By Anthony Richardson | – This summer’s bushfires were not just devastating events in themselves. More broadly, they highlighted the immense vulnerability of the systems which make our contemporary lives possible. The fires cut road access, which meant towns ran out of fuel and fell low on food. Power to towns was cut and mobile […]
Archives for February 2020
It is 65° F. in Antarctica and if the Thwaites Glacier Plops in, Expect 4 ft. of Sea Level Rise
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Argentinean Esperanza research station in Antarctica — the South Pole — recorded a temperature of nearly 65° F. (18° C.) this week, a historic record. A single temperature record like this one is weather, and by itself would not prove much. Unfortunately, it was not a fluke. It is […]
The Senate Refused to do its Duty in Impeachment, but the American People Can Still do Theirs
By Diallo Brooks | – (Otherwords.org) – Hours before the House of Representatives impeached Donald Trump for using the power of his office to sabotage our elections, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) gave a passionate speech on the House floor emphasizing that his colleagues’ duty with their pending votes was far more than political — it […]
Social Democracy has made Nordic Countries Happy and Prosperous: Americans should Learn from Them
( Yes! Magazine ) – The U.S. opioid crisis has been unfolding for years and shows no signs of stopping. As we reach for solutions, we can do more than regulate the pharmaceutical companies. Fresh research provides the clue: we can tackle a root cause of opioid deaths while creating a greener and more just […]
Climate Emergency: Nature Based Solutions Can reduce CO2 by 1/3, but We Need to Hurry
By Fabíola Ortiz | – ( China Dialogue) – Global biodiversity talks in China this year will highlight nature-based solutions that could meet one-third of Paris Agreement climate goal by 2030. NBS can mitigate some 12 gigatonnes of CO2 per year, contributing a third of what is needed by 2030 to keep global average temperature […]
Top 3 Myths about Bernie Sanders and Electability
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – 1. There is a persistent meme that Sanders doesn’t do well with persons of color, which seems left over from 2016 when he was less well known. On the whole, persons of color in the United States are more likely to be part of the working class and to favor […]
Humanitarian Catastrophe as Syrian Army Advances on Idlib, 750K Displaced since Fall
By Elif Selin Calik | @CalikSelin | – ( Middle East Monitor ) – Last December, Robert Malley, president and CEO of the International Crisis Group, penned an article for the Foreign Affairs magazine, addressing the topic: “The Unwanted Wars: Why the Middle East Is More Combustible Than Ever.” Today, at the peak of the […]
Yemen: the nightmare continues, with no end in sight
(Al-Bab.com) – The war in Yemen is complicated and it can be difficult to keep track of what’s happening on the ground, not to mention the related peace efforts. A new report from the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies is a useful starting point for anyone wanting a quick catch-up – well, relatively quick, since […]
Top Four Ways to abolish the Gasoline Car and Go Electric in 15 Years
By Ashley Fly | – The UK government recently pledged to bring forward a ban on new diesel and petrol car sales from 2040, to 2035. The move surprised some, but perhaps most surprising was the confirmation that the ban will also include hybrid vehicles, which use a combustion engine running on fossil fuel and […]