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THE END OF THE WORLD (AS WE KNOW IT)

Program 07-06-17-B

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It's the liberal's apocalypse. Consider empty big-box stories, deserted highways, worthless pieces of paper we used to call money. The economy collapses. There's widespread violence and social unrest. The only people with a fighting chance ride out the storm in life-boat communities with access to locally- grown food. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the peak oil crisis. Also, doomsday scenarios from Islam to Christianity.

SEGMENT 1:

After a YouTube clip on the subject of Peak Oil, we meet journalist Bryandt Urstadt, author of a Harper's story called "Imagine There's No Oil: Scenes from a liberal apocalypse." Urstadt tells Steve Paulson about the grim future the peak oilers are already getting ready for and thinks we should all buy gold. Also, Ken Eklund is the creator of the alternate reality game "World Without Oil." He describes the game and we hear the comments of several game bloggers.

SEGMENT 2:

Theologian Martin Marty tells Steve Paulson that The Rapture, the vision of the end of the world recently popularized in the "Left Behind" series of Christian books, is a fairly recent concept and can't be found in the Bible. Also, British novelist Jim Crace reads from and talks with Jim Fleming about his novel "The Pesthouse." It takes place in America after an un-named eco-disaster has decimated the population and destroyed much of our hi-tech civilization.

SEGMENT 3:

Astrophysicist Lawrence Krauss talks with Steve Paulson about the cosmology of the end of the universe. The big bang will also have a big finish!

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 07-06-17-B.

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Books:

Jim Crace, The Pesthouse (Doubleday)

Websites:

• worldwithoutoil.org

Music:

• -It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)/ REM/ "Best of REM"/ EMI International
  
• -Big Eater/ The Bad Plus/ These are the Vistas/ Columbia
  
• -Salvation is Created/ Turtle Creek Chorale/ Reference Recordings
  
• -Bachiana Brasileira No. 5 - aria/ Bachiana Brasileiras: Hector Villa-Lobos/ EMI
  

Distribution dates: week of 06/17/2007 - hour 2 click here for timings and cues

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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