Again, thank you, Heather. You write what every newspaper, tv news channel, and pundits should be reporting. Instead, they continue to harp on such things as Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s age and poll numbers, and the useless rants of Congressional Republicans. They don’t speak of how well our economy is doing under Joe, or his efforts to help all Americans, or to address climate change, gun control, and oh so much more. Joe is doing a miraculous job given the severe headwinds of MAGA politicians and the incompetent media.
Thank you for always reminding us of the important things happening in our country and world.
I so agree, Ginni! That last paragraph was such a bolt of energy and optimism. Whenever I feel like giving up on it all, Biden/Harris do something that restores my faith in humanity.
"Making the country’s real history easily available" - is a mission statement if ever there was one.
When I open a window on microsoft edge it fills the screen with news links and they are predominantly right wing with most being fox. It's hard to solve problems when the information people are getting is a bunch of lies and misinformation. You'd think there is no more important issue than Hunter Biden's taxes.
Or his laptop…. I think about all this brouhaha surrounding him and wonder does everybody who doesn’t pay their taxes for two years go to jail—oh, they will certainly get dinged a hefty financial penalty, but jail? I think not. Now add to that the issue of him lying when buying a gun—mind you, he admitted being addicted at the time—and, what, bought the gun under false pretenses. [I have never purchased a gun so have no idea what you have to “sign/agree to”.I wonder if everyone who purchased a gun is absolutely not addicted to something (drugs, alcohol, etc.)—somehow I doubt it. Did he commit any crimes with said gun? No. I’m all for him taking responsibility and being held accountable for his actions, but IMHO he should not be held to a standard others are not. And somehow this is his dad’s doing/fault…um, no.
I so agree with you ..they have put him through the ringer..only because he is the son of the President ..how many people have done far more and were done with restitution in a couple of years
Did they do this to trump's kids? I don't remember. I know Ivanka was running around scoffing up with privilege all of those trademarks. Wasn't trump suppose to be curtailing business with China?
I agree. I was an auditor for 26 1/2 years. You would be surprised at the people that didn't pay their taxes. It was amazing. Most didn't even get their hands slapped let alone have their face on prime time news. What about tfg and his family? The Democrats need to start investigation them. They say anything to bash, Joe! There are few taxpayers with businesses that are honest. I say if everyone paid their fair share we would have much lower taxes!
Maybe this is why the republicans don't want the extra money spent on investigating the large tax returns. I am a small fish and have gotten audited 2x.
Learn how to open a different browser than Microsoft edge, which pushes corporate news and hype unnecessarily. Microsoft may have the monopoly on operating systems, but as consumers we can control how we get information.
I may be looking at something different, but my screen is about Ukraine, positive Biden things, and all of the terrible things about trump ( which is in the majority) trump articles are like dead animals in the road. You don't want to look, but you are curious as to which animal it was.
Ginni Simpson said it well. But beyond that, Professor, you really should take a few days off now and then to support your other important work and, god forbid, recharge your batteries....I can't imagine anyone here would walk away. It's safe to say none of want to see you burn yourself out. Please, take care of yourself.
Yes Lemoine, I passionately agree. HCR may indeed be due for a long vacation. It’s NOT my business, but I’ve learned that in our society ‘being busy’ is deeply admired and can become a reflex particularly for someone who’s very talented as well as inspired.
As a young ambitious dancer I was told ‘to take the summer off’ so my body could absorb what my brain had supposedly learned that year. I didn’t, and I eventually burned out.
Now I still ‘freak out’ somewhat if I’m not actively writing poetry.
People who mean well reflexively ask not only ‘how are you’ but just as often ‘What’s new?’ or ‘What are you doing?
People like Professor Richardson are like our president. The fire within keeps going and they stay warm. (In the current “climate” that may look like a curse, but for some thousands of years it has been a blessing.)
Ginni, you’re so correct! The MAGA crowd is fiddling while Rome (and Greece) burns, much as they protested against Covid vaccinations when they became available. Ignoring the truth about Covid vaccinations cost lives. While the same percentage of Democrats as Republicans died from Covid before vaccinations became available, that was not the case after vaccinations were readily available.
Now they are adopting the same mindset regarding climate change. Acting like an ostrich with its head in the sand will not stop the heat, the floods, the wildfires, the hurricanes or the rising sea levels.
The greeds that finance Rs think that their money will save them. It is clear that there is nowhere on the planet that is safe from the effects of climate change. Here in Oregon the Rs regularly walk out of the legislature to deny a quorum, so that that the things that need to be done either don't get done or are watered down. This recent session it was abortion, trans care, and guns. Last time it was climate initiatives and we were treated to log truck drivers and other vehicles polluting Salem and clogging the streets. Much of this effort is financed by out of state resources. We also have several fires going in Oregon and it looks like nearly every one of them were human caused. Last night we have some jerk setting off fireworks (again) while it is bone dry. I am glad to see lots of people with brown grass which means that they are not watering their lawns in contrast to those in the neighborhood who have private wells and are draining the water in the area underground. And of course, the wing nut across the street runs all sorts of engines when it is very hot. I was thinking last night about growing food and how difficult that is becoming. And on the news last night was a story about traveling and buying travel insurance which you can't buy, of course, once the fires start.
The only thing the current Republicans care about is sabotaging government so they can keep short term profits rolling in. The world economy is based on constant economic growth. Heating the planet, exploiting workers, using up all of the resources, migration, suffering, and death are just collateral damage.
Last night, I think it was, NBC has a story about corn in the midwest. The couple had a little boy who stood taller than the corn and by this time, you shouldn't be able to see them. Then there is the problem in Georgia with peaches. Here in Oregon there is no fishing right now for certain salmon. It seems to be feast or famine. Either too much water or not enough. Also there was another TV news story about West Africa and terrorism. Part of the problem is the encroaching desert where there was once farmland. So, I can't give you a single source although I am sure there are some. I have given some thought to gardening and I have done it for almost 50 years. One year we could only water on alternate days although the next door neighbor was watering every day with his private well. We are lucky enough to have about a half acre, but as I was once castigated for talking about my garden because everyone can't have one, as if I didn't know that, I am not always willing to talk about it. But for years, I started my winter coles in July. And the last few years i have had to wait because it was too hot. Today, since we are having cooler weather for the week, I think I can get them started. We support small local farmers as well. One of them has an organic designation and she is not happy because big ag has ruined that. And it's expensive....inspector costs 275 an hour plus there are fees. Not all the fires around are in forests either. We have had wheat crops burn up. And so it goes.
We fortunately had a good snow pack this year, so plenty of water. I just put up the new marionberry canes after pruning out the old canes this week. I am in for a water break because it is alway humid in the am. Next I have to prop up some peppers and eggplants and do some harvesting. Finally have some ripening tomatoes. Our neighbors put in a big pile of cow manure a few years ago and their garden still produces big amounts. We both give away excess. I give my LMT veggies and fruit and he gives us fish....this week salmon (silvers which you can keep) and rock fish. He and his fishing partner would like to go tuna fishing, but the wind is still from the north....maybe this weekend. He cans a lot of tuna and gives that away too. We are lucky at this point to live in PNW.
Here in western NY state we have farms and orchards that produce mega tons of fruits and vegetables, as well as feed corn, winter wheat, etc.
I grow vegetables on my apartment balcony. We've had rain but I still have to keep the plants hydrated. It's really an enjoyable thing and I wish more people would stop fussing over their lawns and grow food instead. The grocery store where I shop features local family-farmed produce. I just wish the prices were lower.
Price is a problem, but organic and local is often more labor intensive. I think it is a travesty that people have to pay more for local and/or organically grown food. It is also a travesty that there are food deserts and now pharmacy deserts. I am not a fan of green laws either.....too much water and often too many chemicals. We had a guy in the neighborhood that I called Mr. Chemical because I smelled it every time I was on my walk. He sold and now that lawn is full of weeds. Mr. Jerk R across the street has a postage stamp lawn, green of course , which he mows about three times a week. He has finally gotten a battery powered riding lawn mower which isn't as awful as the gas powered one was. He does have solar, so there's that.
I often think that the MAGA crowd, being largely made up of white supremacist KKKristian nationalists, as it is, is cheering on the horrendous climate changes that we're seeing. I think they see it as "helping" to bring on "the Rapture" that so many of them believe is coming to save them and destroy everyone they don't like. (As if an all-powerful deity would even NEED their help!!)
Anyway, more Deep Thoughts for a Thursday morning. :D
It’s certainly true of the MAGA evangelicals, who start from the position that God ordains everything anyway- so nobody’s to blame for these disasters.
My seemingly sane neighbor informed me that “God will take care of climate change.” I managed to keep a straight face as he is (a good) president of the building condo board.
He is an excellent president. The board keeps the building well keeping assessment raises small and good maintenance. He is an accountant with his own business.
The 25 million acres burned in Canada this year (so far!) is more acreage than the entire state of California. I don't think the sand is where those ostrich heads are.
As is the flooding and heat domes….and weird excessive snow events/storms. It is said that if the major ocean currents are disrupted, as they may be as a result of ocean water absorbing so much heat, that temps in Northern Europe could be colder and dryer in the future. Learning about the thermodynamics of the oceans is fascinating and predictions are scary.
Wildlife is seeing enormous die-offs and threatened extinctions because of rising temps. Rising sea levels are destroying habitat. There have been heartbreaking die-offs of polar bears, birds, manatees, seals and narwhals. Yet the US itself still wants to drill, baby, drill. There are floating islands of discarded plastic as big as 3 miles wide in the oceans, and we have microplastics in our blood. We are killing the planet and ourselves.
Sat on a boat in France in 2005 looking up ocean currents with climate change (had a front row seat to the changes for 10 years). No surprises in your report.
I was in Iceland several years ago, and they showed me the melting glaciers and how it affected the topology of the land. And that was before all of these heat.
Yes, how is it that in the face of mounting financial, climate, and bigoted evidence there is this collective head in the sand? This newsletter pretty much sums up the stupidity side of humanity....
And the House seems set on destroying any climate change practices.
In regards to covid ( I have had all my shots and was just tired), they ran a story about a major anti-vax activist mother of 4 children. No mask for her. She died of covid (Karma) and her family was running a go-fund-me for burial services. People don't realize covid is still out there. I caught mine about 4 weeks ago.
Ginni, this is EXACTLY what I want to say. This is what MSNBC, CNN and others need to be covering. Someone, some team member must be reading Heather or should be. They need to feed the news anchor this narrative.
MSNBC covers what the sponsors allow it to cover, but fortunately the ex-judges, attorneys, and generals they bring on are mostly excellent. Their coverage of the January 6th hearings and aftermath has been as complete as we could wish for.
I have friends who are addicted to MSNBC. They have to be home every afternoon for Nicole Wallace and the rest of the line-up. And they end up so angry, every day. I think that, overall, MSNBC is as bad as CNN and Fox, because they have to follow the business model of cable news. They sensationalize and gin up outrage because they have to fill a 7x24 schedule, and keep viewers locked in. And they’re just preaching to (and outraging) the choir (no different than Fox News, it’s just a different choir). The nightly PBS Newshour provides more thorough, objective coverage of the daily news in an hour than MSNBC or CNN does in 24 hours. When it comes to news quality, less is more.
I watch a little of all (very little of Fox, just enough to know what they're saying). Fox: mostly lies and outrage; MSNBC: mostly truth and outrage; CNN: he said, she said, blah, blah, blah. And that's why I mostly watch MSNBC.
Ditto. In the hospital some years ago with only CNN. Found it bland. It is improved, but still a bit bland. I prefer the biting intelligence in these perilous times. MSNBC got me through the pandemic. I still find them the best sources of news and opinion. And where else do you get corrections when somebody got it wrong?
Agree about PBS NewsHour. It is excellent journalism. Have watched since its beginning and think that if it had more viewers the country would be less divided. I will say I'm not comfortable with new co-anchor Amna Nawaz's emotional delivery style; it lacks the professionalism of Robin MacNeil, Jim Lehrer, Judy Woodruff, and Gwen Ifill, but Geoff Bennett is an ultimate professional. And perhaps Amna will attract those who prefer a more commercial news style.
What distresses me most of all is the flagrant and arrogant disregard the Climate Crisis Deniers have for ALL life on this fragile planet. Humans will probably become extinct eventually - as most life forms eventually have.
The elimination of humans may be a gift to the Earth. But along the way we will destroy gazillions of varieties of plants and animals with our selfishness. It is beyond evil. It is diabolical.
My opinion (just that) is that many of the Climate Deniers are also the same people who claim to value all life to the extent that they are also anti-abortionists who claim that abortions kill babies. They also still want their big gas guzzling cars and pesticides so they can plant more corn, etc....I know, this is just my opinion.
So true Ally House. I would also add that they just look the other way when a mass shooting occurs over and over again. Also, anti-abortionists are only "pro-birth" after that, nothing. What a bunch of hypocrites.
Sadly, I think you are quite accurate. What keeps me going is the knowledge that the majority of the generation arriving at voting age now are rejecting such primitive ignorance.
I feel sad for the younger generation. The connection between greenhouse gases and climate change was identified ALMOST 40 YEARS ago. The actions taken to address climate change since then are a mere drop in the bucket relative to the comprehensive effort that is needed.
It still drives me nuts that Jimmy Carter had solar panels put on the White House back in the late 70s when this stuff really began rearing its head, only to have Ronald Reagan have them removed when his administration came in!!
To think how close we were to actually being responsible fellow creatures of the earth!! Auugggh!!!
Ellen, longer than 40 years ago, but that’s when more of us became aware of what the few had been saying. They were just starting to say it louder….and we (most) still did not listen. Even now when it’s being SHOUTED in all caps!
They only care about human fetuses. Once humans are actually born and are people, they no longer care. Nothing pro life about any of them. Already they are putting women at risk because medical people are afraid to treat certain problems.
What distresses me most is the relative bargain the oil industry lobby got paying off politicians in DC. With untold billions in profits last year alone, what they’ve payed out over the past decade alone is pocket change.
Derek, I remember during Covid, after Biden became president and gasoline prices were very high for several reasons, including record profits for the industry, an older gent (lol..than me & I’m a senior!) at the pump was grousing about the gas prices being the fault of Biden. I bit my tongue & didn’t comment because I knew what the root cause was.
This has been my thought for a very long time. I do believe that the planet would be better off without us and that we will destroy lots of other life as we destroy ourselves.
Michele, I refer you to Sara Teasdale's wonderful poem, "There Will Come Soft Rains". One particular line, "And not one will care, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perish utterly..." is forever in my mind, both sad and also very comforting. That is, of course, until I think it through and realize that we'll probably take the birds and trees with us in destruction.
Thanks for the heads up. I can remember liking Sara Teasdale when I was in high school....a long, long time ago. Yes, for a long time I have not cared that humans survive, but feel very sad that we will ruin a lot of flora and fauna as well....are ruining. On the good side, I haven't seen them, but my spouse has spotted blue birds in the neighborhood.
I am 100% with you on this, Bill. Every day, I think of the nonhuman lives, as well as humans, who are being driven to extinction because of us! Greed is a terrible thing!
Agree. Regarding the climate crisis, I think it's very important for communication to focus on what CAN be done, and that every small tenth of a degree that we can keep the global temperatures down, matters for the short and long term. Switching to heat pumps for home heating and cooling, as just one example, is highly incentivized by Biden in the Inflation Reduction Act. Now we need massive - yes massive - rollout and adoption. We got rid of our older air conditioner and replaced it with a heat pump a few months ago. It works amazingly and our utility bill is about 30% less per month. Since the utilities STILL use coal in the US, this is a tremendous opportunity, among so many others. Installing heat pumps globally is important as well. It isn't the only solution required for the climate crisis, but it is certainly part of the solution.
We are fortunate as we have solar panels which in the summer provide more than enough power to run our heat pump. We recently had a new one installed and it works very well, both in summer and winter. Right now our electric bill is zero, but it will rise in the winter time without the constant sun. What does cost us is water, because unlike several of our neighbors, we do not steal underground water and have to pay the city. They are doing sewer and street work out front and my spouse reports that we haven't gotten a water bill for a while for some reason. Could be a shock when we finally get one. as we have had about two drops of rain for the last two months or so and nothing on the horizon except that it will not be as hot as it could be.
But Ginni...Heather is summarizing what's in the news (see her sources). Beautifully I will add. And I'll bet this is just a handful of sources she consumes daily too.
I think what people like you and me want is a drumbeat of the good Biden news, the seriousness of climate change, etc. That is what isn't happening. I don't know how we change that.
Again, thank you, Heather. You write what every newspaper, tv news channel, and pundits should be reporting. Instead, they continue to harp on such things as Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s age and poll numbers, and the useless rants of Congressional Republicans. They don’t speak of how well our economy is doing under Joe, or his efforts to help all Americans, or to address climate change, gun control, and oh so much more. Joe is doing a miraculous job given the severe headwinds of MAGA politicians and the incompetent media.
Thank you for always reminding us of the important things happening in our country and world.
I so agree, Ginni! That last paragraph was such a bolt of energy and optimism. Whenever I feel like giving up on it all, Biden/Harris do something that restores my faith in humanity.
"Making the country’s real history easily available" - is a mission statement if ever there was one.
Plus, making US history reflect reality is much more interesting than the whitewashed variety.
Literally whitewashed!!
Literally.
When I open a window on microsoft edge it fills the screen with news links and they are predominantly right wing with most being fox. It's hard to solve problems when the information people are getting is a bunch of lies and misinformation. You'd think there is no more important issue than Hunter Biden's taxes.
Or his laptop…. I think about all this brouhaha surrounding him and wonder does everybody who doesn’t pay their taxes for two years go to jail—oh, they will certainly get dinged a hefty financial penalty, but jail? I think not. Now add to that the issue of him lying when buying a gun—mind you, he admitted being addicted at the time—and, what, bought the gun under false pretenses. [I have never purchased a gun so have no idea what you have to “sign/agree to”.I wonder if everyone who purchased a gun is absolutely not addicted to something (drugs, alcohol, etc.)—somehow I doubt it. Did he commit any crimes with said gun? No. I’m all for him taking responsibility and being held accountable for his actions, but IMHO he should not be held to a standard others are not. And somehow this is his dad’s doing/fault…um, no.
I so agree with you ..they have put him through the ringer..only because he is the son of the President ..how many people have done far more and were done with restitution in a couple of years
Funny how no one is reporting anything about Don Jr., Eric and Ivanka anymore.
I think that's a blessing, actually. It's just distraction and clickbait.
MAGA-world is trying to exercise contro over Biden by threatening his family. What other organizations engage in this kind of behavior?
Lesly Harder, how about TheTrump Organization for one? 🙊🙁
The MAFIA, The PURPLE GANG ! ,,,, ETC, oh Yeah ! ,, MAGATS! Thanks, John !
Did they do this to trump's kids? I don't remember. I know Ivanka was running around scoffing up with privilege all of those trademarks. Wasn't trump suppose to be curtailing business with China?
I agree. I was an auditor for 26 1/2 years. You would be surprised at the people that didn't pay their taxes. It was amazing. Most didn't even get their hands slapped let alone have their face on prime time news. What about tfg and his family? The Democrats need to start investigation them. They say anything to bash, Joe! There are few taxpayers with businesses that are honest. I say if everyone paid their fair share we would have much lower taxes!
Maybe this is why the republicans don't want the extra money spent on investigating the large tax returns. I am a small fish and have gotten audited 2x.
Learn how to open a different browser than Microsoft edge, which pushes corporate news and hype unnecessarily. Microsoft may have the monopoly on operating systems, but as consumers we can control how we get information.
I use different browsers for different purposes.
Microsoft Edge, is SITTING ON the Wrong "EDGE, of Information" ( The LIE Edge !!} LORD have MERCY ! Thanks ! William !
I may be looking at something different, but my screen is about Ukraine, positive Biden things, and all of the terrible things about trump ( which is in the majority) trump articles are like dead animals in the road. You don't want to look, but you are curious as to which animal it was.
Ginni Simpson said it well. But beyond that, Professor, you really should take a few days off now and then to support your other important work and, god forbid, recharge your batteries....I can't imagine anyone here would walk away. It's safe to say none of want to see you burn yourself out. Please, take care of yourself.
Yes Lemoine, I passionately agree. HCR may indeed be due for a long vacation. It’s NOT my business, but I’ve learned that in our society ‘being busy’ is deeply admired and can become a reflex particularly for someone who’s very talented as well as inspired.
As a young ambitious dancer I was told ‘to take the summer off’ so my body could absorb what my brain had supposedly learned that year. I didn’t, and I eventually burned out.
Now I still ‘freak out’ somewhat if I’m not actively writing poetry.
People who mean well reflexively ask not only ‘how are you’ but just as often ‘What’s new?’ or ‘What are you doing?
Sam- Not many people give voice to this irksome habit. So true!
People like Professor Richardson are like our president. The fire within keeps going and they stay warm. (In the current “climate” that may look like a curse, but for some thousands of years it has been a blessing.)
Ginni, you’re so correct! The MAGA crowd is fiddling while Rome (and Greece) burns, much as they protested against Covid vaccinations when they became available. Ignoring the truth about Covid vaccinations cost lives. While the same percentage of Democrats as Republicans died from Covid before vaccinations became available, that was not the case after vaccinations were readily available.
Now they are adopting the same mindset regarding climate change. Acting like an ostrich with its head in the sand will not stop the heat, the floods, the wildfires, the hurricanes or the rising sea levels.
https://www.npr.org/2023/07/25/1189939229/covid-deaths-democrats-republicans-gap-study
The greeds that finance Rs think that their money will save them. It is clear that there is nowhere on the planet that is safe from the effects of climate change. Here in Oregon the Rs regularly walk out of the legislature to deny a quorum, so that that the things that need to be done either don't get done or are watered down. This recent session it was abortion, trans care, and guns. Last time it was climate initiatives and we were treated to log truck drivers and other vehicles polluting Salem and clogging the streets. Much of this effort is financed by out of state resources. We also have several fires going in Oregon and it looks like nearly every one of them were human caused. Last night we have some jerk setting off fireworks (again) while it is bone dry. I am glad to see lots of people with brown grass which means that they are not watering their lawns in contrast to those in the neighborhood who have private wells and are draining the water in the area underground. And of course, the wing nut across the street runs all sorts of engines when it is very hot. I was thinking last night about growing food and how difficult that is becoming. And on the news last night was a story about traveling and buying travel insurance which you can't buy, of course, once the fires start.
The only thing the current Republicans care about is sabotaging government so they can keep short term profits rolling in. The world economy is based on constant economic growth. Heating the planet, exploiting workers, using up all of the resources, migration, suffering, and death are just collateral damage.
Sad but true.
What wise man said, "Why bother with air pollution. The Chinese air is all blowing this direction anyway."
What is your source about the difficulty in growing food so everyone can read it and those who can start vegetable gardens?
Last night, I think it was, NBC has a story about corn in the midwest. The couple had a little boy who stood taller than the corn and by this time, you shouldn't be able to see them. Then there is the problem in Georgia with peaches. Here in Oregon there is no fishing right now for certain salmon. It seems to be feast or famine. Either too much water or not enough. Also there was another TV news story about West Africa and terrorism. Part of the problem is the encroaching desert where there was once farmland. So, I can't give you a single source although I am sure there are some. I have given some thought to gardening and I have done it for almost 50 years. One year we could only water on alternate days although the next door neighbor was watering every day with his private well. We are lucky enough to have about a half acre, but as I was once castigated for talking about my garden because everyone can't have one, as if I didn't know that, I am not always willing to talk about it. But for years, I started my winter coles in July. And the last few years i have had to wait because it was too hot. Today, since we are having cooler weather for the week, I think I can get them started. We support small local farmers as well. One of them has an organic designation and she is not happy because big ag has ruined that. And it's expensive....inspector costs 275 an hour plus there are fees. Not all the fires around are in forests either. We have had wheat crops burn up. And so it goes.
Thank you for your “on the ground” report. May your garden grow!
We fortunately had a good snow pack this year, so plenty of water. I just put up the new marionberry canes after pruning out the old canes this week. I am in for a water break because it is alway humid in the am. Next I have to prop up some peppers and eggplants and do some harvesting. Finally have some ripening tomatoes. Our neighbors put in a big pile of cow manure a few years ago and their garden still produces big amounts. We both give away excess. I give my LMT veggies and fruit and he gives us fish....this week salmon (silvers which you can keep) and rock fish. He and his fishing partner would like to go tuna fishing, but the wind is still from the north....maybe this weekend. He cans a lot of tuna and gives that away too. We are lucky at this point to live in PNW.
Here in western NY state we have farms and orchards that produce mega tons of fruits and vegetables, as well as feed corn, winter wheat, etc.
I grow vegetables on my apartment balcony. We've had rain but I still have to keep the plants hydrated. It's really an enjoyable thing and I wish more people would stop fussing over their lawns and grow food instead. The grocery store where I shop features local family-farmed produce. I just wish the prices were lower.
Price is a problem, but organic and local is often more labor intensive. I think it is a travesty that people have to pay more for local and/or organically grown food. It is also a travesty that there are food deserts and now pharmacy deserts. I am not a fan of green laws either.....too much water and often too many chemicals. We had a guy in the neighborhood that I called Mr. Chemical because I smelled it every time I was on my walk. He sold and now that lawn is full of weeds. Mr. Jerk R across the street has a postage stamp lawn, green of course , which he mows about three times a week. He has finally gotten a battery powered riding lawn mower which isn't as awful as the gas powered one was. He does have solar, so there's that.
Don't try to get it in FL. 3 or 4 insurance companies have pulled out. Not because of fires, but wind and rain.
Not sure what you can't get in Florida. I know about the insurance problem. Is there a problem in the sunshine state getting solar?
I often think that the MAGA crowd, being largely made up of white supremacist KKKristian nationalists, as it is, is cheering on the horrendous climate changes that we're seeing. I think they see it as "helping" to bring on "the Rapture" that so many of them believe is coming to save them and destroy everyone they don't like. (As if an all-powerful deity would even NEED their help!!)
Anyway, more Deep Thoughts for a Thursday morning. :D
It’s certainly true of the MAGA evangelicals, who start from the position that God ordains everything anyway- so nobody’s to blame for these disasters.
My seemingly sane neighbor informed me that “God will take care of climate change.” I managed to keep a straight face as he is (a good) president of the building condo board.
Does he allow the condo to make changes or does he leave that up to God also?
He is an excellent president. The board keeps the building well keeping assessment raises small and good maintenance. He is an accountant with his own business.
And Canada, and Indonesia, and Spain, and Brazil, and ... the burning is global, or will be this year.
The 25 million acres burned in Canada this year (so far!) is more acreage than the entire state of California. I don't think the sand is where those ostrich heads are.
The sphincter, by design, is a one-way valve. Apparently MAGA has serendipitously stumbled upon the back door to entropy.
Ah! The riddle of the sphincter. What's ignorant in the morning, stupid at noon, and moronic forever?
OMG! A laugh in the midst of tears! THANK YOU, Sander!
Well done! You must have been reading Keith Wheelock.
Talking to Kenneth Burke years sgo. He turned down an honorary degree from Princeton saying "I'm no longer viable. It's the riddle of the sphincter."
Actually, CA is almost 4 times larger with over 99 million acres.
As is the flooding and heat domes….and weird excessive snow events/storms. It is said that if the major ocean currents are disrupted, as they may be as a result of ocean water absorbing so much heat, that temps in Northern Europe could be colder and dryer in the future. Learning about the thermodynamics of the oceans is fascinating and predictions are scary.
Wildlife is seeing enormous die-offs and threatened extinctions because of rising temps. Rising sea levels are destroying habitat. There have been heartbreaking die-offs of polar bears, birds, manatees, seals and narwhals. Yet the US itself still wants to drill, baby, drill. There are floating islands of discarded plastic as big as 3 miles wide in the oceans, and we have microplastics in our blood. We are killing the planet and ourselves.
Sat on a boat in France in 2005 looking up ocean currents with climate change (had a front row seat to the changes for 10 years). No surprises in your report.
I was in Iceland several years ago, and they showed me the melting glaciers and how it affected the topology of the land. And that was before all of these heat.
Yes, how is it that in the face of mounting financial, climate, and bigoted evidence there is this collective head in the sand? This newsletter pretty much sums up the stupidity side of humanity....
Oh i remember that! Shake your head.
And the House seems set on destroying any climate change practices.
In regards to covid ( I have had all my shots and was just tired), they ran a story about a major anti-vax activist mother of 4 children. No mask for her. She died of covid (Karma) and her family was running a go-fund-me for burial services. People don't realize covid is still out there. I caught mine about 4 weeks ago.
We saw that as it happened.
It's all about greed. They have a mindset that normal people don't.
Ginni, this is EXACTLY what I want to say. This is what MSNBC, CNN and others need to be covering. Someone, some team member must be reading Heather or should be. They need to feed the news anchor this narrative.
Or, we can just ignore MSNBC and CNN. Cable news is corrupted by the business model, best to just ignore them.
MSNBC covers what the sponsors allow it to cover, but fortunately the ex-judges, attorneys, and generals they bring on are mostly excellent. Their coverage of the January 6th hearings and aftermath has been as complete as we could wish for.
I have friends who are addicted to MSNBC. They have to be home every afternoon for Nicole Wallace and the rest of the line-up. And they end up so angry, every day. I think that, overall, MSNBC is as bad as CNN and Fox, because they have to follow the business model of cable news. They sensationalize and gin up outrage because they have to fill a 7x24 schedule, and keep viewers locked in. And they’re just preaching to (and outraging) the choir (no different than Fox News, it’s just a different choir). The nightly PBS Newshour provides more thorough, objective coverage of the daily news in an hour than MSNBC or CNN does in 24 hours. When it comes to news quality, less is more.
I watch a little of all (very little of Fox, just enough to know what they're saying). Fox: mostly lies and outrage; MSNBC: mostly truth and outrage; CNN: he said, she said, blah, blah, blah. And that's why I mostly watch MSNBC.
Ditto. In the hospital some years ago with only CNN. Found it bland. It is improved, but still a bit bland. I prefer the biting intelligence in these perilous times. MSNBC got me through the pandemic. I still find them the best sources of news and opinion. And where else do you get corrections when somebody got it wrong?
Agree about PBS NewsHour. It is excellent journalism. Have watched since its beginning and think that if it had more viewers the country would be less divided. I will say I'm not comfortable with new co-anchor Amna Nawaz's emotional delivery style; it lacks the professionalism of Robin MacNeil, Jim Lehrer, Judy Woodruff, and Gwen Ifill, but Geoff Bennett is an ultimate professional. And perhaps Amna will attract those who prefer a more commercial news style.
I do.
Penny: I agree with you.
Yes, Ginni, we dither while the world goes down the drain!
What distresses me most of all is the flagrant and arrogant disregard the Climate Crisis Deniers have for ALL life on this fragile planet. Humans will probably become extinct eventually - as most life forms eventually have.
The elimination of humans may be a gift to the Earth. But along the way we will destroy gazillions of varieties of plants and animals with our selfishness. It is beyond evil. It is diabolical.
My opinion (just that) is that many of the Climate Deniers are also the same people who claim to value all life to the extent that they are also anti-abortionists who claim that abortions kill babies. They also still want their big gas guzzling cars and pesticides so they can plant more corn, etc....I know, this is just my opinion.
Colette, they also want all the guns and no responsibility for the outcome of the mass shootings that plague our nation. That is NOT "pro-life".
OFF TOPIC to Authors & Readers: No Troll Today ... so far. Thank you Substack 'Admins'👍 & Content Moderation Department folks.👍
He doesn't show up every day. But I'm surprised he didn't today because he loves trashing Hunter Biden.
So true Ally House. I would also add that they just look the other way when a mass shooting occurs over and over again. Also, anti-abortionists are only "pro-birth" after that, nothing. What a bunch of hypocrites.
ALLY, THEY, are Just Itchin: to " WARM UP" the barrels of Every WEAPON, in Ownership ! This is Their REAL !, PRO LIFE !! LORD !, HAVE MERCY !
Sadly, I think you are quite accurate. What keeps me going is the knowledge that the majority of the generation arriving at voting age now are rejecting such primitive ignorance.
I feel sad for the younger generation. The connection between greenhouse gases and climate change was identified ALMOST 40 YEARS ago. The actions taken to address climate change since then are a mere drop in the bucket relative to the comprehensive effort that is needed.
It still drives me nuts that Jimmy Carter had solar panels put on the White House back in the late 70s when this stuff really began rearing its head, only to have Ronald Reagan have them removed when his administration came in!!
To think how close we were to actually being responsible fellow creatures of the earth!! Auugggh!!!
Ellen, longer than 40 years ago, but that’s when more of us became aware of what the few had been saying. They were just starting to say it louder….and we (most) still did not listen. Even now when it’s being SHOUTED in all caps!
They only care about human fetuses. Once humans are actually born and are people, they no longer care. Nothing pro life about any of them. Already they are putting women at risk because medical people are afraid to treat certain problems.
Your opinion, yes, but I think you’re right. Thanks for your post.
Colette- Agree. While thinking, aware people connect the factual dots the Magats eat up every conspiracy theory that is fed to them.
What distresses me most is the relative bargain the oil industry lobby got paying off politicians in DC. With untold billions in profits last year alone, what they’ve payed out over the past decade alone is pocket change.
Biden if he can should impose an excess profit tax on the oil giants.
He cannot impose new taxes. Only Congress can do that, so...
I read (somewhere) that oil subsidies cost us ten times as much as we spend on education. Obscene.
Derek, I remember during Covid, after Biden became president and gasoline prices were very high for several reasons, including record profits for the industry, an older gent (lol..than me & I’m a senior!) at the pump was grousing about the gas prices being the fault of Biden. I bit my tongue & didn’t comment because I knew what the root cause was.
This has been my thought for a very long time. I do believe that the planet would be better off without us and that we will destroy lots of other life as we destroy ourselves.
The planet will go on just fine (or better) without us.
Agree.
Michele, I refer you to Sara Teasdale's wonderful poem, "There Will Come Soft Rains". One particular line, "And not one will care, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perish utterly..." is forever in my mind, both sad and also very comforting. That is, of course, until I think it through and realize that we'll probably take the birds and trees with us in destruction.
Thanks for the heads up. I can remember liking Sara Teasdale when I was in high school....a long, long time ago. Yes, for a long time I have not cared that humans survive, but feel very sad that we will ruin a lot of flora and fauna as well....are ruining. On the good side, I haven't seen them, but my spouse has spotted blue birds in the neighborhood.
I am 100% with you on this, Bill. Every day, I think of the nonhuman lives, as well as humans, who are being driven to extinction because of us! Greed is a terrible thing!
Agree. Regarding the climate crisis, I think it's very important for communication to focus on what CAN be done, and that every small tenth of a degree that we can keep the global temperatures down, matters for the short and long term. Switching to heat pumps for home heating and cooling, as just one example, is highly incentivized by Biden in the Inflation Reduction Act. Now we need massive - yes massive - rollout and adoption. We got rid of our older air conditioner and replaced it with a heat pump a few months ago. It works amazingly and our utility bill is about 30% less per month. Since the utilities STILL use coal in the US, this is a tremendous opportunity, among so many others. Installing heat pumps globally is important as well. It isn't the only solution required for the climate crisis, but it is certainly part of the solution.
We are fortunate as we have solar panels which in the summer provide more than enough power to run our heat pump. We recently had a new one installed and it works very well, both in summer and winter. Right now our electric bill is zero, but it will rise in the winter time without the constant sun. What does cost us is water, because unlike several of our neighbors, we do not steal underground water and have to pay the city. They are doing sewer and street work out front and my spouse reports that we haven't gotten a water bill for a while for some reason. Could be a shock when we finally get one. as we have had about two drops of rain for the last two months or so and nothing on the horizon except that it will not be as hot as it could be.
But Ginni...Heather is summarizing what's in the news (see her sources). Beautifully I will add. And I'll bet this is just a handful of sources she consumes daily too.
I think what people like you and me want is a drumbeat of the good Biden news, the seriousness of climate change, etc. That is what isn't happening. I don't know how we change that.