Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Donald John Trump (the newspapers always give all three names of criminals) has been indicted on 7 counts having to do with espionage and obstruction of justice arising from his removal of classified documents from the White House and his refusal to turn some of them over when the government […]
Climate Crisis: North America gets its own Mideast-Style Khamsin, courtesy Freak Canadian Smokestorm
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Not only Toronto in Canada but New York, Washington, D.C. and other cities of the US northeast got a taste of the Middle Eastern Khamsin on Wednesday. Of course, we had our own, North American twist on it, since ours was not a sandstorm but a “smokestorm.” Some 400 wildfires […]
Carbon Dioxide in our Atmosphere hits High not seen for Millions of Years, threatening Accelerated Global Heating
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced Monday that parts per million of carbon dioxide in our planet’s atmosphere averaged 424 ppm in the month of May, reaching a level not seen for millions of years. In May 2022 it was only 421 ppm so this is a tremendous […]
Thumbing Nose at US, Saudi Cuts Oil production, Helping Russian War Effort, as Maduro Visits Riyadh
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) of Saudi Arabia has taken several steps sure to annoy Washington in just the past week. Iran has reopened its embassy in Riyadh. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros has come for a visit to the kingdom just before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s […]
In wake of Mexican Senate Vote to Recognize Palestine, Palestinians seek to upgrade to Full Embassy in Mexico City
Revised. Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Spanish-language Twitter account for Palestine, “Palestino Hoy,” announced on Thursday that the Palestinian delegation in Mexico City will now be upgraded from a “Special Delegation” to a full embassy, after Mexico fully recognized the state of Palestine. N.B. Some commentators allege that this announcement is solely from the […]
Climate Crisis: Severe Heat Wave in Israel Leads to 220 Wildfires on Friday, in Omen of Torrid Future
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The land over which Israelis and Palestinians are locked in conflict is itself unstable, subject to the vagaries of human-caused climate change. On Friday, Abdel Rahman Salah at Egypt’s Veto newspaper reports, sweltering temperatures and high winds lashed the land, causing wildfires to burst out throughout the country. Climate change, […]
India, 3rd biggest CO2 Emitter, will Pause new Coal Plants for 5 Years in favor of Batteries, New Solar
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Sibi Arasu at the Associated Press reports that the Indian government is going to pause new coal plants for 5 years in favor of concentrating on new battery power. This step is a huge about-face for India, and it matters. Some 73% of Indian energy still comes from coal, and […]
Smoking Gun: Trump’s Theft of Classified Iran Materials Caught on Tape, May bring him down
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – When Trump murdered several people by drone at Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020, including Iran’s General Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian government vowed that it would get revenge on him someday. It was a hollow threat. Iran’s rulers know better than to provoke the U.S. at that level. Ironically […]
Tipping Point? Global Investments in Low-Carbon Energy Outstrip Fossil Fuel Commitments by 1.7 to 1 for First Time in World History
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Globally, investors will sink $1.7 trillion into low-carbon energy this year — for the first time more than will be invested in fossil fuels, according to the International Energy Agency. Fatih Birol, the Executive Director of the IEA, said, “For every dollar invested in fossil fuels, about 1.7 dollars are […]