The higher the number, the greater the government’s justification for compelling polluters to reduce the emissions that are dangerously heating the planet. During the Obama administration, White House economists calculated the social cost of carbon at $42 a ton. The Trump administration lowered it to less than $5 a ton. Under...
Yet such fantasies are now the common currency of politics on the American right. Remember the days when pundits solemnly declared that Trumpism was caused by economic anxiety? Well, despite a booming economy, there’s still plenty of justified anxiety out there, reflecting many people’s real struggles: America is still a...
Their idea was to tie approval of military assistance to Ukraine to tough border security demands that Democrats would never accept, allowing Republicans to block the money for Kyiv that many of them oppose while simultaneously enabling them to pound Democrats for refusing to halt a surge of migrants at the border. It was to be...
While headlines tend to focus on falling clearance rates in large liberal cities, the decline occurred nationwide in both red and blue cities, counties and states. The violent crime clearance rate, for example, fell considerably between 2019 to 2022 in big cities, which tend to be led by Democrats, as well as in small cities and...
The article doesn’t go into it, but a key advantage they have is that heat pumps move heat, rather then trying to generate it. So they can move a lot more heat into your house than would be generated by running the electricity they use through a resistor. This makes them effectively more than 100% efficient (the exact amount...
In particular, know how to identify the common and deadly species (eg: much of the genus Amanita) yourself, and get multiple trustworthy field guides for your part of the world.
Black and white cartoon. Left panel: a group blocks a road with a banner reading “No new oil | so there’s a liveable planet for our children.” Right panel: A boardroom, with members of the board raising their hands. In front of them is a chart showing planned oil extraction going well above a dashed line marked "Level...
Sea levels are starting to rise faster. Here’s how much South Florida is expecting (www.miamiherald.com)
Archived copies of the article: web.archive.org archive.today ghostarchive.org
Biden Administration raises social cost of carbon (used in regulatory decisions) from $51/ton to $190/ton (www.nytimes.com)
The higher the number, the greater the government’s justification for compelling polluters to reduce the emissions that are dangerously heating the planet. During the Obama administration, White House economists calculated the social cost of carbon at $42 a ton. The Trump administration lowered it to less than $5 a ton. Under...
Joe Biden just did the rarest thing in US politics: he stood up to the oil industry; The Biden administration suspended new permits for natural gas terminals. Can we see more of this kind of backbone? (www.theguardian.com)
MAGA Is Based on Fear, Not Grounded in Reality (www.nytimes.com)
Yet such fantasies are now the common currency of politics on the American right. Remember the days when pundits solemnly declared that Trumpism was caused by economic anxiety? Well, despite a booming economy, there’s still plenty of justified anxiety out there, reflecting many people’s real struggles: America is still a...
Dutch police have detained activist Greta Thunberg at a climate demonstration in The Hague (apnews.com)
Biden’s green energy law is turning out to be huge (finance.yahoo.com)
On the Border, Republicans Set a Trap, Then Fell Into It (www.nytimes.com)
Their idea was to tie approval of military assistance to Ukraine to tough border security demands that Democrats would never accept, allowing Republicans to block the money for Kyiv that many of them oppose while simultaneously enabling them to pound Democrats for refusing to halt a surge of migrants at the border. It was to be...
Microsoft Word’s Subtle Typeface Change Affected Millions. Did You Notice? (www.nytimes.com)
An Early Warning That Policing May Be in Decline | Police departments across the country are solving far fewer crimes than they did before 2020. (www.nytimes.com)
While headlines tend to focus on falling clearance rates in large liberal cities, the decline occurred nationwide in both red and blue cities, counties and states. The violent crime clearance rate, for example, fell considerably between 2019 to 2022 in big cities, which tend to be led by Democrats, as well as in small cities and...
US Homes Face Costly Retrofits for Induction Stoves, EV Chargers | New homes in the US may not be “electrical ready” after an international standards agency excluded building electrification measures (www.bloomberg.com)
Yes, heat pumps slash emissions even if powered by a dirty grid | Installing a heat pump now is better for the climate, even on U.S. electricity generated mostly by fossil fuels. Here’s why (www.canarymedia.com)
The article doesn’t go into it, but a key advantage they have is that heat pumps move heat, rather then trying to generate it. So they can move a lot more heat into your house than would be generated by running the electricity they use through a resistor. This makes them effectively more than 100% efficient (the exact amount...
Your Car Is Tracking You. Abusive Partners May Be, Too. (www.nytimes.com)
She stopped responding to him, she said, even though he texted and called her hundreds of times....
Florida Senate passes bill banning local heat protections for workers (thehill.com)
Using AI to spot edible mushrooms could kill you | AI tools are good for some things, but don’t trust your health to apps that make frequent mistakes (wapo.st)
In particular, know how to identify the common and deadly species (eg: much of the genus Amanita) yourself, and get multiple trustworthy field guides for your part of the world.
Climate Change Made an Early Heat Wave in West Africa 10 Times as Likely (www.nytimes.com)
Jane Goodall Says 2024 is the ‘Most Consequential Voting Year’ | “Every vote matters, more this year than perhaps any time in history.” (messaging-custom-newsletters.nytimes.com)
Title comes from the article version of this newsletter; the content is the same, but the newsletter version isn’t paywalled.
Gov. Tony Evers signs new election maps, ending Wisconsin Republicans' grip on legislative power (www.jsonline.com)
Inside the Republican Attacks on Electric Vehicles (www.nytimes.com)
Big cars are dead weight dragging down climate policy (ketanjoshi.co)
If artificial intelligence uses your work, it should pay you (wapo.st)
Replacing a gas boiler in the UK with a new heat pump would cut emissions by 77-86% (slrpnk.net)
From a broader fact check about heat pumps
This is how big one tonne of CO2 is (slrpnk.net)
Image from this LinkedIn post
Climate extremists (davewalker.com)
Black and white cartoon. Left panel: a group blocks a road with a banner reading “No new oil | so there’s a liveable planet for our children.” Right panel: A boardroom, with members of the board raising their hands. In front of them is a chart showing planned oil extraction going well above a dashed line marked "Level...
The Supreme Court effectively abolishes the right to mass protest in three US states | It is no longer safe to organize a protest in Louisiana, Mississippi, or Texas. (www.vox.com)
Live Updates: Trump Held in Contempt Again as His Criminal Trial Speeds Along (www.nytimes.com)
Washington Post coverage for comparison