Interview – Peter Kalmus: ‘As a species, we’re on autopilot, not making the right decisions’ Ian Tucker May 21, 2022 The Nasa data scientist explains why inaction on the climate crisis pushed him to chain himself to an LA bank – and why trusting in the ‘people in charge’ is so dangerous: ==================================== Do you … [Read more…]
In the Guardian, May 7, 2022, an article on hate speech Hate speech online has escalated to unprecedented levels. Matthew Williams, a professor of criminology, is shining a scientific light on who is behind it and why. “It is no coincidence that soaring hate-crime figures are found in countries where the extreme right is rising … [Read more…]
In Politico, this interview with Ruth Ben-Ghiat – An expert on autocracy assesses how far America has slipped away from democracy, and what it will take to get it back. Ben-Ghiat: One of the big talking points and strategy of right-wing authoritarianism, is to label democratic systems as tyrannical. Mussolini was the first to say … [Read more…]
The Atlantic has an article about a pressing pandemic problem with orphaned children. Losing a parent may be one of the most destabilizing events of the human experience. Orphans are at increased risk of substance abuse, dropping out of school, and poverty. They are almost twice as likely as non-orphans to die by suicide, and … [Read more…]
Commentary: Utility profits the unspoken factor in California’s rooftop solar fight
Interview – Energy efficiency guru Amory Lovins: ‘It’s the largest, cheapest, safest, cleanest way to address the crisis’ by John Vidal “Solar and wind are now the cheapest bulk power sources in 91% of the world, and the UN’s International Energy Agency (IEA) expects renewables to generate 90% of all new power in the coming … [Read more…]
From my indomitable little sister in 2022:
March 9, 2022, Petaluma CA I just searched this blog for the word DROUGHT and found all the entries dated from 2020. I decided to start this journal due to the household conversations we’ve had on how we are going to ration our irrigation water this year. Water is due to become even more expensive … [Read more…]
In The Guardian: Use of ‘sexist’ and ‘racist’ in the New York Times increased over 400% since 2012. Why? We analyzed 27m news articles published between 1970 and 2019. Our study reveals a substantial shift has occurred, and it may have important implications. by David Rozado, Musa al-Gharbi and Jamin Halberstadt Contemporary US media workers … [Read more…]
Covid infection increases risk of mental health disorders, study finds. Researchers note need to follow patients after recovery for any emerging disorders. The Guardian – Melody Schreiber – Fri 18 Feb 2022 The results were all clear: Covid has a marked effect on mental health.