Will Hinton's blog

Will Hinton interviews U.S. Congressman Hank Johnson in a broad ranging conversation covering the current energy crisis, real estate foreclosures, the War on Terror, and Barack Obama. Part 1 covers the current energy crisis and peak oil. Read more »

So this morning I am reading Wired.com and come across an article "What Is the Ultimate Apocalypsemobile". I am assuming that there are going to be references to Mad Max and descriptions of how to modify cars for what the author and many others fear is a coming world struggling with a lack of oil.

And as far-fetched as this scenario is to some, the author Joe Brown just couldn't resist seeing the Devil at work:

Through both his environmental and foreign policy, George W. Bush has set in motion events that will likely destroy the world as we know it. Our land will cease to support life, our cities will become havens for gangs of the violent undead and we will all be forced out into the scorched wasteland to fend for ourselves, looting gas stations for canned goods, stockpiling water and food.

Don't forget Joe, that when children cry anywhere in the world, it is because of Bush. Read more »

Interesting story here about a zoning change that will allow for the first new oil refinery in the United States in 30 years.

By a solid 58 percent to 42 percent margin, county voters approved Hyperion's request to rezone 3,292 acres of farm land for a new classification, Energy Center Planned Development.

"What happened tonight, we were not supposed to be able to do," Phillips told a cheering audience. "Development projects like this are supposed to be outright rejected by residents and neighbors. But this project is a testament to our balancing the needs for growth and for protecting the environment."

Hyperion touted the so-called "green" technology in its proposed energy center, which it claims would be the world's cleanest. The refinery would process 400,000 barrels of tar sands crude a day from Alberta into low-sulfur gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

Supporters argued that tapping into reserves from our neighbor to the north would reduce the nation's dependence on Mideast oil and add badly needed refining capacity in the U.S., where the last all-new refinery was built in 1976. Read more »

I read today about a proposed plan in the UK that would require all adults to carry a carbon ration card.

"Under the scheme, everyone would be given an annual carbon allowance to use when buying oil, gas, electricity and flights. Anyone who exceeds their entitlement would have to buy top-up credits from individuals who haven't used up their allowance. The amount paid would be driven by market forces and the deal done through a specialist company."

I absolutely agree that strong measures are going to have to be taken regarding energy consumption and stewardship of the Earth. But if there was ever a plan tailor-made for graft, corruption, and influence-peddling, this is it. I'm not sure how this plan uses "market forces" particularly since market forces will not determine what the initial carbon "entitlement" will be.

If you are like me, you are probably starting to feel some angst over the continuing rise is gas prices. My wife and I are discussing the idea of selling our cars to get more fuel efficient ones. I may even get a Vespa.

A large factor that is driving my concern is the growing realization that our government doesn't have a clue about what a real energy policy should look like. Unfortunately it appears that both parties simply want to demogogue and attempt to buy votes. Read more »

Earlier this week, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke gave his first speech since August. On Monday in a speech at the Economic Club of New York, Bernanke said: "The Federal Reserve will continue to watch the situation closely and will act as needed to support efficient market functioning and to foster sustainable economic growth and price stability."

I know that it is his job to act. But when are these guys going to see that they shouldn't act and that they should let the market correct itself.

I am just waiting to hear about the real estate version of Sarbox that will kill the industry.