The Obama administration takes a stand on carbon pollution, and calls for a 30% cut in power plant emissions by 2030. For environmentalists, this is heartening news, but what does it mean politically? To Science, the "give states choices" method sounds a lot like Obamacare: That more complex approach makes the new rules somewhat similarContinue reading “New climate regs just like Obamacare (or not)”
Category Archives: politics
What moved Obama to act on climate change: the disappearance of the CA snowpack
According to a great story in the Washington Post by veteran environmental reporter Juliet Eilperin, this is the image that shocked Obama in February, and moved him to act to slow climate change, in spite of opposition in Congress. Missing in action: the California snowpack, on which tens of millions of us depend. Eilperin writes:Continue reading “What moved Obama to act on climate change: the disappearance of the CA snowpack”
Montecito rich ignore drought, guzzle millions of gallons
A great story on the drought in Santa Barbara from the innovative Mission and State publication includes this jaw-dropper on the rich in Montecito from Alex Kacik: Despite a combined population of about 10,400 people, Montecito and Summerland residents use much more water—particularly when it comes to maintaining their lush landscapes—than most cities in the county.Continue reading “Montecito rich ignore drought, guzzle millions of gallons”
American public exceptionally dumb: Ted Rall
The 'toon below from Ted Rall is factually accurate. It's a fact that the much-reviled mainstream media reported on the NSA spying on Americans long before Edward Snowden spoke up. (To give an example, back in 2012 James Bamford in Wired reported that "The NSA…has the ability to eavesdrop on phone calls directly and in realContinue reading “American public exceptionally dumb: Ted Rall”
Facing Drought Together: The Ojai Retreat 3/9/2014
Bill O'Brien, a civil engineer, Victoria Loorz, a pastor, myself, and Ulrich Brugger, who directs The Ojai Retreat, are putting together a public conversation which we hope will help motivate people of the Ojai Valley to take a serious look at our drought and what we can do about it. We also intend toContinue reading “Facing Drought Together: The Ojai Retreat 3/9/2014”
Polar Vortex images (from first week of 2013)
A number of publications last week published compendiums of amazing images from the polar vortex's drunken stagger, in Chris Mooney's wonderful story, across nearly all the nation save drought-stricken CA. Frozen lakes, waterfalls, etc. Here's NASA's GOES satellite picture: Fine. But what about the vortex of public reaction? Tom Toles sketches that one:
Does fear of earthquake in Delta justify $25 billion project?
Last week California water agencies dumped a 34,000 page project report — on Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the need for twin tunnel project — on an oblivious public. The LA Times editorialized on the project without stating a clear opinion, but did mention that the city has become much much better at water conservation: ThereContinue reading “Does fear of earthquake in Delta justify $25 billion project?”
Justice for teen killers in the U.S…and Mexico
In Ventura County in Southern California, Alex Medina, found guilty by a jury of killing another Ojai teenager, Seth Scarminach,for the benefit of a street gang, was sentenced to twenty-six years to life this week. Eighteen-year-old Alex Medina received the maximum sentence today for the murder of an Ojai teen in 2009. Medina wasContinue reading “Justice for teen killers in the U.S…and Mexico”
Global warming conference in Geneva “fizzles”: LA Times
Sometimes a picture is enough: The AP photo depicts the French president, the Japanese Prime Minister, the American President, and the German Chancellor unable to agree. An LA Times story tells of how the conference "fizzled to an inconclusive end," but allowed the conferees to avoid the embarrassment of total failure. Nice puppets, tho.
Could this climate ad have tipped the VA Gov race?
Tea Party/GOP candidate Ken Cuccinelli, as Attorney General, spent over $600k of state of Virginia funds on what the Washington Post called a "witch hunt" directed against Michael Mann, a highly reputable scientist. Mann's crime? He crunched global temperature numbers into a graph that shows soaring temperatures over the last hundred years that made clearContinue reading “Could this climate ad have tipped the VA Gov race?”
Kit Stolz 