(By Michael Klare) Among the big energy stories of 2013, “peak oil” — the once-popular notion that worldwide oil production would soon reach a maximum level and begin an irreversible decline — was thoroughly discredited. The explosive development of shale oil and other unconventional fuels in the United States helped put it in its grave. […]
60 Minutes goes Benghazi on Cleantech & Gets that Wrong Too
(By Joe Romm) 60 Minutes Ignores The Facts In Clean Energy Segment (via Clean Technica) Originally published on ClimateProgressby Joe Romm Clean technology is booming by every key indicator — but you would never know that from Sunday’s absurd 60 Minutes piece touting an imaginary “Cleantech Crash.” As documented in the recent Department… —— […]
Iraq’s Real Problem: A US Occupation legacy of Sectarian Politics
(By Mohammed Alomari) Violence in Iraq is again in the news. The biggest problem we face about what is going on in Iraq is the disinformation campaign to which we have been subjected since the 2003 invasion and occupation. Iraq, which had its infrastructure and institutions demolished in 2003, was rebuilt on political and sectarian […]
How Egypt’s Revolution veered toward Authoritarian Crackdown
(By Mohammed Fadel) In response to a December 24 bombing in the town of Mansoura, the Egyptian government declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization. The decision, which came despite the fact that an al-Qaida affiliated group—Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis—took responsibility for the blast, was a depressing, even inevitable conclusion to the disastrous course of events […]
About that Country you Destroyed: A Letter to George W. Bush
(By Ralph Nader) George W. Bush Presidential Center PO Box 560887 Dallas, Texas, 57356 Dear Mr. Bush: A few days ago I received a personalized letter from your Presidential Center which included a solicitation card for donations that actually provided words for my reply. They included “I’m honored to help tell the story of the […]
Franken-GOP (Cartoon of the Day)
(By Paul Jamiol) Courtesy Paul Jamiol, Jamiol’s World
Note to GOP: Yes, the Polar Vortex Could be Global Warming
(By Peter Spotts) How frigid ‘polar vortex’ could be result of global warming (via The Christian Science Monitor) A bitter Arctic blast spanning the central and eastern US has propelled the phrase “polar vortex” from the pages of dense scientific papers to headline status as frigid temperatures and strong winds close schools and businesses and […]
The Year in Drone Strikes: As Many as 35 Civilians Dead, 5 Children
(By Alice K Ross and Jack Serle) In 2013 the number of drone strikes to hit Pakistan fell to the lowest levels of Obama’s presidency: 27 strikes reportedly hit the country’s tribal areas, down from a peak of 128 in 2010. And for the first time since Pakistan strikes started in 2004, there were no […]
Kurds increase their Autonomy amid chaos in Arab Iraq
(By Globalpost) As Iraq spirals, the Kurds take advantage (via GlobalPost) ERBIL, Iraq — As sectarian violence in Iraq reaches new heights and threatens to return the country to civil war, the semi-autonomous Kurdish north could be set to capitalize on the instability. An estimated 6,818 people were killed in Iraq’s violence… —– Related […]