If you're rooting for humanity to survive much into the future, then you'll surely find yourself on the opposite side of the holiday shopping season from America's big retailers. If they're rooting for more sales, you may be rooting for consumers to buy less. People who care about climate change and peak oil want industry to stop trashing the planet. But industries that make … [Read more...]
#OccupyWallStreet
The #Occupy movement has become America's version of the Arab Spring, continuing the effort of democracy protesters in Wisconsin against financial inequity and capture of government by moneyed special interests.
Lessons from Sandy a year later
To mark the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, Josh Fox is encouraging people to watch his short film on storm cleanup and relief efforts, Occupy Sandy. Fox, better known for his two full length documentaries on hydrofracking, Gasland and Gasland II, also makes short films. He made the 25-minute video on Sandy and its connection to climate change at the end of last … [Read more...]
Five reasons why government shutdown points to breakup of U.S.
Despite all the talk, the federal government shutdown hasn't greatly affected daily life for most Americans so far. Some have been hit hard, especially federal employees, those receiving certain benefit payments, and tourists planning to visit the Smithsonian or a national park. But as apocalypses go, a couple weeks without "non-essential" federal services has been … [Read more...]
Fear for free!
The big brouhaha over former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden's whistle-blowing revelation that the government is tuning in to every last thing We The People are doing has resulted in exactly the effect that an authoritarian government would most want to achieve: leaving us all quaking in fear and paranoia. For my part, I'm neither ready to declare Snowden … [Read more...]
‘Not about trees anymore’ as Turkey protests intensify
What started as a bid to save public land has escalated as youth face riot police with calls of revolution. What began as a protest to protect a public park in Istanbul from commercial development has escalated dramatically in a week's time with violent clashes between demonstrators and police on Friday leading to an even larger escalation on Saturday as more than ten … [Read more...]