BIG and BIGGER: How to Undermine Climate Action and Democracy to Save Capitalism and Kill the Planet

December 21, 2022

In the U.S. and probably many other places, the struggle between BIG and small continues. Now it’s really a matter of global life or death. Most of us have come to accept the fact that giant transnational corporations dominate the economy and our lives. Of course, some of these entities put forth a public persona … More BIG and BIGGER: How to Undermine Climate Action and Democracy to Save Capitalism and Kill the Planet

Global Triage: How to Optimize Opportunity While Mitigating Madness and Risk

December 8, 2022

Many thoughtful comments by knowledgeable critics of COP27 and even institutional actors who recognize the climate crisis but fail to take serious climate action, reflect one fundamental underlying dilemma. Great ideas mean nothing unless converted into action. I am often amazed by the superficial clarity of statements of what must be done to avert or … More Global Triage: How to Optimize Opportunity While Mitigating Madness and Risk

The Legacy of COP27: COP28 and Chronic Failure

November 23, 2022

COP27 did not disappoint. Disappointment implies that one had expected something positive. After decades of dodging the action question of the necessity of major reductions in carbon emissions and therefore producing and using fossil fuels, there had been (and still is) NO indication that any nation would commit to action. Thus, they did not disappoint. … More The Legacy of COP27: COP28 and Chronic Failure

How Bad can It Get? Reality Transformed

September 16, 2022

I just read an article in an online journal countercurrents.org called, “How bad can it get?” In it, Robert Hunziker describes a book by Bill McGuire, Emeritus Professor of Geophysical and Climate Hazards at University College London. McGuire, a highly respected scientist, does not mince words in describing what he calls Hothouse Earth (Icon Books, … More How Bad can It Get? Reality Transformed

What’s Wrong with Old Cars? The Appeal of Electric Conversion

August 31, 2022

The other day someone told me that a Tesla is just a toy for those rich folks who identify with the ‘environmental movement.’ I’m sure that’s true for some and not for other buyers of the leading electric car today. They certainly are not cheap, nor are most innovative products. It does have some slick … More What’s Wrong with Old Cars? The Appeal of Electric Conversion

The Deep State or The Shallow State: Is That the Question?

August 18, 2022

The “deep state” has gotten a lot of press lately, mostly bad since it is deemed anti-democratic. Why is nobody talking about the “shallow state”? I’ll define what I mean by that in a minute. But first, let’s be clear about what the ‘deep state’ really is. Recently the radical right weaponized the concept of … More The Deep State or The Shallow State: Is That the Question?

The Incredible Darkness of Being a Fake Cop: Illusions of Law Enforcement as Civic Culture Decays

August 3, 2022

Because a few weeks have passed since the Uvalde, Texas school massacre, one might think that the dust has settled and whatever policy measures are needed have been implemented or ignored. End of story? No. Barely the beginning. We have not even begun to address the deep chasm in our understanding of law enforcement, community, … More The Incredible Darkness of Being a Fake Cop: Illusions of Law Enforcement as Civic Culture Decays

Fossil Fuel Production, the Corporate Economy, and Consumer Culture

July 28, 2022

The necessity of rapidly reducing fossil fuel production and use is now a given in the constellation of societal actions necessary to achieve anything near the rather naïve institutional targets for global average temperatures not to exceed 2.0 or 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Some still hope that we can achieve these levels by … More Fossil Fuel Production, the Corporate Economy, and Consumer Culture