Monthly Archives: April 2020

2020-04-05: News Headlines

news.un (2020-04-05). First person: COVID-19 is not a silver lining for the climate, says UN Environment chief. news.un.org Greenhouse gas emissions are down and air quality has gone up, as governments react to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Inger Andersen, has cautioned against viewing this as a boon for the environment. In this First Person editorial, Ms. Andersen calls instead for a profound, systemic shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet.

Charles Komanoff (2020-04-05). What the Coronavirus Pandemic Can Teach Us About the Climate Emergency. zcomm.org The climate change lessons of Covid-19 are to heed the warnings of scientists, do everything possible to minimize the hazards they predict, and prepare to cope with the impacts that remain…

Andrew Glikson (2020-04-05). Earth hurtling towards catastrophe worse than dinosaur extinction. zcomm.org Earth's next mass extinction is avoidable — if carbon dioxide emissions are dramatically curbed and we develop and deploy technologies to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere…

Dan Bacher (2020-04-05). California regulators approve new fracking permits during COVID-19 epidemic. indybay.org The increase in oil and gas drilling permits in recent years, including fracking operations — and fact that California has no health and safety setbacks like many other states do — is a result of the millions of dollars every year that WSPA and oil companies spend every year on lobbying state officials, including the Governor's Office and state regulatory agencies, as well as the many millions spent by the oil industry on campaign contributions to politicians and campaign committees.

Dr. Ahimsa Sumchai (2020-04-05). The landfill in our bodies. indybay.org The radioactive contaminated Hunters Point shipyard has left residents and workers with dangerous contamination in their bodies.

H. Patricia Hynes (2020-04-04). Civil Disobedience in the Time of Climate Crisis. zcomm.org What we—citizens, corporations, courts and government—do about the climate crisis will determine life on earth within the next few decades…

Jeremy Brecher (2020-04-04). First U.S. Union-Authorized Climate Strike? zcomm.org If Local 26 is forced to strike again, one thing is clear: It will do so not only as the representative of its own members, but as the champion of everyone who knows they are threatened by climate change…

John Nichols (2020-04-04). 'We Will Not Sit Back and Let Transit Workers Be Treated Like Cannon Fodder'. thenation.com 'We Will Not Sit Back and Let Transit Workers Be Treated Like Cannon Fodder'

Kathleen Wallace (2020-04-03). The Highly Contagious Idea. counterpunch.org The COVID-19 pandemic has laid waste to the notions of American Exceptionalism (other than perhaps an exceptional level of infection) and the unsustainable practice from the last couple of decades that reality is essentially what you force it to be. It's the magical thinking that if you manufacture enough consent, eventually that square peg will

Kevin Potter (2020-04-03). Austria's 'Unsozial' Capitalists in a Time of Crisis. mronline.org In a move seemingly reserved only for cartoonish villains, one of Austria's best-known millionaires, Attila Doƒüudan, CEO of DO &CO—one of the largest culinary companies in Austria, and who employs over 11,000 people worldwide—has used the COVID-19 crisis to orchestrate a widespread layoff campaign against all restaurant employees within Austria.

Mark Gruenberg (2020-04-03). News Guild, journalists' union, sets out to save newspapers. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Emphasizing their role in getting reliable information out to the public, the News Guild is setting out to save endangered newspapers across the country. The coronavirus pandemic has only added to the danger of extinction faced by many newspapers, the union says. While social media has exploded — along with opinion sites and siloes that …

Tracy Keeling (2020-04-03). In one stunning sentence, Noam Chomsky nails the most overlooked element of the pandemic. thecanary.co Renowned US intellectual, author, and commentator Noam Chomsky addressed the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in a recent interview. Amid a global panic over the disease, he nailed the most overlooked element of the emergency. | Crucially, he pointed out that though coronavirus "can have terrifying consequences" there "will be recovery". But there are other threats — the climate crisis and nuclear war — where recovery is impossible if we don't tackle them urgently.coronavirus… can have terrifying consequences, but there will be recovery, while the [other threats], there won't be recovery, it's finished…

Kurt Nimmo (2020-04-03). COVID-19: Cover for Military Attack on Iran and Iraq? globalresearch.ca It was Rahm Emmanuel who said the state should never let a "good crisis go to waste." | In regard to Iran, the neocons will not let the COVID-19 "crisis" go to waste. It is a perfect cover for escalating tension …

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-04-03). 'We Need People's Bailout, Not Polluters' Bailout': Climate Groups Move to Preempt Big Oil Giveaway Amid Pandemic. commondreams.org "Oh, so we have to pay our rent, but now Big Oil doesn't have to pay anything for destroying our public lands? Cool, cool." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/flares.jpg

news.un (2020-04-02). Key COP26 climate summit postponed to 'safeguard lives'. news.un.org With no end in sight to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the UN climate change talks which were due to take place in Scotland later in the year, have been postponed until October 2021.

John Nichols (2020-04-02). 'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'. thenation.com 'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'

imperial.ac.uk (2020-04-01). Traces of ancient rainforest in Antarctica point to a warmer prehistoric world. imperial.ac.uk Researchers have found evidence of rainforests near the South Pole 90 million years ago, suggesting the climate was exceptionally warm at the time.

Staff (2020-03-26). "Chaotic Situation": India Begins Lockdown of 1.3 Billion Residents as Coronavirus Pandemic Spreads. democracynow.org As the coronavirus pandemic spreads around the world, we look at India, which is now under the largest lockdown in human history, with 1.3 billion people ordered to shelter in place. As the country's economy and daily life come to an abrupt halt, hundreds of millions of Indians who live hand to mouth have been left without the means to support their families. We speak with Amitav Ghosh, whose books include "Gun Island" and "The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable."

CounterSpin (2020-02-21). Paul Paz y Miño, Saqib Bhatti & Beverly Bell on Environmental Justice & Cross-National Solidarity. fair.org There will only be an increasing number of frontline struggles between extractive, climate-disrupting industry and those willing to stand up to it. Corporate media's inadequate attention, and unwillingness to truly call out the moneyed interests causing present and future harms, make them more often part of the problem than the solution.

Jon Rainwater (2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …

2020-04-05: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

The landfill in our bodies
Dr. Ahimsa Sumchai | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
The radioactive contaminated Hunters Point shipyard has left residents and workers with dangerous contamination in their bodies.
indybay.org/newsitems/2020/04/04/18832105.php

California regulators approve new fracking permits during COVID-19 epidemic
Dan Bacher | indybay.org | 2020-04-05
The increase in oil and gas drilling permits in recent years, including fracking operations

'We Will Not Sit Back and Let Transit Workers Be Treated Like Cannon Fodder'
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2020-04-04
'We Will Not Sit Back and Let Transit Workers Be Treated Like Cannon Fodder'…
thenation.com/article/activism/public-transportation-worker-covid/

News Guild, journalists' union, sets out to save newspapers
Mark Gruenberg | peoplesworld.org | 2020-04-03
WASHINGTON–Emphasizing their role in getting reliable information out to the public, the News Guild is setting out to save endangered newspapers across the country. The coronavirus pandemic has only added to the danger of extinction faced by many newspapers, the union says. While social media has exploded

In one stunning sentence, Noam Chomsky nails the most overlooked element of the pandemic
Tracy Keeling | thecanary.co | 2020-04-03
Renowned US intellectual, author, and commentator Noam Chomsky addressed the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in a recent interview. Amid a global panic over the disease, he nailed the most overlooked element of the emergency. | Crucially, he pointed out that though coronavirus "can have terrifying consequences" there "will be recovery". But there are other threats

The Highly Contagious Idea
Kathleen Wallace | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-03
The COVID-19 pandemic has laid waste to the notions of American Exceptionalism (other than perhaps an exceptional level of infection) and the unsustainable practice from the last couple of decades that reality is essentially what you force it to be. It's the magical thinking that if you manufacture enough consent, eventually that square peg will…
counterpunch.org/2020/04/03/the-highly-contagious-idea/

Coronavirus and the State-of-Emergency Pandemic
David Rosen | counterpunch.org | 2020-04-03
You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that [is] it's an opportunity to do things that you think you could not before.

COVID-19: Cover for Military Attack on Iran and Iraq?
Kurt Nimmo | globalresearch.ca | 2020-04-03
It was Rahm Emmanuel who said the state should never let a "good crisis go to waste." | In regard to Iran, the neocons will not let the COVID-19 "crisis" go to waste. It is a perfect cover for escalating tension …
globalresearch.ca/covid-19-cover-military-attack-iran-iraq/5708517

'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2020-04-02
'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'…
thenation.com/article/politics/wisconsin-democratic-primary/

'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'
John Nichols | thenation.com | 2020-04-02
'People Should Not Be Forced to Put Their Lives on the Line to Vote'…
thenation.com/article/politics/wisconsin-democratic-primary/

Traces of ancient rainforest in Antarctica point to a warmer prehistoric world
imperial.ac.uk | 2020-04-01
Researchers have found evidence of rainforests near the South Pole 90 million years ago, suggesting the climate was exceptionally warm at the time.
imperial.ac.uk/news/196516/traces-ancient-rainforest-antarctica-point-warmer

"Chaotic Situation": India Begins Lockdown of 1.3 Billion Residents as Coronavirus Pandemic Spreads
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-03-26
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads around the world, we look at India, which is now under the largest lockdown in human history, with 1.3 billion people ordered to shelter in place. As the country's economy and daily life come to an abrupt halt, hundreds of millions of Indians who live hand to mouth have been left without the means to support their families. We speak with Amitav Ghosh, whose books include "Gun Island" and "The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable."
www.democracynow.org/2020/3/26/amitav_ghosh_india_coronavirus_lockdown

"Chaotic Situation": India Begins Lockdown of 1.3 Billion Residents as Coronavirus Pandemic Spreads
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-03-26
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads around the world, we look at India, which is now under the largest lockdown in human history, with 1.3 billion people ordered to shelter in place. As the country's economy and daily life come to an abrupt halt, hundreds of millions of Indians who live hand to mouth have been left without the means to support their families. We speak with Amitav Ghosh, whose books include "Gun Island" and "The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable."
www.democracynow.org/2020/3/26/amitav_ghosh_india_coronavirus_lockdown