on that. The real issue with oil isn’t how much we … Continue reading

Posted in EROEI Energy Returned on Energy Invested | Comments Off on Stephen Leeb & Charles Hall on EROI & Investing

Over 10 million people evicted from 4.4 million homes since 2007

The statistics on this vary. Given that the “fix” to the September 2008 crisis was merely kicking the can down the road, with no meaningful reform having taken place, and banks in even worse shape than before by “recovering” by … Continue reading

Posted in Foreclosures & Evictions | Comments Off on Over 10 million people evicted from 4.4 million homes since 2007

Lloyd’s of London EMP solar storm risk to North America

2013. Lloyd’s Solar Storm Risk to the North American Electric Grid. Atmospheric and Environmental Research. Society depends on electricity for everything from communication, banking and business transactions to basic necessities like food and water. Executive Summary A Carrington-level, extreme geomagnetic … Continue reading

Posted in Electric Grid & EMP Electromagnetic Pulse | Comments Off on Lloyd’s of London EMP solar storm risk to North America

Global Warming increases violence and wars

2 Aug 2013. Seth Borenstein. Global warming may fuel wars. A massive new study finds that aggressive acts like committing violent crimes and waging war become more likely with each added degree of temperature. The study was published online yesterday … Continue reading

Posted in War & Violence | Comments Off on Global Warming increases violence and wars

Northern California marijuana harms ecosystem, has huge carbon footprint. Legalize ASAP!

A book review by Alice Friedemann of Emily Brady’s 2013 book: “Humboldt. Life on America’s marijuana frontier.” The tales I hear from my friends in Mendocino and Humboldt counties fascinate me.  There are stories of mayors and sheriffs on opposite … Continue reading

Posted in Agriculture | Comments Off on Northern California marijuana harms ecosystem, has huge carbon footprint. Legalize ASAP!

Eric Sibul on the history of replacing railroads with roads: a disaster

A review of: Sibul, Eric. 26 Apr 2013. Transportation Readings for American Conservatives – How did we get in such a Mess? The American Conservative. My main problem with this article is that it heaps all the blame on liberals, … Continue reading

Posted in Railroads | Comments Off on Eric Sibul on the history of replacing railroads with roads: a disaster

Exponential growth and carrying capacity

Watch it happen — see the populations of major cities grow in these animated maps that reveal in 60 seconds how cities have exploded in size over the last 130 years Al Bartlett, Professor Emeritus of Physics, University of Colorado, … Continue reading

Posted in Exponential Growth, Limits To Growth | Tagged , | 1 Comment