Latest Articles
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We will build nothing, create nothing, inspire nothing of worth while in the grip of fear.
(Fourth in a series; first part here, second part here, third part here.)
We will build nothing, create nothing, inspire nothing of worth while in the grip of fear.
It is often said that violence "sends a message" to this or that recipient. Often the alleged message is about the firmness of our resolve -- "we really mean it!" We send messages of this nature to the Middle East fairly regularly these days; its inbox is full. Israel sends the message to Lebanon. Russia sends the message to Chechnya. Indonesia sends the message to its separatists. And so on.
This is bullshit of the most pernicious possible sort.
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David Benton, head of the Marine Conservation Alliance, answers questions
David Benton. With what environmental organization are you affiliated? I’m executive director of the Marine Conservation Alliance, based in Juneau, Alaska. What does your organization do? MCA is a nonprofit organization established by the Alaska seafood industry that promotes sustainable fishing. America has an increasing appetite for healthy seafood, but we must be sure that […]
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Umbra on fire-fighting chemicals
Dear Umbra, Nearly every day, I can hear slurry bombers (planes that dump bright pink goo at the edges of fires) zooming overhead. I think the bright pink goo is a flame retardant, which seems to recently have gotten a bad reputation as a carcinogen. Not only that, but folks who have dogs here claim […]
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A Ploy Named Sue
With feds asleep at the wheel, states sue to protect air and water Frustrated by federal inaction, states and localities are increasingly suing companies and even each other in attempts to curb air and water pollution. Oklahoma, for instance, has filed suit against eight companies that operate chicken farms in neighboring Arkansas, charging that farm […]
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Wrong as Rain
Acid rain and dirty air bedevil China and Hong Kong One-third of China’s landmass was hit with acid rain last year, according to a government report, posing a grave threat to soil health and food safety. Fast-growing China is the world leader in acid-rain-causing sulfur dioxide emissions, which rose 27 percent in the country from […]
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April Showers Bring April Flowers
Spring is springing earlier in Europe, study finds Across Europe, spring is arriving an average of six to eight days earlier than it did 30 years ago, according to new research published in the journal Global Change Biology. Scientists studied 125,000 sets of observations of 542 plant and 19 animal species in 21 European countries, […]
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Can a mom in middle America survive a month without a car?
Not 20 minutes after the Amtrak clerk said our train would be at least an hour late — “probably much more” — I almost caved. “We could rent a car and drive home,” I thought, and maybe even muttered. “Nobody has to know.” I had just hit my breaking point. Carolyn rides the bus. Photos: […]
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Fear and environmentalism: quote of the day
War swallows up lesser distinctions. That, God help us, is what so many people like about it.
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