Daily Briefing - 5/3/07: The Top Culprit, Honeybees, Nature Deficit, and Global Warming

Woohoo, a great step forward with the passage of the Honda amendment to the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2007!

MW

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Daily Briefing – 5/3/07
550 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- WWF: US the top culprit of global warming
- UN talks down to the wire on IPCC III
o Green lobby pushes for renewable energy
o UN names special envoys
- Arctic melting, well ahead of schedule
- Feeling warmth, subtropical plants move north
- Targeting rice?
- Fighting global warming is a win-win for health problems
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Democrats back down on timetable
- George Will: The road to a GOP House
Potential ‘08ers…
- Obama (reaching out with tough love), Obama again (a MySpace skirmish), Giuliani (which one will show up tonight), Dodd (smacks Edwards), McCain (its good to be alive), Thompson, Fred (actor, politician…), Giuliani again (seeking cash in silicon valley), Hunter (confidence bolstered by straw polls), Bloomberg (is his improving Spanish skills a telling sign?)
- GOP contenders grapple with answering questions about President Bush
- Florida Dems having second thoughts on early primary
Other News from the Media
- Honeybee die off threatens US food supply
- Some are still pushing coal
- More and more American cities are opting for car-free
- NWF’s very own Dave Stallings is getting some press out in Montana
- Oil reliance strains military
…and the Blogosphere
- Treehugger: Battling Nature Deficit Disorder
- The Fix: Senate recruiting
- The Caucus: The GOP debates tonight
- Grist:
o Haste makes waste
o Taking the fund out of superfund
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Want to live a long time? Eat less.
- You think you’ve had a bad day? This guy had a bad day.
- Oh man, a recycling game!!!
- I guess Rudy doesn’t like ferrets…
- _____ uses derogatory names once every seven seconds. Take a guess.
- Snubbed AGAIN. One of these days I will be noticed… one of these days, sigh.
- Mac vs. PC? No, this is Marvel vs. DC.
- This section is getting long, but how could I not include this?
Quotes O’ the Day
“To be great is to be misunderstood.” Ralph Waldo Emerson… Is this why everybody looks at with puzzlement?

Daily Briefing - 4/16/07: Step It Up, National Security, Thomas Friedman, Narwhals, and Global Warming

Thanks to everyone who went out and participated in a Step It Up event this past Saturday!

MW

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Daily Briefing – 4/16/07
567 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Global warming called security threat for second time this month
o Could spur conflicts
- Climate change scenarios scare, motivate kids
- Enlisting the help of narwhals
- Paying to absolve the sin of emissions
- KPMG shifts to neutral
- Washington on verge of passing law that limits emissions
- Can we change our lives to save the planet
- The latest research and politics: A discussion with Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin
Step It Up: Bill McKibben says we sure did step it up
o Hundreds rally in Montpelier
o Bay Area residents step it up
o In Chicago, MCC leads the rally and crying for green living at Daley Plaza
o Rallying the masses in Philadelphia
o Hudson Valley residents stage rally
o 200 rally at Naples pier
o Rallying in Austin and at the Alamo
o Mapping out the future coastline in Manhattan
o Marching in Seattle
o Hundreds in Boston join protest
o Rep. Yarmuth joins rally in Louisville
o Folks in Rapid City turned out
o And a whole lot more…
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Conservatives to Bush: Fire Gonzalez
- Webb: McCain impugning patriotism of Iraq foes
- Bush drops two controversial nominees for environmental posts
- Congressional junkets picking up steam
Potential ‘08ers…
- Clinton (she’s got the most in the bank), Obama (donors linked to Clinton are switching), Richardson (goes to Texas, brings tornado with him), Giuliani (to speak at Rev. Pat’s U… and plans to say some interesting things on abortion), Edwards (touting Southern roots), Giuliani again (will dress drag down campaign?), McCain (will pledge to overhaul tax code), Obama again (2,000 come to hear him speak), Romney (secures strong start in Iowa),
- Only a nerd like me would this interactive map of donors to be really cool
- Candidates still take cues from their base
Other News from the Media
- Thomas Friedman and The Power of Green
- Residents of New Orleans are seeing MASSIVE increase in their insurance premiums
- Russia tries to save polar bears with legal hunt
- California adopts first phase of ocean preserves
- Financially, solar power for the home is a tough sell
- Are mobile phones wiping out our bees?
- Shoddy cleanup at Ford superfund site
…and the Blogosphere
- Reason: Critics looking to lower the drinking age
- The Fix: The money race
- DailyKos: Give Josh Marshall the Pulitzer
- TPM: Rangel-Flake looking to change America’s Cuba policy
- Huffington Post: Oil and the eclipse of the American century
- Ecotality: Does solar make economic sense?
- Grist:
o Step It Up!
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Honoring Jackie Robinson’s achievement and carrying on his legacy
- Survey: The most knowledgeable Americans watch Daily Show and Colbert Report, read newspapers… least knowledgeable, Fox News viewers
Quotes O’ the Day
“Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless.” ~ Thomas A. Edison (I’d like to think that “something” could also be referred to as a politician.)

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 - 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

ADVISORY: Bush Administration’s Stealth Attack on Endangered Wildlife

Policy Change Will Hurt Endangered Species by Denying Endangered Species Act Protections

Restoration of the Gray Wolf in the West Would Never Have Happened if this New Policy Had Been in Place at the Time of Listing

With no notice or opportunity for the American public to comment, the Bush Administration released a new policy on March 16, 2007, on how to decide whether a plant or animal is “threatened” or “endangered” and therefore deserving of protection under the Endangered Species Act.

At issue are the Act’s definitions of threatened and endangered, which require that a species must be at risk in a “significant portion of its range” before warranting Endangered Species Act protection. Departing from decades of common-sense and science-based practice, the Administration has reinterpreted this term as follows:

· According to the Administration, species must now decline to the point where all populations of a species are headed toward extinction before the entire species can be listed as endangered. This is contrary to the precautionary principles of conservation biology, which calls for taking early action to protect at-risk species.

· In the typical situation – where only a subset of the populations of an at-risk species have begun to decline – the Administration will only protect that subset. This not only violates conservation biology principles, it is also contrary to the Endangered Species Act, which states that species, subspecies and distinct populations of vertebrates shall receive protection, not subsets of these taxa.

· The Administration will focus on the habitat where the species currently resides, and not its historic range, in deciding the necessity for Endangered Species Act protection and the scope of such protection. Thus, if a species has been reduced to a single population in mere 1 percent of its historic range, the Administration will focus solely on whether the remaining population warrants protection and not consider restoration opportunities in the species’ former habitat.

This new policy – released without the benefit of any input from the scientific community or other experts – appears designed to help the Administration survive legal challenges to its highly controversial decisions to deny or remove Endangered Species Act protection from at-risk wildlife. Some of America’s most important conservation success stories, such as the restoration of the gray wolf to the Northern Rockies and New Mexico, would probably never have happened under this policy. At the time of gray wolf listing, the only occupied range was in Minnesota, and thus it would not have been listed anywhere in the West.

The National Wildlife Federation calls upon the Administration to withdraw this new policy and to allow for scientific and public input in any future efforts to alter this cornerstone conservation law.