Daily Briefing - 1/25/07

Skepticism and hope from around the country and the world about the U.S. finally addressing global warming in a serious manner. One wonder what is taking so long, as a recent poll shows that 70% of Americans believe it to be a serious problem in need of addressing. Hey, at least the Super Bowl will be carbon-neutral. Maybe that will help me ignore that horrendous John Mellencamp song.

On to the briefing!

MW

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Daily Briefing – 1/25/07
648 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- The Economist: Green America, Waking Up and Catching Up
- NYT editorial: Energy Rhetoric, and Reality
- U.N. climate panel to blame humans for global warming
o Raising the seas for 1,000 years
- Scientific American: Climate change fanning conflict and terrorism
o A hotter world promises to be an incubator for violence and danger
- New Statesman: No time to lose
- 70% of Americans think global warming is a problem that is causing serious impact
- Muslim News: Climate change is killing Africa and we are to blame
- Bush welcomed to the debate
- Global warming in 60 minutes. 1,000 volunteers spread the word
- Pelosi and Dingell set aside differences at DC Auto Show
- School bans Oscar nominated film
- A lesson in lexicography: Global warming or climate change?
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Jim Webb, speaking his mind… something politicians are not too familiar with
- David Broder: Senate Firefighters, forging ahead to bipartisanship
- Now we can know every time Senator Tester meets with Jack Abramoff
- Biofuels research draws Bush to Delaware
o Also from Boston Globe
- Bush orders federal government to buy hybrid powered vehicles
- Those feisty freshmen aren’t worried about losing their majority
Potential ‘08ers…
- Obama (Appeal to blacks remains in question), Kerry (not running), Hunter (makes it official), Gore (Rolling Stone wants him to run), Obama again (calling for universal health care), Gingrich (keeping himself in the spotlight), Gingrich again (…and pushing for English to become our official language), Clinton (a busy morning), Pataki (leaves NH), Cox (I’m sorry, who?)
Other News from the Media
- Ethanol industry gets a boost
- Energy on a shoestring
- The Super Bowl will be carbon neutral, although some passes from Rex Grossman may be considered “pollution”
- Mercury found in all fish tested in the West
…and the Blogosphere
- TomPaine: Stop freedom-frying the planet
- The Fix: Winners and losers of the Kerry drop-out
- RedState on GOP and the press
- Pipeline: The state of our energy policy
- Crazy ideas at Huffington Post: Fighting poverty AND climate change
- Grist:
o British supermarkets going green
o Lifecycle Building Challenge
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Oh our crazy, old Senators
- On gay sheep and bad publicity
Quotes O’ the Day
“It's so simple. Most people who couldn’t afford health insurance also are too poor to owe taxes. But...if you give them a deduction from their taxes they don’t owe, they can use the money they're not getting back from what they haven't given to buy the health care they can't afford.” ~Stephen Colbert