Category Archives: press issues

“A Friend Acting Strangely” — Smithsonian Exhibit on Arctic Changes Avoids Global Warming

Someday we will look back on this Bush administration era of global warming denialism in Washington and shake our heads and ask: What were we thinking? How could we let that happen? Except that some writers don’t have to look back. Some noticed when it was happening. This week a former Smithsonian museum offical, RobertContinue reading ““A Friend Acting Strangely” — Smithsonian Exhibit on Arctic Changes Avoids Global Warming”

Sea Monsters and Scientists

For the first time in at least a month, I just came across an environmental and scientific news story that includes not just the data gathered, but how the scientists gathered it, more or less, and a little bit on who they are and how they feel about it. So refreshing. I’m grateful to D.K.Continue reading “Sea Monsters and Scientists”

Prediction Fulfilled: Murdoch, Fox Change Stance on Global Warming

As I predicted last December, FOX News, following its chairman Rupert Murdoch, has changed its stance on global warming. I expected that FOX would begin running disaster scenarios. That hasn’t happened–yet– but News Corporation has announced a plan to reduce emissions, and Murdoch all but promised disaster scenarios to come. In a speech to hisContinue reading “Prediction Fulfilled: Murdoch, Fox Change Stance on Global Warming”

Global Warming: NYTimes Editorial and LATimes News Disagree

The New York Times editorial board: the world’s most authoritative voice on climate change asserts that significant progress toward stabilizing and reducing global warming emissions can be achieved at a relatively low cost using known technologies. The Los Angeles Times front-page story: A United Nations panel on Friday released its most comprehensive strategy to avoidContinue reading “Global Warming: NYTimes Editorial and LATimes News Disagree”

Alexander Cockburn: Leftist Writer…and Denier

Alexander Cockburn, whom I grew up reading in the Village Voice decades ago, is a leftist, a Nader supporter, and a clever rhetorician, but–judging by this slab of denialism–a poor reporter. He takes one metaphor, which is the idea of carbon trading as a practice comparable to the Papal indulgences of sin, and one source–anContinue reading “Alexander Cockburn: Leftist Writer…and Denier”

Why Can’t American Forecasters Be This Frank?

The New York Times reports record high temperatures in Europe: PARIS, April 30 — The month of April was so warm and so dry across Western Europe that it rewrote the weather record books in country after country, national weather services said today, as hot air masses from Africa and the effects of a changingContinue reading “Why Can’t American Forecasters Be This Frank?”

Newsweek Blesses Richard Lindzen, Ignores Pay-Offs from Western Fuels

Tomorrow Newsweek will publish an op-ed by well-known climate-change contrarian Richard Lindzen, in which he argues that global warming is nothing to worry about and may even be a good thing. "Why So Gloomy?" he wonders, adding "a warmer climate could be more beneficial than the one we have now." Reminds me of Voltaire’s famousContinue reading “Newsweek Blesses Richard Lindzen, Ignores Pay-Offs from Western Fuels”

Dueling Drought Stories

The "new normal" in the Southwest is drought, about which we’ll be hearing plenty in the years and decades to come. Even some conservatives, such as the illuminating Rod Dreher, are writing about the fact that Dallas is expected soon to be a Dust Bowl, to the apparent anger and incredulity of most of hisContinue reading “Dueling Drought Stories”

The Jester Asks the Tough Questions

In the 21st century, some of the sharpest questions to politicians and other powerbrokers are coming not from serious-minded reporters, but from edgy comedians, such as Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Bill Maher. I don’t know exactly why this is, but I kind of like it. Last week Maher put Bernie Sanders on the spotContinue reading “The Jester Asks the Tough Questions”