With the emergence of the issue of peak oil, there is a renewed interest in the possibility of societal collapse. Here is a review of two new books that studies the fall of civilizations. They look at the patterns that have occurred in the past in order to plan for the future.

 
Here is a collection of essays that deal with the idea of the nomad. They are each unique and some make reference to the work on this subject made by the philosopher Gilles Deleuze. In other words, they are all variations on the theme of nomadic existence.

 
There is an increased need for supporting local businesses and contributing to the empowerment of communities in this age of multinational corporations. The Interra Project is the creation of a new credit and savings card that rewards use of community economies and contributes to activist causes. It is organized by a decentralized system and formed by the founder of VISA.

 
Bruce Sterling is a science fiction author who has written extensivley on emerging technology and the way it affects society. Here is an article that discusses the way consumer products are conceptualized when their production, circulation, and consumption are aided by computers and communication technology. It creates a new identity of objects and new relationships of production. Design becomes an intrinsic part of the work of science fiction.

 
Here is a list of science fiction works that can appeal to those who consider themselves socialists. This makes sense since there has always been a utopian aspect to science fiction. Overall, science fiction must be about ideas and their playing out in fantastic situations.

 
Direct action is a vital aspect of the protest movement. It is also a supplement to election work. However, there are many misconceptions about direct action. Once these are revealed, and corrected, then one can have a better idea of what to do in terms of direct action and progressive political work.

 
The phenomenon of emergence has resulted in various studies and examinations of cooperation. Here is a map of the areas of emergence with the names of experts in these fields. It is overall a multidisciplinary approach that looks at how parts interact to form a whole.

 
The personality of Abraham Lincoln has fascinated historians and biographers for many years. There has even been continuing rumours of his latent homosexuality. Here is an article by Gore Vidal that examines these rumours to see if they are valid.

 
With an integrated global economy, one can see the emergence of a new sense of physical space. There is the rise of the Space of Flows where businesses are more decentralized and connected, moving beyond the limits of nations. This means the importance of global cities and the telecommunication infrastructure are vital for the increasing power of global economics.

 
The Oscar ceremony last week resulted in a fairly wide distribution of wins for a variety of movies despite the restricted nominations. Out of the 24 categories I predicted 9 correctly, including Morgan Freeman for Best Supporting Actor and Jamie Foxx for Best Actor. Movies which should have been nominated for higher categories like The Motorcylce Diaries and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind won Oscars for lower categories. Overall it was an interesting night.

 
The prevention of teenage pregnancy and transmitted diseases requires extensive study of the sexual behavior and connections of high schoolers. Here is a chart of the sexual connections in a high school that occurred six months before the study. It shows one great cluster of interconnected activity but various monogamous relationships as well.