Daily Briefing - 4/20/07: Gardeners, Voting Rights, and Global Warming

WRDA passes the House... with a great amendment. On to the Senate...

MW

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily Briefing – 4/20/07
563 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- National Wildlife Federation:
o Gardeners can play an important role
o Colleges leading the way
- One-third of Americans see global warming as world’s top environmental threat
- Senator Boxer sees action on legislation
o She also introduced a website to help consumers
- Could global warming cause war?
- Consumer Reports global solutions center launches a website
o Greener Choices
- UN Security Council debates climate change over protests from developing countries
- Bird species being put in danger
- New York creates Office of Climate Change
- India asks nations to cut greenhouse gases
- Global Corporations need to fight climate change
- Canadian Environment Minister: Cost of Kyoto is recession
Water Resources Development Act
- House passes WRDA
o Including a very important amendment from Reps. Blumenauer, Welch and Petri
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
- Senators chastise Attorney General Gonzalez at hearing
o He’s on a very hot seat… or, as The Economist says, under fire
- Senate Majority Leader Reid: Iraq war is lost
- Supreme Court abortion ruling is a turning a point
- Heavily investigated, Rep. Doolittle steps down from appropriations committee
- ANOTHER Congressman gets raided by the FBI
Potential ‘08ers…
- Richardson (will start airing ads in Iowa), Obama (pushes carbon reductions in car fuel), Obama again (money is talking to him), Brownback(early success is key), Gore (Bill Clinton says he may enter), Clinton (pressure bruises fundraising), Clinton again (to speak at Rutgers), Edwards (Beverly Hills style), Edwards again (Trippi joins the ranks), Giuliani (nation learned from Oklahoma City), McCain (critics should “get a life”), Obama again again (with Gov. Patrick a kindred spirit), Romney (the Connally of ’08?), Romney (dominates MI fundraising)
- Bill Clinton’s thoughts
Other News from the Media
- Why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways? The answer is bad semantics. The real question is why is it more environmentally destructive to park than to drive?
- How green cleaners measure up
- Effort to save endangered crops gets a boost
- On advertising solar energy systems
- Well, at least Nissan is listening to consumers
- UN lauds Gore
- Wild Sky Wilderness Act clears big hurdle
- Air Force embraces solar power
- Coke goes green
…and the Blogosphere
- The Fix: The ’08 Presidential Line
- Yahoo: Going carbon neutral
- DailyKos: Dem Cattle Call
- RCP: McCain… the comeback kid?
- WorldChanging: Make this Earth Day our last
- Grist:
o Bush v. Clinton on climate change
o One giant step for greenkind
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- MySpace news? Like, oh my god!
- Whoa, weird.
- Uggh, gross. Three things that should never be spoken about together… Trump, Rosie and S&M.
- Gambling addicts take note
Quotes O’ the Day
"My hope is we can bring a bill out of [committee] before the summer recess so that it will be ready for floor action sometime in September," ~ Senator Joe Lieberman

Daily Briefing - 4/18/07: WRDA, UN Security Council, Chimps, and Global Warming

WRDA heads to the floor...

MW

-----------------------------------------------------------
Daily Briefing – 4/18/07
565 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- UN Security Council hits impasse over debate on global warming
- Read this carefully: The increase in greenhouse gas emissions have slowly begun to decrease
o U.S. greenhouse gases increased over the last 15 years
- The Guardian: There is no doubt that global warming is a security threat to us all
- Side effect of global warming, thanks to wind shears, might weaken hurricanes
- Sen. Bernie Sanders: We Must Act Now
- Sen. Joe Lieberman sets timeline for climate bill
- NJ Senate panel looks at ways to cut emissions
- Bad, bad pun à An Inconvenient Tooth: Food is a major contributor
- Put the market to work
- Africa warned on climate change
Water Resources Development Act
- WRDA heads to the House floor
- Dallas Morning News: Our Future is on the Line
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- U.S. House readies for vote on D.C. seat
- Supreme Court upholds partial birth abortion ban
- Senate ethics Committee is looking into Sen. Domenci’s dealings in the AG kerfuffle
- Barney’s not so radical
Potential ‘08ers…
- Obama (Tom Friedman is impressed by him), Clinton (using some pork in her presidential push), Obama again (big army), Edwards (lots of funding from lawyers), Clinton again (gets endorsement from anti-war Congressman), Tancredo (can’t we wait a little while to split hairs to make political points??? UGH.), Paul (UGH, see previous statement), McCain (GOP ought to be the party of life), Thompson, Tommy (on the SCOTUS abortion decision), Romney (wealth cannot be matched), McCain again (starts throwing some mud at other GOP candidates, discreetly), Giuliani (leads SC fundraising), Thompson, Fred (conservatives boosting him to run)
Other News from the Media
- A day of mourning
- Tips for living environmentally friendly
- Reworked panel adopts a get-tough attitude on New Orleans levee repairs
- E.P.A. going greener
…and the Blogosphere
- The Fix: Parsing the polls on gun control
- National Journal: ’08 Race rankings for the Democrats
- TomPaine: Get aggressive on global warming
- Politico: Congress barely flinches
- The Caucus: Labor sets candidate forum dates
- RCP on the Dem Primary: Netroots v. National
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Maybe he came for the pizza…
- Chimps more evolved than humans… As the examples rush through my head, I don’t have any inclination to disagree
- Chappelle pulls record long stand-up
Quotes O’ the Day
“I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

Daily Briefing - 4/17/06: Tragedy, Voting Rights, Pulitzers, and Global Warming

...

MW

--------------------------------------------------------
Daily Briefing – 4/17/07
566 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Warming predicted to take severe toll on US
o Health effects from smog, heat waves seen
o Expected to hit Southwest hard
o Coastal areas face risks
o Water woes
o Problems for Great Lakes
- UN to assess climate change as a threat to security
- Gov. Crist and Sheryl Crow rock out
- Warming likely to affect Africa most severely
- Former Generals urge Bush to take action
- Please… stop… spinning. I’m getting incredibly dizzy.
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- No Taxation Without Representation!!
o Voices seeking a vote
- UN moves on Sudan force
- Britain stops using “war on terror” phrase
Potential ‘08ers…
- Edwards (outpaces Clinton in Western NY), Thompson, Tommy (insert: foot in mouth), Brownback (is Romney’s biggest rival), Kucinich (some aren’t a fan of his Iraq War ideas), Thompson, Fred (they want him to run at TownHall), Clinton (getting money from Hef), Edwards again (says he’s the strongest pick), Giuliani (cross dressing back in the spotlight), McCain (fellow Republicans – not him, of course – spent too much), Obama (Russell Simmons takes him on), Obama again (gets edge on Clinton and Giuliani on Wall St),Edwards and Romney (get top IA donations), Romney (raises most from NH), Obama again again (similar message to Gov. Patrick)
- Finance filings offer glimpses of ’08 candidates
- Races tighten on both sides
Other News from the Media
- Hell comes to Virginia Tech
o From around the world, shock, sympathy, and denunciation of gun laws
- No fishing zones in tropics yield fast payoffs for reefs
- Chimps: Almost human, and sometimes smarter
- Fighting plant blindness
- A renewed push for ethanol… without the corn
- Tyson Foods and ConcocPhillips to produce diesel fuel from animal fat
- Gas prices rise for 11th week
…and the Blogosphere
- MYDD: Donor demographics
- Grist:
o US Military steps it up
o No sweat solutions
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Bringing the Olympics to Chicago?
- Hey, 26.2 miles with no gravity can’t be that hard… can it?
- Oh come on!! Not even a consideration for Wildlife Action???? No respect…
- Since it randomly came up in the office, I thought I’d post a link to School House Rock
- Woohoo, marathon day!
Quotes O’ the Day
"[Gov. Crist] has talked more about global warming in his 100 days in office than other governors have in their whole term." ~ Singer Sheryl Crow Monday in Gainesville

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

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

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

MW

--------------------------------------------------------------------
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 - 3/16/07: Temperature Records, Primary Frontloading, and Global Warming

It's friday.

MW

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily Briefing – 3/16/07
598 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- World breaks temperature record
- G8 Ministers: U.S. will join fight
- Loss of Antarctic ice has scientists perplexed
- Costing billions in grain
- Using smoke and mirrors
- Solutions… from “great to idiotic”
- Gore collects signatures
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!
- Christians who won’t toe the line
- Valerie Plame testifies
Potential ‘08ers…
- McCain (chattering on), Obama (taking on Bill… oh boy), McCain again (touting immigration plan), Romney (also talking immigration), Romney again (putting Mass. economy in the spotlight), Clinton (old ties in Texas may spur some cash), Edwards (global poverty is a security issue),
- Holy primary frontloading batman!!!! California officially moves theirs to the 5th
o South Carolina may benefit
- Bush promises to restore party potency
Other News from the Media
- Green energy enthusiasts are also betting on fossil fuels
- Friedman: Marching with a mouse
- Making US produce safer?
- Coal could face a bleak future
…and the Blogosphere
- The Fix’s Friday Line: The Senate
- Carl Pope: If you want to be President, listen to those folks in New Hampshire
- A generation gap between MYDD and DailyKos?
- National Journal ranks the Democratic candidates
- Grist:
o An Inconvenient truth for kids?
o Food and Punishment
o Ranting about facts and persuasion
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Don’t worry about those rats
- Bill O’Reilly sued… ha
- Umm, ‘bout time Disney got with the times
- Rahmbo is a party pooper
Quotes O’ the Day
“Much of the social history of the Western world over the past three decades has involved replacing what worked with what sounded good.” ~Thomas Sowell

Daily Briefing - 3/14/07: Britain, Worldwide Polls, Voting Rights, and Global Warming

We have exactly 600 days until the 2008 Presidential election. What will you do to get global warming addressed by this critical date?

MW

--------------------------------------------------------
Daily Briefing – 3/14/07
600 DAYS until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Britain drafts laws to slash carbon emissions
o How the penny dropped
o Christian Aid: A good start
- Poll shows a majority of people in the world see global warming as a critical threat
o Sadly, the US was an exception
- Renewing a call to act: NYT on Bill McKibben’s Step It Up campaign
- South Africa calls Gore to help put the brakes on biofuel production
- Rep. Herseth to study global warming
- Auto execs head to Capitol Hill to discuss global warming
o Also from MSNBC
- Frostbite derails Arctic study
o The impact continues to lure scientists
- Will hit Africa the hardest
- Guardian: The appliance of science and the split on solutions
- Dave Johnson has a suggestion: Fewer Babies
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- White House finding trouble harder to shrug off…what’s that saying about a hole and too much digging…?
o A NYT editorial
- One step closer to voting rights in D.C.! TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
- Democrats split on domestic plan
Potential ‘08ers…
- Clinton (another right-wing conspiracy?), Giuliani (marriages annulling his bid?), Gingrich (he’s baaaack), Thompson, Fred (gets Frist’s endorsement… is this guy even running yet?), Clinton v. Obama (fighting over the Jewish vote), Dodd (considering bill to protect homeowners), Huckabee (meeting a challenge from conservatives), Giuliani again (ooh ooh, he’s a flip-flopper too!), Clinton again (knows a little something about firing attorneys), Obama (Sharpton is begging for a fight), Edwards (a little tiff with Bob Shrum… is that a bad thing?), Obama again (media surfing his past)
- A manifesto for the next President
Other News from the Media
- Orion: The Idols of Environmentalism
- World population to reach 9.2 billion
- Seas yielding surprising catch of unknown genes
- Silicon valley sets its gaze on energy
- A decent life wouldn’t be too much to ask, would it?
- A U.S. alliance to update the light bulb
- Judges say EPA ignored setting emissions standards
- Army Corps knowingly put in faulty pumps after Katrina
…and the Blogosphere
- The Fix on Sen. Dole’s vulnerability
- MYDD: Norm Coleman is looking weak
- Oooh, ouch
- Huffington Post: Big Oil U
- Grist:
o Making green messages stick
o Dispatch from the Step It Up campaign
o More on the supposed “reasonable middle”
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Behind the Scenes: Chris Dodd on the Daily Show
- Beckham on his way to the US
- Poll: Rich people happy, poor people… not so much
- Oh, those crazy PETA activists (Thanks to Chris in Seattle for digging this up)
- I have a feeling Kevin Smith thought of this… GodTube
Quotes O’ the Day
“Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice.” ~H. L. Mencken