Articles by David Roberts

Backing into the future

In New Statesman, John Gray discusses the recent British election in light of climate change and peak oil, concluding:

Whatever happens in the coming years, we can be sure Britain will be gloriously unprepared. It is fashionable to bemoan public estrangement from politics, but the election campaign showed that in one respect at least, the people and the political class are at one. Neither is ready to question the status quo and think how to face the future. As a result, crucial issues about Britain's future are likely to be determined by events that voters and politicians prefer not to think about.

James Wolcott thinks "everything he says about the mass sleepwalk to the lemming cliffs applies doubly, triply, to our own hollow elections and cooked-up distractions."

Wolcott also has this to say:

Speculating on what the election might portend for "the special relationship" between the U.S. and Britain that we're all sick of hearing about, Watson noted that Blair did not distance himself from Bush and the Iraq war despite the unpopularity of both with the British public. Blair remained loyal and steadfast, and took his lumps (a loss of Labour seats).

To reward Blair and express his gratitude, [CNN's Carlos] Watson said, don't be surprised if Bush bends a little on issues significant to Blair, such as global warming and international aid.

Allow me to hazard a counter-prediction.

George Bush will do fuck-all nothing about global warming.

GM and Ford see their credit rating reduced to junk status.

As Praktike mentioned, GM and Ford both had their corporate credit rating cut to junk status yesterday.

Mike Millikin (who is, as I may have mentioned, this week's InterActivist) has some thoughts -- and hopes -- on the matter.

Also, be sure to read this Carl Pope post, which offers some great historical perspective:

This sad saga stretches back more than a quarter of a century, since the industry failed to respond nimbly to the combination of Arab oil that was more expensive and Japanese sedans that were better made. Detroit had two choices -- one was to reach out to the nation and ask for public support in dealing with its underlying challenges. The other was to try sustaining itself by putting ever larger shells of sheet metal on old truck technology, and marketing the results as a passport to freedom and safety high above the road.

The industry took the second path.

I suspect history will view this as a real landmark in the troubled life and times of the U.S. auto industry.

Live chat on habitat conservation plans

If you've been following the great Seattle P-I series on habitat conservation plans, you should tune in for a live online chat with one of the authors, Robert McClure. It happens at 12:30 (PST) today. You can submit a question now.

UCS on hybrids

Check two new projects on hybrid cars from the Union of Concerned Scientists: Hybridcenter.org, a source for consumer and technical information, and Hybridblog.org, which is, you guess it, a blog.

They also offer this HybridAction widget, where you can express your support for the CLEAR Act, recently offered up by Orrin Hatch.

(Via Mike Millikin, who is -- have I mentioned? -- this week's InterActivist.)