From Corporate Oil to Climate Quarrel
The wake of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 left crude oil leaking from drilling rigs, tanks, and pipelines in Louisiana. Three weeks later, Hurricane Rita exacerbated oil damages. The U.S. Coast Guard received reports of 540 separate oil spills totaling an estimated 10.8 million gallons. Now, ProPublica reports, government damage assessments that would hold responsible up to […]
Climate Science Discoveries of the Decade: New Risks Scientists Warned About in the 2010s
The 2010s may go down in environmental history as the decade when the fingerprints of climate change became evident in extreme weather events, from heat waves to destructive storms, and climate tipping points once thought to be far off were found to be much closer. It was the decade when governments worldwide woke up to the […]
Climate Change: One Step Forward, While Standing Still
Have you ever tried walking on a travellator? You know, those moving platforms at airports that help you get to your destination when you are in a hurry or tired, or have a lot of baggage to carry. Have you also tried to walk in the wrong direction on it? Depending on your own pace […]
There’s No Place Like the ‘Center’ for the Holidays
As the holidays approach, corporate media issue a spirited message to readers: Pipe down about politics. Major outlets repeatedly warn that family gatherings are potential hotbeds of political contention, and readers must be strategic with discordant relatives in order to prevent heated debate. In November, the Washington Post’s “Have Different Politics From Your Family? Here’s How […]
Five Charts Show How Dramatically the Border Changed in 2019
At the border, 2019 felt like two separate years. The first ran from January through May, as the number of families crossing the border climbed to previously unimaginable highs. The second began in June, when the Trump administration began to succeed in its effort to effectively end asylum at the southern border. In the first […]
‘People Should Take Him Very Seriously’: Sanders Polling Surge Reportedly Forcing Democratic Establishment to Admit He Can Win
Sen. Bernie Sanders’ recent surge in national and early-state polls, enthusiastic progressive base, and resilience in the aftermath of his heart attack have reportedly forced some within the Democratic establishment who were previously dismissive of the Vermont senator to concede—both in private and in public—that he could ultimately run away with the party’s presidential nomination. “For months […]
‘Clear Example of Terrorism’: Iran Denounces Deadly US Bombings in Iraq and Syria
Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday condemned the Trump administration’s deadly airstrikes in Iraq and Syria over the weekend as a “clear example of terrorism” and demanded that the U.S. end its occupation of the region. “We strongly condemn this aggression on Iraqi soil,” Abbas Mousavi, a spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry, said in a statement. “The U.S. […]
They promise to help families of fallen officers. But they’re mostly paying telemarketers.
SARASOTA, Florida — A uniformed police officer rests his hand on a casket and bows his head in an image on the homepage of the Law Enforcement Officers Relief Fund. Next to the picture there’s a button that invites you to “Donate Today” and help families of fallen or injured officers. The website asks the visitor […]
Faulty Equipment, Lapsed Training, Repeated Warnings: How a Preventable Disaster Killed Six Marines
Capt. Jahmar Resilard and Capt. Austin Smith were hurtling over the Pacific Ocean at 280 miles per hour. From inside the cockpit of their U.S. Marine Corps fighter jet, they kept their eyes on the hulking fuel tanker flying ahead. Off to their right, two Marines in a second jet assigned to Fighter Attack Squadron […]
What’s Behind Big Oil’s Promises of Emissions Cuts? Lots of Wiggle Room.
The oil and gas industry seems to have entered a state of cognitive dissonance. Like never before, energy companies are publicly acknowledging the threat posed by climate change and the need for society to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, oil and gas production in the U.S. and globally continues to soar. Major […]