“The Intercept has conducted an exhaustive analysis of Biden’s political career, with a focus on his positions on dozens of U.S. wars and military campaigns, CIA covert actions, his views on whistleblowers and leakers, and his shifting stance on war powers.
The picture that emerges is of a man who is dedicated to the U.S. as an empire, who believes that preserving U.S. national interests and “prestige” on the global stage outweighs considerations of morality or even at times the deaths of innocent people, writes Jeremy Scahill.
It also reveals a politician who consistently claims to hold bedrock principles but who often strays from those positions in support of a partisan agenda or because he wants a policy adopted regardless of the hypocrisy or contradictions. Nowhere is this dynamic more pronounced than on U.S. wars.”
Photo: Great Spangled fritillary (Speyeria cybele) taken in Southcentral Wisconsin
2021 7/5 _F2A0167aaa
“JOE BIDEN’S LONG WAR”
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“Protecting the "Jewel" of Central America
Belize’s Maya Forest harbors natural treasures key to biodiversity and climate action—a multisector coalition just helped secure its future.”
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“‘Climate emergency’: Hawaii is the first state to call it like it is”
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"Nearly 900 people reported abnormal menstrual cycles, including intense cramping and increased bleeding, that began or persisted days after their initial exposure to the teargas. Hundreds of others complained of other negative health impacts, including severe headaches, nausea, diarrhea, and mental health concerns.
The new research, based on an online survey of more than 2,200 people, challenges claims that the health consequences of being teargassed are minor and temporary, said Dr Britta Torgrimson-Ojerio, a researcher at Kaiser Permanente Northwest and the lead author of the study."
“Hundreds report abnormal menstruation after being teargassed during Portland protests
More than 1,000 report cramping, increased bleeding and other health issues, challenging claims teargas has minor impact”
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“Poland Clinches 'Historic' Deal to Phase Out Coal by 2049”
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“Still, there is understandable concern about certain hardy microbes like anthrax that can be released from thawing permafrost, he said. “It’s probably very resistant to the freeze-thaw cycle,” he said of anthrax."
So much to look forward to, so little time.
Another entry in my blog post about more pestilence coming from the melting permafrost.”
“Climate change threatens to spread antibiotic resistance in the Arctic
More human activity and thawing permafrost both increase the risks that antibiotic resistance will spread more widely in the Arctic.”
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“While the richness of floral resources in grasslands increased, the researchers saw an opposite trend in forested areas of the state, with food plants for bees in forests declining by 3-4% since 1997.
"The biggest finding of this study was that forest plants that bloom in spring appear to be declining, and the timing of those flowers matches up almost perfectly with when queens are out and foraging," Zaya said. "We can't say for sure, but if declining food is contributing to bumble bee declines, it is most likely related to when the queens are trying to establish nests."
Previous studies have shown that browsing by deer and invasive shrubs reduce the abundance of flowering plants in forests. Climate change also shifts the flowering times for many plants, potentially causing a mismatch between the bees' needs and the availability of food.
"The forest is a really important habitat for bees early in the season that often gets overlooked in pollinator conservation planning," Mola said. "This has me thinking very carefully about the role of forests in bumble bee conservation."”
“Spring forest flowers likely key to bumblebee survival”
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“Freedom Rider: No Justice Without a Movement”
“Denmark is building an artificial island which could ultimately supply 10 gigawatts of renewable energy, which, for perspective, would be enough to serve nearly all of New England on a mild spring afternoon, a massive scale for one project.”
“Inside Clean Energy: Denmark Makes the Most of its Brief Moment at the Climate Summit
The Scandaniavian nation is building an “energy island,” the latest step after decades of being ahead of the curve.”
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“Anti-War Group Releases Activist Guide to End Militarized Policing in US
"We must end state violence and knee-jerk militarism, wherever it occurs. Ending the 1033 program is a small but necessary step toward that."”
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“Achoo! Climate Change Lengthening Pollen Season in U.S., Study Shows
New research suggests that climate change is responsible for longer pollen seasons in the United States and more pollen in the air, as well.”
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“There is a crucial detail in the very first paragraph of the Scripps paper that Guy quotes:
"A team led by physical oceanographers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography"
Guy and I have been saying for years that the modelers are underestimating the rate of change. This latest research data has been gathered in the field making it much more relevant and sadly dire.
I'll post the paper below for further reference.”
“Nature bats last”
“Our days are numbered. Passionately pursue a life of excellence”
“Video, Supporting Articles: Arctic Ocean Warming, Losing Ice”
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“Witness To Extinction: The Threat To Monarch Butterflies Of Pismo Beach California | SciWorx Biology”
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Democrats choose not to act for the People:
“The White House can raise taxes on the wealthy without touching the tax code at all “
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“Germany must tighten climate law to protect young people's future, court rules”
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“the right to peacefully protest is incredibly hard won . The only people who are scared of peaceful protests are authoritarian fascist governments . Protestors are the last line of defence and the reason we have any human rights in the first place . Once the right to protest has gone they will start taking away all our rights . Can’t allow this to happen”
“Anti-protest curbs in UK policing bill ‘violate international rights standards’”
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Wall St water trading’s fundamental flaw:
Using price allocate water to its most profitable use, is not necessarily the same as the price that serves the highest social use:
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“Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant just signed a 15-week abortion ban, saying he wants Mississippi to be the “safest place in America for an unborn child.”
Mississippi ranks:
50th in health of women
50th in health of children
50th in health of infants
1st in infant mortality”
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“Marine Ecosystems Collaboration Team meeting: Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026”
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"This week, the American recipe website Epicurious announced that, for environmental reasons, it wouldn’t publish any new beef recipes. No more steaks, burgers or creative ways with mince; no more juicy rib. Since about 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock farming, with beef responsible for nearly two thirds of those, it wanted to help home cooks do their bit.
"All this seems guaranteed to trigger the sort of people who get very emotional about roast beef and yorkshire pudding, particularly in the same week that the White House had to quash some wild scare stories about Joe Biden banning burgers to save the planet. (Spoiler alert: not happening.) But the twist in the tale is that Epicurious actually stopped publishing beef recipes a year ago without telling anyone, and it says its traffic numbers show the vegetarian recipes offered instead were gobbled up. Those who scream loudest don’t, as ever, speak for everyone."
“The low-hanging fruit in the climate battle? Cutting down on meat”
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“Scotland could become the world’s first ‘rewilding nation’”
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“Climate change: A small green rock's warning about our future”
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“In Denmark, the law requires owners of large farmland to plant 5 % of their flowering land for bees.”
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“Irreversible and catastrophic environmental tipping points could still be avoided, even if we exceed global emission reduction targets — provided the world is able to reverse overshoot quickly, according to researchers.
Simple mathematical models of four earth system tipping elements reveal a lag between overshooting the threshold and irreversible change. “Slow-onset” elements like icecap melt operate on century-long timescales, while Amazon dieback could pass a point of no return in just decades.
However, experts warn that the models fail to take interactions between different tipping elements into account, which could shorten the amount of time a threshold can be overshot. Many of these interactions are poorly understood, making them difficult to include in climate models
Researchers say these results show there is still good reason to take action to mitigate global warming, even if we do overshoot the Paris Agreement target of 1.5°C. Some warn the study results could be used as an excuse to tolerate further delays on global climate action.”
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