Friday, February 23, 2007

Daily Briefing - 2/23/07

If you only read one article from today's briefing make it Governor Sanford's article on why conservatives should care about climate change.

MW

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Daily Briefing – 2/23/07
619 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News
Global Warming
- Governor Mark Sanford (R-SC): Why the Right Needs to Get Invested in the Search for Climate Change Solutions
o VP Cheney disagrees, and still isn’t sold “on the science”
- Paul Krugman lauds California
- NC seeks to lead global warming fight
- UN backed panel warns emissions must be reversed in 13 years
- CA democrats add to debate with a new legislative package
- Online interest heats up
- Salon: Global Warning by Bill McKibben
- The Hindu: Fight brews over how to address climate change
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Schwarzenegger defends Hillary and mulls a Senate run
- Democratic strategy for Iraq calls for March ’08 pullout
- Lieberman leaves opens the possibility of switching parties
Potential ‘08ers…
- Vilsack (The first one bites the dust!), Giuliani (first big fundraiser), Clinton (muddying up Obama), McCain (oh that pesky day job), Giuliani again (making it easy for himself), Obama (IL statehouse yields clues), Richardson (running on that resume), Romney (marriages needed for school fixes), Gingrich (is waiting for “Draft Newt”), Huckabee (don’t forget me), Dodd (is he white enough?????), Brownback (a Wilberforce Republican?), Edwards (missing his mojo?), Thompson (FRED Thompson)
- The Presidential Candidates on Iraq
Other News from the Media
- Where Bush would steer energy R&D
- A 32 year high for American in extreme poverty
…and the Blogosphere
- The Fix’s Friday Line: The Presidential Field
- RCP: Personal savings rate is a misleading indicator of the economy
- TomPaine: Let’s make a gas-saving deal
- ThinkProgress: Right-wing blogs attack McCain over stance on global warming
- Grist:
o Elements of an effective response
o The Roots and composting
o Green computer?
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Women may have invented weapons
- Giant weights to be dropped into Indonesian mud volcano
- Swarms of massive hornets tear across Europe
- Gasp!
Quotes O’ the Day
“Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God's final word on where your lips end.” ~ Jerry Seinfeld

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Daily Briefing - 2/22/07

McCain assails Bush on global warming. NYU Republicans assail "illegal immigrants." All in a day's work.

MW

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Daily Briefing – 2/22/07
620 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News

Global Warming
- Great forests hold fateful role
- Washington Post Special Section: The Threat of Climate Change
- Duke Energy Corporation tackles global warming
- McCain endorses California’s global warming program, says it should be the national model
- It’s all about the light bulbs
- It’s all in your head
- Greatest economic and environmental threat, says Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Married women outnumber single women at the voting booth year after year
- Governor Barkley?
Potential ‘08ers…
- Edwards (needles Clinton), Obama (rallying the crowds in LA), Giuliani (a Catholic problem?), Brownback (taking on video-game ratings), Clinton (courting the teachers’ vote), Giuliani (playing up the 9/11 image), McCain (slams Bush on global warming and Iraq), Obama again (calls for repeal of Bush tax cuts), Romney (some turnaround), Obama again again (endorsed by Daschle),
- Politeness falling to infighting
- The first forum
Other News from the Media
- Boston University professors petition for energy awareness on campus
- Top 5 U.S. cities for CleanTech Incubation Clusters (umm, basically clean technology in the city)
- National Geographic has a fantastic new tool that charts urban sprawl and smart growth
- Access to clean air unequal
…and the Blogosphere
- Fair and balanced?
- CEQ sued for documents on global warming
- Drought and wildlife singe Inhofe’s backyard
- Grist:
o Debunking the “AlGoreHasAHumongousCarbonFootprint” argument
o The MOMMIE awards (Masters of Making Mercury in the Environment)
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- A nearly 1000 lb squid caught in New Zealand
- Advertising for confession? No no, it’s not Dr. Phil, it’s your local church!
- It’s catch-an-illegal-immigrant day for NYU republicans
Quotes O’ the Day
”We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” ~Aldo Leopold

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Daily Briefing - 2/21/07

While we still have 621 days until the 2008 election, there's only 7 days until the first spring training game! Woohoo! It seems that our friends in Congress are feeling the spirit of baseball as well.

On to the briefing...

MW

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Daily Briefing – 2/21/07
621 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News

Global Warming
- EPA reports a 16% rise in greenhouse gases
- Maryland House approves cut in car emissions
- International group composed of nearly 100 corporations, organizations, and experts set a plan to curb global warming
- A battle over the costs
- Montana should lead in fight against global warming
- Bush Administration official explains, accepts climate change and our role in it… he has now gone missing (kidding of course)
- U.S. public aware of global warming, but not sure of its seriousness. Same U.S. public once made now bald and crazy Britney Spears a top selling artist… just sayin’
- Religious, scientific, and social bodies unite
- University of Tennessee signs the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment
o Chronicle of Higher Education has a description of the commitment (subs. req’d)
- Incandescent bulbs are getting the axe in Australia
- Global warming eats into wheat output in India
- Energy [R]evolution
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Conservatives target GOP war critics
- Sen. Johnson improving, moved to rehab facility
- Cubin loses natural resources post
Potential ‘08ers…
- McCain (chastised by the VP), Clinton (emphasizing her gender), Obama (his first big screen test), Obama again (the anti-Brownback – a perfect voting record), Romney (launches his first ad, is it because he’s faltering in the polls?), Giuliani (can it happen?),
- The first debate is today in Carson City. That’s right folks, you heard me correctly. They’re already debating!
- National poll from Quinnipiac, Giuliani and Clinton are in the lead
Other News from the Media
- Small group blocks coal-fired power plants in Texas
- Britain to announce a major reduction of troops in Iraq
- Louisiana levee plan leaves some helpless
- British government forced to rethink nuclear power plant plans
- Abu Dhabi to build $350 million solar power plant
…and the Blogosphere
- Democracy in America: Not too optimistic about politicians seriously confronting global warming
- DailyKos: Defending Obama from Maureen Dowd
- Arianna Huffington: A town torn between two lovers. Obama v. Hillary, first is a whole lot of money
- National Review: The Beer Test
- New blog from the Wall Street Journal: Energy Roundup
- The cheese-eating, surrender-monkey caucus? Oh, my…
- Grist:
o Get excited… ok, are you excited? It’s Michael Crichton on Charlie Rose!
o What should greens do about air travel?
o More on carbon offsets
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Freedom Tower signed off on
- Finally doing something important in Congress and recognizing a true American hero (GO YANKEES.)
- You might soon refer to him as Nobel peace prize awardee, Oscar winner and Dr.
- This seems like a logical step
- Now this is sad: Jazz endangered in New Orleans
Quotes O’ the Day
"I guess I'm what this country is all about." ~ The man, the legend… The Mick. #7, Mickey Mantle.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Daily Briefing - 2/20/07

The NRCC received donations from an accused terrorist. The NRCC has given money to certain global warming skeptics in Congress. Therefore, terrorists fund global warming skeptics. (Is that false logic?)

MW

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Daily Briefing – 2/20/07
622 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News

Global Warming
- EU plans to cut emissions 20% by 2020
- $25 million for a climate backup plan
- Industry heat on global warming
- Scientist encouraged by public understanding
- World’s largest general scientific society calls global warming a threat to society
o And they plan to push the Administration to action
- Last year was the warmest in China since 1951
- Some turtles are at risk
- Arctic explorer to highlight global warming with Baffin Island expedition
- Will Arnold’s dam plan help fight climate change, or make it worse
- Miami fishing captain spreads the Gore gospel to the boating community, with a little help from NWf's Jerry Karnas
o Also in Florida news, the city of Melbourne looks to ratify the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Following the life of an Freshman Member of Congress
- Accused terrorist is big GOP donor
Potential ‘08ers…
- McCain (Rumsfeld was one of the worst), Romney (oh so talented), McCain again (endorsed by Thune), Obama (reshaping politics in Texas), Clinton (William F. Buckley wants to know who she is), Edwards (the evolution), Obama again (in LA for votes), Edwards again (populist theme redux), Gore (he may not be running, but he’s “walking fast”), Vilsack (received farm subsidies), Dodd (finishes fourth in home state poll), Biden (the mouth that soars), Obama again again (more on his blackness), Romney again (defending stem cell opposition), Hunter (blasts Iraq debate, pushes better trade deals), Kucinich (opposes a water bottling plant in NH), Paul (he’s got the hemp vote), Richardson (shutting down Guantanamo and getting out of Iraq)
Other News from the Media
- The problems in modeling nature
- Hybrids and HOV lanes in California
- Guilt-free pollution
- How to get Wall Street to hug a tree
…and the Blogosphere
- RCP: What John McCain needs
- John Derbyshire on religion and politics
- Is Clark running?
- RedState: A climate of tyranny
- Grist:
o Emissions trading: Mixed record with plenty of failures
o Hollygood
o Leiserowitz and risk perception
o Bill McKibben: Warning on Warming
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Gloriously getting rich in the land of Mao
- Real-life Armageddon?
- Sheryl Crow and Laurie David to launch global warming college tour
- Prince Harry going to Iraq?
- A Washington guide to late night comedy circuit
Quotes O’ the Day
“Without controls on global warming pollution "you can be sure that the economy will go down the drain in the next 30 years."” ~ Paul Volcker, former Chair, U.S. Federal Reserve Board

Monday, February 19, 2007

Daily Briefing - 2/19/07

"Be sincere; be brief; be seated" (FDR)

On to the briefing!

MW

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Daily Briefing – 2/19/07
623 days until the NEXT election… and global warming is an integral part of our nation’s agenda!

Key Issues in the News

Global Warming
- Is the U.S. near a tipping point?
- An interview with Drew Shindell, the physicist and climatologist at NASA who was censored by the Bush Administration
- It may be too late to save the ice caps
- Organic farming may be contributing more to global warming in some cases
- Montana legislature to take on global warming
- U.S. science group calls for action
- Not ready to embrace the danger
- Michiganders preaching Al Gore’s gospel
Washington/Legislation/Politics/People/etc.
- Lincoln is the favorite President, according to Gallup’s poll
- Republicans block cloture on Iraq debate
- House takes step in minimum wage deal
Potential ‘08ers…
- Richardson (raises $2 million), Hagel (open to the Murtha proposal), Edwards (urging direct talks with Iran), McCain (Roe v. Wade should be overturned), McCain again (doing the ethanol dance), Gingrich (deriding the early entries), Biden (mapping out a plan at Brookings), Brownback (carrying the Christian Right torch), Romney (he’s got somebody smitten), Obama (fighting with the press), Biden again (looking to repeal the 2002 authorization), Clinton (some old foes staying on the sideline), Nader (may run if Hillary is the nominee)
- USA Today/Gallup poll on how religion, race, relationships, and sex might influence voting
Other News from the Media
- A harmful hunt for extra oil
- China: A patron for African mismanagement
- Clean water in New York?
- Biodiesel: Raising the hopes of greening cars
- Huh, dumping old tires in the ocean turned out to be a bad idea
- Oil company to pay $200 million in toxic dumping in Ivory Coast
- Politico: An interview with the Humane Society CEO
…and the Blogosphere
- RedState: giving up on Multiple Choice Mitt
- MYDD: Results of the February Straw Poll
- TPM: Senator Clinton… BILL Clinton?
- Harry Potter wants a Prius
- National Review’s favorite presidents
- 2008: Too much, too soon
- Grist:
o Terry Tamminen’s Presidential Agenda
o Friends with Benefits: Big biz and the environment
o Nuclear v. Geothermal
o The problem with Biofuels
Miscellaneous… or just plain weird
- Blogging away your debt
- Well, now Britney and Sinead O’Connor have something in common
- Science finds new ways to regrow fingers
- A complaints choir? Good grief.
- President’s Day? It’s a myth!
- In case you were interested, here is the Live Earth lineup
Quotes O’ the Day
“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” ~ Abraham Lincoln
“Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire, called conscience.” ~George Washington
“If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt
“A nation that destroys it's soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.” ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt