Even as oil gushes into the Gulf of Mexico from a  deep water drilling accident, new drilling is being planned off Alaska's arctic coast this July. But neither ecological disasters, oil wars, nor tens of thousands of annual auto fatalities  have so far dampened our enthusiasm for the car.   Sociologist and author Michael Dawson explores the how this enthusiasm is rooted in a capitalist business model that's "intractably addicted to selling us cars in crazy-huge numbers, forever, no matter the ecological and social consequences," thus "the homicidal perpetuation of cars-first transportation." Speaking with host Stephanie Potter, Dawson discusses the need to take a clear-eyed look at the addiction to the U.S. car's-first transportation policy. Michael Dawson is author of The Consumer Trap, Big Business Marketing in American Life (2004) and publishes the blog: The Consumer Trap, which aims to expose capitalism, marketing and market totalitarianism.  His forthcoming book is called Courting Carmageddon: Capitalism, Transportation, and the Approaching Collapse of the United States, and his blog on this topic is  Death by Car.  (music by Kevin MacLeod)

Of note:  two events with activist Paul Cienfuegos at this year's Village Building Convergence in Portland focussed on taking action to develop alternatives, (archived at http://kboo.fm/node/21921.) Cienfuegos' workshop at VBC was focussed on how we the people could design and implement a plan to cut Portland's car use by 80% within 20 years.  (more info at: vbc.cityrepair.org  and more with Cienfuegos is archived on KBOO at  http://kboo.fm/node/14909 and http://kboo.fm/node/20386 .) 

Host Stephanie Potter talks with Portland resident Elizabeth Stinson about her work as a military trauma therapist. Stinson uses her expertise with military regulations and her counseling and diplomacy skills to advise soldiers and their families on their options for obtaining administrative discharges from the military. So far Elizabeth has succeeded in helping some 1700 soldiers to leave the military.  She served in California as the director of the Peace and Justice Center of Sonoma County, and was recipient of the 2006 Visionary Peacemaker Award from the Agape Foundation and the honoree  of the 2008 Jack Green Civil Liberties Award with the American Civil Liberties Union.  

 Host Stephanie Potter speaks with Christopher Messer who built his first flotation tank over 30 years ago and now operates the Deep Haven in Southeast Portland.  Flotation tanks were developed by John Lily in the 1950's to study the effects of sensory deprivation, and they have been shown to facilitate healing and profound relaxation. Chris is convinced that they can help us to re-balance our connection with our right brain and put us in touch with a more expansive consciousness.  He has also made an 8-part video on youtube with more info:  FlotationTankPDX.