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 - 3/20/07: Censorship and Climate Change Politics... Oh how we love the Bush Administration

This is an uber-late post, but it's a good one and will have to last you until Wednesday ebcause the briefing will be off tomorrow. You can try and cope by following the two hearings Vice President Gore will be testifying at here and here.

Enjoy!

MW

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Daily Briefing – 3/20/07
594 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Material shows weakening of climate reports by Bush Administration
o Congressional hearing heats up over changes to reports
o Chris Mooney sounds off on this and the vindication of James Hansen
o David Robert from Grist liveblogged the hearing
- Global warming panel makeup questioned
- Utility and Sierra Club deal aims to cut carbon dioxide
- The Independent Review of the Year: Global Warming
- Climate change concerns everyone, Jerome Ringo tells students
- Lightning and climate change
- Politico: The new climate change politics
o Politico now has a focus site all on global warming, yay!
- Grist: Al Gore to testify tomorrow
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- White House voices support for Gonzalez
o Senate limits Gonzales’ hiring authority
- Prominent conservatives launch effort to restore civil liberties under assault by executive branch
- Christian right at a crossroads
Potential ‘08ers…
- Clinton v. Obama (oh baby, it’s getting heated), Romney (pandering gone bad: commie phrase sparks rage), McCain (may be changing his tune on immigration), Obama (unofficially smacking Hillary down via YouTube), Edwards (I’m a frontrunner!!!!!!!), Obama again (record shows caution, nuance on Iraq), Brownback (welcome back), Gore (can he let it rip?), Thompson, Fred (got some support in Iowa),
Other News from the Media
- Bush Administration reinterprets endangered species law
- Environmental injustice in Tennessee
- Scientists find the beginnings of morality in primates
- Mine blast kills over 100 in Russia
…and the Blogosphere
- MYDD: Gore nears half a million signees
- Grist:
o The venerable David Tucker asks about organic alcohol
o Outside magazine sure likes Grist
o Answering Drudge
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Millions of Americans may have been overcharged on student loans
- Washington, D.C…. war zone for a day
- Frisbee sized snowflakes?
- Fox News, fair and… not relevant
- Leo takes on peace in the Middle East
Quotes O’ the Day
“There is always more misery among the lower classes than there is humanity in the higher.” ~ Victor Hugo

Daily Briefing - 3/8/07: Wildlife, Censorship, Insurance, and Global Warming

In yet another sad example of global warming censorship for this Administration, the New York Times has revealed that wildlife officials associated with the Alaskan branch of the US Fish and Wildlife Service have been told not to speak about climate change, polar bears, or sea life when travelling. Its the lead article in the global warming section today.

MW

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Daily Briefing – 3/8/07
606 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Wildlife officials told not to discuss climate change or polar bears
- Taking climate legislation to the Hill
- Swiss Re: Insurance losses to rise with global warming
- Montreal protocol, the lesser known predecessor to Kyoto, is slowing warming
- Atlantic: Who wins and who loses?
- Chancellor Merkel urging EU to lead
- Changing consumer habits one foot at a time
- A coal executive with a cleanup mission
- Raleigh to host talks
- A magnet for investor money
- Car makers… bad sports or old fossil fools?
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- The immigration minefield
- House Dems seek 2008 Iraq withdrawal
Potential ‘08ers…
- Hagel (will announce plans on Monday), Edwards (to skip debate hosted by Fox), Giuliani (may be too much of a “New Yorker”… as a NYer, I say bollocks to that!), Obama (says investments presented no conflicts of interest), Obama again (NYers begging to go to his event), Richardson (defending character issues), Romney (betting on tax cuts), Huckabee (picking up staffers in NH)
- Think its hard to run as a Senator, how about as a Member of the House?
- George Will: Sees three good options for conservatives
Other News from the Media
- New York Times has a special green business section
- Bank of America’s money is getting greener
- Vermont wants to become the silicon valley of the green industry
- How green is nuclear power?
…and the Blogosphere
- Andrew Sullivan on Ann Coulter and the denigration of homosexuals
- MYDD: A party switch???
- Oh the glory of city living
- Rev. Jim Wallis responds to James Dobson and his global warming denials
- TomPaine: Not a fan of carbon offsets
- Grist:
o On Sports Illustrated’s coverage of global warming
o Landfills v. incinerators
o A chat with An Inconvenient Truth co-producer Lawrence Bender
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Sorry ladies, looks like Prince William is off the market
- In a battle of diets, Atkins wins
- Wikipedia to seek proof of credentials
- Goodness gracious, Captain America died!!!!
Quotes O’ the Day
“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.” ~Philip K. Dick