Biography:

I am a Registered Nurse. I am currently working as an adjunct nursing instructor at Central Georgia Technical College. This is an LPN training program with some smart students. I am greatly enjoying this experience.

I completed my Bachelors degree in Liberal Studies at Mercer University. My areas of concentration were: Sociology, Political Science, Communications, Technology.

My studies of Sociology at Mercer fit well with my personal interest in alternative energy, self sufficiency and alternative building and housing strategies. I am especially interested in the social impact that declining energy supplies will have on the human prospect. I think we are on the cusp of a new revolution in social structure.

Cheap energy, especially in the form of oil, has driven the incredible advances in society over the last one hundred odd years. How will society change when oil is no longer viable as an energy source?

I think William Fielding Ogburn's theory of Cultural Lag does a good job of explaining the "why" of the current energy situation. However, I think the potential future problems that are likely to arise are better explained by Jurgan Habermas's concept of Legitimation Crisis.

Update: Following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita I think we are beginning to see some of the issues emerge that I have long anticipated. Gas prices are spiralling upward. There is a strong undercurrent in the media that this can be blamed on the current administration. Unfortunately, we as Americans do not have access to good unbiased analysis of the current and past decision processes of our government. Our media is in such sad shape that the thinking Citizen can no longer rely it for any semblance of truth; This is not a new state of affairs, to quote Jefferson in a reference he made to newspapers: "Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle." There is more discussion of this on my Angry Citizen Blog.

A few simple questions can illustrate the problem.

  • How many refineries have been built in the last 30 years?
  • Why is this true?
  • What should the standard be for fuel economy?
  • Why aren't more economical and efficient vehicles sold in the U.S.?
  • How can a single president change these things on their own?