The Briefing - 5/23/07: Global Carbon Emissions, Al Gore, and Invasive Species

Carbon emissions are increasing exponentially, Republican Governors are pestering the Bush Administration to do something, and we've got two Senators pushing for drilling in the Arctic. Sheesh.

MW

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The Briefing – 5/23/07
530 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Politics, Politicians, Elections, and Electoral Mayhem
The (supposedly) Presidential ’08 Crowd
- Giuliani: An abortion muddle?; Above the McCain-Romney fray;
- McCain: Assails Romney on immigration; Turns focus to fundraising
- Richardson: Kurtz wonders why no one is paying attention to him;
- Edwards: Discussing diplomacy and military policy; An easy mark?
- Gore: He’s got big plans; Even lucky enough to have Maureen Dowd pick on him
- Romney: He’ll bring a new approach;
- Clinton: She’s got Bill doing some fundraising
- Thompson, Fred: Signs point to a candidacy;
- Gingrich: Announcement coming soon
- Brownback: Wants to end US reliance on foreign oil by drilling in the Arctic and Canadian sands
- Obama: Ready to get specific on health care
Senatorial Shenanigans
- Oregon: Smith may get a challenger soon
Our Very Own House of Commons
- DCCC leader gets early jump on ’08
The Environment and Elections
Environmental Issues People Really Should Care about in the News
- Global carbon emissions in overdrive
o Response from Grist
- Border fence could imperil wildlife
- Governors Schwarzenegger and Rell to the EPA: Lead, or Step Aside
- How to win the energy war
- Harnessing methane, cutting waste… recycling carpet tiles
o An interview with the CEO on his green conversion… and here’s the video
- Returning to the land for fuel
- Money shuffle creating friction over Farm Bill
- Gov. Corzine (D-NJ) worrying environmentalists
- NY cab fleet to be green by 2012
- Sens. Rockefeller and Byrd: Coal and clean air aren’t incompatible
- Sen. Murkowski likes the whole drilling in the Arctic thing too
- Bill to honor Rachel Carson is held up in the Senate
- Happy 300th, Carl Linnaeus
…oh that pesky Blogosphere
- The Fix: Hillary and Women
- TPM: Edwards – “War on terror” is a bumper sticker slogan
- The Caucus: New ads from Dodd and Romney
- Taylor Marsh: A conversation with Al Gore
- The Lede: Sustainability for the rich and poor
- This is pretty neat
- Grist:
o Change the rules, change the future
o Is it alright to kill an invasive species?
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Great, now the saying “Who needs men anyway?” really has some weight
- Umm, I’m guessing the “side effect” would make the car ride home a tad uncomfortable
- Mars was once… wetter?
- Alright, why am I not on this list?
Quotes O’ the Day
“Humanity is acquiring all the right technology for all the wrong reasons.” ~ R. Buckminster Fuller

Daily Briefing - 4/30/07: IPCC III, Carbon Offsets, Debates, and Global Warming

Oh man, I'm terrible with getting this out!

MW

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Daily Briefing – 4/30/07
553 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Climate panel sees need for new steps
- Hammering out the details of IPCC III
o Eyeing the master plan
o U.S. and China criticize report
- About those offsets…
o Response from David Roberts at Grist
- Nuclear power is no answer
- A national security issue
- [California] acts quickly to cut greenhouse gases, but there’s more to do
- UN Chief backs Gore
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Vote only a prelude?
Potential ‘08ers…
- Clinton (her power pointer), Hagel (and his stand), Clinton again (how to deal with Obama), Obama (on his faith), Edwards (giving the people of California what they wanted last time), Obama again (reaches out to blacks in LA), Gore (makes a political hire), Thompson, Fred (getting support from Reaganites), McCain (not happy about his press treatment), Giuliani (clients taking luster from homeland security image), McCain again (do years = experience?), Obama again again (a bit of a stumble), Romney (a question of faith and politics), Giuliani (an interesting list of supporters), Edwards and Richardson (disagree over taxes),
- GOP: They want somebody to love
Other News from the Media
- Americans can’t handle the “inconvenience” of compact fluorescent bulbs
- Hope for a zero-pollution car
- Indian project shows that solar power is affordable
- Shark fin soup decimates marine ecosystems
…and the Blogosphere
- Open Congress: Now that Iraq is off their plat (for now) Congress looks ahead
- TomPaine: What global warming split?
- Instapundit: On CFLs and mercury
- Grist:
o Fighting Shell
o Climate change in the Dem debate
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Have you had a hug today?
- My question is, if they’re allowed to use Dance Dance Revolution how come we couldn’t use the PowerPad???
- Web 2.0… unhooked from the computer
- The Queen Mum comes to the States
- Interchange near Bay bridge in San Francisco melts
Quotes O’ the Day
"He offered strong support and commitment to work very closely with me, and I am going to fully use his very powerful political message to mobilize political will and thus enhance the awareness of the international community with this issue," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on Al Gore

Daily Briefing - 4/26/07

Happy birthday John James Audubon (and my sister)!

MW

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Daily Briefing – 4/26/07
557 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- McCain: Climate change is a security issue… and he ain’t one of those Hollywood people, either.
- Indian MPs urge their country to take action
- Well golly, looks like the folks at Ford are a bit more progressive than previously thought
- Frontline pounds both parties for inaction on global warming
- California’s global warming law is about to go from theory to practice
- Global warming comes to coal country
- Swindle movie makes a long catalog of fundamental and profound mistakes
- A new island?
- This thermostat goes to 11
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- House passes Iraq pullout timetable
- Proving Arnold wrong… democrats DO have muscles!
Potential ‘08ers…
- McCain (a second try), Obama (and his Nieburhian instincts), Giuliani (broadening his message on terrorism), McCain (Gonzales should resign), Romney (paying 2$ million for ad airtime), Gilmore (if a person announces their candidacy and nobody notices, does it make a sound?), Obama again (catching up to Clinton in polls), McCain (the honest republican?), Gore (Bloomberg supports him), Brownback (rescinds support for immigration bill), Clinton (breaking out the drawl?), Biden and Brownback (discussing plan B for Iraq)
Other News from the Media
- Hypocrisy at the Capitol? Noooo, never!
- Well we know carbon dioxide is bad news… but how about carbon monoxide?
- The Governator threatens the EPA
- Online publishers taking advantage of environmentalism. Great, being green will be played out any day now.
- Fish killing virus spreading in the Great Lakes
- Canadian environmental plan leaked
…and the Blogosphere
- Earth Portal, where scientists finally get their say!
- The Fix: The First Democratic Presidential Debate
- MYDD: National Democratic polling trends
- Grist:
o T.S. Munkhbayar and his fight against mining in Mongolia
o The Nation takes on climate change
o British Columbia joins WRCAI
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- One giant leap for Stephen Hawking
- Can we start buying real estate on it yet?
- Is this an insight into dogs’ political tendencies?
- Seriously, who throws… beans??
- Passed over AGAIN. That’s it, I’m holding a grudge.
Quotes O’ the Day : Two for the price of one today…
“In heaven all the interesting people are missing.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them.” ~ Albert Einstein

Daily Briefing - 4/3/07: EPA, China, Bush Administration, Columbian White-Tailed Deer, and Global Warming

The buzz grows over the impending release of the IPCC's second report, due out this Friday. It's been called "bleak," "a tearjerker," and references a "highway to extinction." As America's foremost conservation organization, we wait with baited breath.

MW

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Daily Briefing – 4/4/07
579 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Administration thinks they’re doing enough
- EPA revives California’s request to set tough emission standards
- Reports from the four fronts on warming
- Linfen, China: The frontline in the war on global warming
- IPCC: It’s been called a tearjerker
o The elimination of up to 30% of life forms
- Global warming happens, is it catastrophic?
- Christian Today: Climate change could be biggest disaster in human history, says WWF
- Gore urges engineers during San Jose visit
- Florida leaders hear of insurance, global warming woes
o Conversation urges conservation
- Australian fish being driven south
- Idaho: Valley residents challenged to stop global warming
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- President Bush fighting Democrats and doubts
- Speaker Pelosi goes to Syria
Potential ‘08ers…
- Romney (Mormon base a mixed blessing), Obama (reports $25 million in fundraising), McCain (revamps fundraising), Edwards (returns to Iowa), Obama again (facing a battle over Iraq war opposition), Obama again again (knows his way around a ballot), McCain (evangelicals bracing his immigration stance), Giuliani (tells Iowa voters to evaluate his record), Giuliani again (won’t commit to Iowa straw poll), Romney again (money in the bag, now works on name rec), Clinton (Iraq funding plan a thorny issue), Edwards again (crowd zeroes in on issues), Biden (Bush could be impeached, but that would be impractical), Richardson (goes to North Korea at the behest of the President), Giuliani again again (surmounts expectations in NH), Thompson, Fred (evangelical leader likes him)
- GOP protégés aim shots at each other
Other News from the Media
- Brother, can you spare a cup of coffee for Columbian white-tailed deer? Do note the quote from NWF’s very own Corry Westbrook.
- British captives to be freed
- An arid west no longer waits for rain
- Loss of coral may cause food supply crisis
- Court overturns Duke clean air law ruling
- Electranet could see the light of day
…and the Blogosphere
- RCP: New polls from CA, IA, and NH
- MYDD: New Hampshire poll
- TPM: “Moderate” GOP senators will bail on Iraq if progress isn’t obvious by late summer
- PeakEnergy: Bright green building and dark green buildings
- TomPaine: Overwhelmed by climate
- Grist:
o Automaker suit against California may be dismissed by tomorrow
o Is coal running out too?
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Labor union v. Starbucks. Over what you ask? Piercings.
- Mayor Rocky Anderson v. Chain stores
- Umm, is that why he looks the way he does?
- MySpace to hold presidential primary… It better not be on February 5th or I will, like, totally be angry.
Quotes O’ the Day
“There is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the labor of thinking.” ~ Thomas A. Edison

Daily Briefing - 4/3/07: More Supreme Court, IPCC, Spies, Campaign Money and Global Warming

The media is focused on the Supreme Court decision dropped yesterday with roughly EVERY major outlet publishing a story about it. As a whole the reaction is quite positive, most legal analysis seems to see the decision as solid, if not a change in course of the Court's view of standing in the environmental cases. Don't take my word for it, check out the plethora of articles below.

MW

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Daily Briefing – 4/3/07
580 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Lots more on the Supreme Court decision
o From NYT, WSJ, Canada National Post, LA Times, NPR, SF Chronicle, KC Star, WashPost, Legal Times, USA Today
o Emissions law could still face hurdles
o A simple explanation of the ruling from Grist
o White House response
§ Grist: Bush v. Everyone Else
- The second IPCC report cometh…
o Tropical losers, northern winners?
o They’re even talking about it in Turkey
- U.S. spies urged to assess global warming
- Citing Al Gore, federal judge allows global warming lawsuit to advance
- U.S. and Australia holdouts… it doesn’t work in the NFL, why would it work with this?
o U.S. hampering efforts
- The FACE of global warming (GO BU!)
- Bangladesh warns region must act
- Impact on Florida discussed today
- Gore wins praise from head of Nobel committee
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Reid may move to cut war funding
- Gonzalez prepares to face down the Senate
Potential ‘08ers…
- Romney (big time money numbers), Obama (on global warming and cap and trade), McCain (hmm, some dissenting views on the Senators visit to Iraq), Tancredo (as immigrants tremble everywhere, he’s in), Clinton (backs public campaign funding), Clinton again (gets endorsement from Gov. Corzine), Clinton again again (heads to Iowa), Edwards (Elizabeth: This is what I wanted to do), Giuliani (big money month), Giuliani again (heads to Iowa), McCain again (money troubles), Obama again (anticipated most of the problems in Iraq… so he says), Obama again again (built donor network from roots up), Biden (surprisingly still around)
- Nine candidates agree to GOP debate
Other News from the Media
- Busy hurricane season forecast
- Solar power going mainstream?
- Nationalism may weaken big oil
…and the Blogosphere
- Here’s a nifty little site that tracks news coming out of each campaigns headquarters
- The Fix: Wowed by Mitt
- National Review: Hot Times in the High Court
- RedState: On the Fred Thompson boomlet
- DailyKos: A few lessons for the traditional media
- SCOTUSblog: On the global warming decision
- Grist:
o Carbon tax catching on?
o An interview with David James Duncan, author and fly-fisherman
o CO2 low hanging fruit
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Title factory? Jeez, do Florida fans need any more to gloat about? Nonetheless, congrats to my brethren of Gator persuasion.
- Sydney Pollack to direct film about the 2000 recount… I’m guessing it’ll seem like a sequel to Tootsie.
- What do you get when you combine Scary Spice and Eddie Murphy?... Uhh, I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
- French train hits 357mph
- Wow, they really are beaming him up!
- Yet another reason why Google is the coolest company around
Quotes O’ the Day
“I never met anybody who said when they were a kid, "I wanna grow up and be a critic."” ~ Richard Pryor

Daily Briefing - 3/27/07: 83% of Americans, India, Local Climates, and Global Warming

83% OF AMERICANS...

What percentage of our politicians?

MW

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Daily Briefing – 3/27/07
587 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Scientific American: 83% of Americans say global warming is a serious problem
- British economists: India must mitigate climate change
- Driving the message
- Heat invades cool nights over Arizona desert
- Top EU energy official comes to Washington
- Local climates at risk… may create novel climates or eliminate some altogether
- U.S. magazines going green
- A rush for riches in the Arctic
- Laurie David and Sheryl Crow hit the road on the Stop Global Warming College Tour
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Tony Snow’s cancer has returned
- Webb aide mistakenly tries to take gun into Senate building
- Republicans soften stance on pullout message
- Poll backs Attorney General investigation
Potential ‘08ers…
- Obama (his back story), Clinton (cultivating the military), Giuliani (wooing anti-Hillary crowd), Clinton again (takes on White House), Edwards (Elizabeth is buoyed by supporters), Edwards again (gains support as he remains in the race), Romney Paying off students), Romney and McCain (touring Texas), Thompson, Fred (gaining support in the House), McCain (traveling through SC)
Other News from the Media
- You, too, can be a banker to the poor
- Taking green up a notch
- Mr. Puck’s good idea
- Global boom in coal power… and emissions
…and the Blogosphere
- The Fix: The Case Against Fred Thompson
- The Caucus: Couric criticized for Edwards interview
- Huffington Post: Science for Sale
- MYDD: As Dems’ Senate field expands, GOP admits concern
- The Man in Seat 61: Traveling without flying
- Tell your clean energy story, get in Rep. Jay Inslee’s book!
- Grist:
o Investing in wind
o As farms succumb to chemical factories, bullets fly
o Conservatives and global warming
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Cool, robot worms
- Rudy gets shunned by Mets fans
- A solar powered Wii
Quotes O’ the Day
"The planet has a fever. If your baby has a fever, you go to the doctor. If the doctor says you need to intervene here, you don't say 'Well, I read a science-fiction novel that told me it's not a problem.' If the crib's on fire, you don't speculate that the baby is flame-retardant. You take action.” ~ Al Gore, during Congressional testimony

Daily Briefing - 3/26/07: China, John Edwards, Prince Harry and Global Warming

As a conservationist who obviously cares greatly about the environment an how our country tends to it, I am quite glad Sen. John Edwards has stayed in the race. His contributions to bringing global warming to the forefront of the campaign have been fantastic, and I hope he continues to make it a major part of his campaign (which I fully expect -- just notice his expected attendance at a global warming forum), and the other candidates will follow suit!

MW

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Daily Briefing – 3/26/07
588 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- China, Norway, and UN ink deal
- John Edwards in S.F. for global warming forum
- Sen. McConnell (R-KY) blocks Live Earth concert from being staged on Capitol grounds
- Why the right goes nuclear over global warming
o Chris Mooney offers some ideas as well
- Investors call for government action
- Becoming an issue in NH
- VT lawmakers are grappling with climate change
- Spurring a race for Northwest Passage
- Birds are having trouble adapting
- Artificial turf causes global warming
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Bob Novak: A President all alone
- Paul Krugman: The emerging Republican minority
- GOP senators lug weight of war into ‘80
- A fresh face vows to revive GOP
- Jim Webb (D-VA) is on the warpath
Potential ‘08ers…
- Gingrich (his reading list), Edwards (rejecting the sympathy vote), Edwards again (candor from the campaign), McCain (says they won’t meet fundraising goals), Romney (says don’t believe the hype about McCain), Romney again (pander, pander, pander), Hagel (still pondering), Clinton (can no longer safely depend on black, female voters), Bloomberg (eyeing ’08), Obama (hits South Florida), Obama again (does he fit with blue collars?), Giuliani (drag story could ruffle right wing)
- Elizabeth Edwards: Political Wife
- Democratic candidates on health care
- SC may move up its primary
Other News from the Media
- Book review: This Moment on Earth, by John and Teresa Heinz Kerry
- Time Magazine changes cover story about Afghanistan only for America
- NYPD spied broadly before GOP convention
…and the Blogosphere
- Huffington Post: GM switches gears on climate change
- MYDD: Interview with Bill Richardson
- Grist:
o An interview with the director of Appalachian Voices
o Carbon trading v. carbon taxes
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Washington D.C.: A hub of knowledge workers attractive to many businesses
- So you picked the final four? Join the club (sadly, I’m not included in this club)
- Prince Harry stumbles spectacularly into the gutter
- Julia Roberts, going green
- Greenpeace is shifting to the music biz
Quotes O’ the Day
“Never answer a critic, unless he's right.” ~ Bernard M. Baruch

Daily Briefing - 3/23/07: Cow Burps, Markets, Voting Rights (or lack thereof), and Global Warming

As Chair(wo)man Boxer says, "Elections have consequences."

MW

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Daily Briefing – 3/23/07
591 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Pill stops cow burps, saves the planet
- New system tracks atmospheric CO2
- Response: Markets or Taxes?
- Waxman introduces Safe Climate Act
- More on Al Gore
o He did better than his critics, says Chris Mooney
- Giving nuclear power a boost?
o Some rethinking opposition
- Four in five Canadians believe global warming is occurring
- Sea change in public attitudes
- Global warming may be bad for asthma sufferers
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION: Foiled by the gun lobby
o Thwarted
- Dems pass a timetable for Iraq
o Bush threatens a veto
- More machinations in the Justice Department
- A national security letter gag order
- Ronald Brownstein: Who’s watching the President
- Cabinet official pleads guilty in Abramoff case
Potential ‘08ers…
- Clinton (endorsed by Vilsack), Obama (talking to his old classmates), Romney (luring students with money), Clinton again (she’s got Bill spinning), Giuliani (the Log Cabins like him the best), Giuliani again (changing his tune on gun control), Edwards (choosing to live), Hunter (friends with American Spectator),
- Vegas union wants a say
- Ahnuld takes it to the candidates
Other News from the Media
- The year without toilet paper
- Gates gives $122 million for DC scholarships
- Reaction to grizzly bear delisting
…and the Blogosphere
- Firedoglake: Elections have consequences
- DCist: Meet your new Representative
- DailyKos: Public Opinion on Global Warming
- The Fix: Ranking the GOP Presidential Candidates
- National Review: Isakson-McCain ‘07
- Thoughts from the man himself, Al Gore
- Grist:
o An interview with Rep. Ed Markey
o Big climate week in DC
o Why aren’t more farmers producing organic food?
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Conclusive proof: Vampires do not exist
- Tom Delay didn’t read his own book
- Google staff get free bicycles
Quotes O’ the Day
“Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.” ~ George Carlin

Daily Briefing - 3/22/07: Al Gore, Congress, Honeymoons, and Global Warming

It's already been established but it was wholely strengthened yesterday... Senator Inhofe is off his rocker.

MW

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Daily Briefing – 3/22/07
592 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Al Gore gets top billing
o Planetary Emergency, Wonking out, A star, Turning up the heat, A crusade, and Warming up to Gore
o A write-up from David Roberts at Grist
- Gregg Easterbrook: Who wins, who loses?
- Bill McKibben: Global warming can’t buy happiness
- Lobbyists building momentum
- Utility chiefs wary of emission limits
- Activists stirring Americans to change
- Czech leader fights the so-called religion
- Cereal fields in China produce less due to global warming
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- After honeymoon, the fight
- A 16-day gap in emails between DOJ and White House
- Constitutional showdown nears
- Mayor Rocky Anderson: An opponent of the culture of obedience
- Fox News viewers supported George Bush over John Kerry by 88 percent to 7 percent. No demographic segment, other than Republicans, was as united in supporting Bush.
Potential ‘08ers…
- Edwards (wife’s cancer returns, will continue his bid), Gingrich (sure is raking in the cash), Brownback (Iowa strategy), Gingrich again (talks about the 08 race… again), Edwards (America must cut emissions), Clinton (challenges Obama), Obama (defends himself), McCain (partnership with Kennedy faltering)
- Oy vey, super-duper Tuesday
- New poll from Quinnipiac
Other News from the Media
- Deal expands wildlife habitat near Yellowstone, thanks to NWF
- Unite, plan to save outdoors
…and the Blogosphere
- ThinkProgress: Senator Boxer gives Sen. Inhofe a bit of a smackdown
- Grist:
o On Al Gore’s day on Capitol Hill
o Peeing in the shower… does it save water?
o Green jobs for low income workers
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- D.C.: No longer Hollywood for ugly people?
- President, serial killer… who can tell the difference?
- “Paypal me your lunch money, or I’ll spam your email box!”
- Jurassic crocodile unearthed
- Justin Timberlake: But I dowanna be the king of pop!!!
Quotes O’ the Day
"Rin Tin Tin was a movie star. I just have a slideshow." ~ Al Gore