Donald Trump is an especially brazen version of a kleptocrat, the kind of ruler who uses his public office to enrich himself, his family and his cronies. Trump's no-shame approach to pilfering public coffers may horrify Americans, who are used to a more genteel and discreet approach to self-dealing by the rich and powerful, though tinpot dictators from Nigeria to Brazil are … [Read more...]
plutocracy
Big Oil, Big Coal and other powerful special interests have long thwarted the will of the peoples of the world's industrialized nations to stop and reverse ecological overshoot. If you care about climate change or peak oil, it's crucial to understand the role of big polluters in politics and what citizens can do to take back our democracies so we can move towards a clean, human-scale economy.
We need a map out of the nightmare of consumerism
One of the most harrowing challenges of modern American life is navigating through the massive desert of our mindless, materialistic consumerism. It is within this landscape that a soul can become lost and drenched in despair. From the endless stream of vacant-eyed wraiths who glide down catwalks, to the pervasive advertising that never ceases to demean the values of … [Read more...]
Maddow gives air time to Koch brothers fracking advocate
Editors note: This piece ran last year on Eric Francis's Planet Waves website and it remains an important touchstone concerning how the main stream media continues to act as the lapdog to Big Oil and Big Energy in general. After reading this piece, ask yourself, how much has changed in the major media relative to critical reporting on the facts concerning fossil fuels … [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...]
The happy ending
Below we present the first chapter of The End of the World by Reverend Billy, leader of the Church of Stop Shopping. Sparing neither fire nor brimstone, the good Reverend preaches sinners in the hands of an angry Earth. He calls on humanity to change its evil ways before the final judgment, inspiring the congregation to a faith that, after Hurricane Sandy, will not allow … [Read more...]