Just when you think the Los Angeles Times can't stoop any lower…they fire their climate change reporter while she's on a story in the Arctic. Yes, while camping in the snow. Believe it or don't. Here's how Margot Roosevelt relayed the story, from her farewell to her colleagues, via the LA Observer: It was aContinue reading “Los Angeles Times fires climate reporter at work in Arctic”
Category Archives: press issues
Television and the weather: some good news
Television for decades has been considered a vast wasteland, as public television advocate Newton Minnow famous characterized it in the early l960's, but these days television is, well, cliche defying. It's often surprisingly good. This is true both for dramatic mini-series such as the much-lauded Glee and Mad Men (which are far more ambitious andContinue reading “Television and the weather: some good news”
Dawn Upshaw takes a bullet for Ojai Music Fest
That's what it looks like in this picture, from a preview last Friday from NPR: The featured music at the Ojai Music festival this year, Winds of Destiny, came from American composer George Crumb, which NPR helpfully allows us to hear next to the preview. It's stunning — in a festival sort of way. Mark Swed, of theContinue reading “Dawn Upshaw takes a bullet for Ojai Music Fest”
USA Today: Climate change deniers just like birthers
When the New York Times writes an opinion piece on climate change and the challenge it poses our political and economic system, as Andrew Revkin and other thinkers at that paper do on a routine basis, the world yawns. When the editorial board at the Washington Post declares that every candidate for political office shouldContinue reading “USA Today: Climate change deniers just like birthers”
Journalism today: Don’t wait your turn (Robert Krulwich)
In which Robert Krulwich, of the excellent Radiolab, gives a speech to the newly-minted graduates of UC Berkeley's journalism school, and inspires even old guys like me. Here's the conclusion: So for this age, for your time, I want you to just think about this: Think about NOT waiting your turn. Instead, think about gettingContinue reading “Journalism today: Don’t wait your turn (Robert Krulwich)”
A lone sparrow does not make a spring: April’s jobs report
It's my impression that major news reporting has actually done a pretty good job of separating out the good news from last month's job report from the overall picture. For instance, this morning's LA Times story, from Don Lee: The country gained 244,000 net jobs last month but still needs about 7 million additional jobsContinue reading “A lone sparrow does not make a spring: April’s jobs report”
L.A. Times takes home two Pulitzers, much pride
A team of reporters from the Los Angeles Times, reporting on the tiny town of Bell and its corrupt leadership, has taken home virtually every big award given out in journalism, including a Pulitzer. Reporter Jeff Gottlieb, who worked the story with Ruben Vives, recounted the story's genesis: Gottlieb, 57, recounted the moment he andContinue reading “L.A. Times takes home two Pulitzers, much pride”
All Things Considered: Misjudging a catastrophe?
As a fan of National Public Radio, as someone who knows most of the reporters on All Things Considered by the sound of their voice, and as a reporter who knows how difficult it can be to get a fast-moving highly-technical story right, I tend to cut NPR some slack. But I must say, theirContinue reading “All Things Considered: Misjudging a catastrophe?”
Billionaire brothers take control of House committee
Just when a sensible person is ready to throw in the towel on The Los Angeles Times, figuring it no longer has the will or the resources to cover national news, on Sunday they put on the front page a first-rate story that reveals how the multi-billionaire Koch brothers, aka The Kochtopus, have come toContinue reading “Billionaire brothers take control of House committee”
Severe weather in 2010: food price inflation in 2011
As I've said before, it's just not fair that Paul Krugman is not only the best lefty writing about the economy, he's also the lefty best able to write about the consequences of global warming.
From today's column, a taste…more below the virtual fold.
While several factors have contributed to soaring food prices, what really stands out is the extent to which severe weather events have disrupted agricultural production. And these severe weather events are exactly the kind of thing we’d expect to see as rising concentrations of greenhouse gases change our climate — which means that the current food price surge may be just the beginning.
Kit Stolz 