We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Friday, January 28, 2022

Posts that I especially recommend for Friday, January 28, 2022

The Freedom Convoy began in British Colombia and has been gathering up more truckers and citizen support as it makes its way across Canada. Some say the number of vehicles involved in this convoy is anywhere from 11,000 to 35,000. A number that has been hard to pin down accurately. Nonetheless, video footage indicates the support is huge.
 
(Note: You may be interested in Russell Bank's "take" (14:29) on the fact that he doesn't find any mention of this event in corporate media. In addition, you may want to view visual footage of this event taking place in western Canada by watching this video provided by RT's channel on YouTube--00:48)
The Defender’s COVID NewsWatch provides a roundup of the latest headlines related to the SARS CoV-2 virus, including its origins and COVID vaccines. 
  • Judge Blocks Hospital Workers From Quitting Their Jobs featuring Jimmy Dore commenting on a Wisconsin legal ruling by a judge, and guest Kurt Metzger, a comedian occasionally interjecting humorous satirical and serious comments, from Dore's channel on YouTube (11:13). 
Conservatives in UK parliament are launching an all out attack on people’s fundamental rights through a series of regressive bills on policing and the right to protest, voting, immigration, legal proceedings and more. These attacks on rights have been met with massive opposition with broad sections of British society taking to the streets across the country. All the while, British institutional politics have been up in flames with PM Boris Johnson being implicated in scandal after scandal.

Asad Rehman, the executive director of War on Want (https://waronwant.org/), discusses the implication of these regressive bills, especially on the most marginalized communities, as well as the hypocrisy of the British ruling class. 
  • Can We Tame the Methane Monster? featuring Raya Salter interviewing scientist Bob Howarth of Cornell University from Facing Future's channel on YouTube (29:46).
#Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and a major contributor to the climate crisis. Many jurisdictions, however, are using outdated accounting methods that vastly underestimate methane’s impact. Further, the fossil fuel industry has created momentum for the use of greenwashing technologies like “blue hydrogen.” Host Raya Salter speaks with Professor Bob Howarth to discover what science is revealing about the true threat of methane, and how New York State is innovating on methane policy with the recently passed 'Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act'.

Dr. Bob Howarth is the David R. Atkinson Professor of Ecology and Environmental Biology at Cornell University. Dr. Howarth is a biogeochemistry and ecosystem scientist. His research laboratory works broadly on human alteration of element cycles in coastal marine ecosystems and watersheds, and also works on the environmental consequences of energy systems, particularly from oil and gas development. Dr. Howarth is also a member of the NYS Climate Action Council, which is tasked with developing the plan for NY to reach its nation leading climate goals. Bob works on policy domestically and internationally and was pivotal in helping NYS devise its GHG regulations.

Host Raya Salter is a climate and energy attorney, educator and activist. She is an adjunct professor of law at Cardozo Law School and the author of the book “Energy Justice” (2018). She is also a member of the New York State Climate Action Council. She is @ClimateAuntie on IG and her web site is www.RayaSalter.com.
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