The Weekly Watch

Perhaps it is the time of year, but I'm feeling a growing awareness...an awakening. After all, next Friday is the solstice and the days will begin to grow here in the Northern hemisphere. But the hope I'm feeling comes from young people and those willing to hit the streets to urge a fundamental change. The Climate Summit COP24 took place this week. Many people are objecting to the corporate influence and are trying to jettison the overlords influence in a climate strategy. Young Greta Thunberg was inspiring. So is the Sunrise movement in our country, and extinction rebellion in the UK. Then there's the yellow vest movement spreading in the EU and around the world. There's a new movement - Progressive International

The time has come for progressives to form a grassroots movement for global justice: to mobilize workers, women and the disenfranchised all around the world behind a shared vision of democracy, prosperity, sustainability, and solidarity.

There's a new fairly progressive president in Mexico, AMLO. And though Brazil has declined to host the next COP meeting, Costa Rica has stepped up to host and set an example!

Costa Rica has a plan to go fossil-free beginning next year, becoming the first decarbonized economy in the world. Costa Rica already generates more than 90 percent of its electricity using renewable energy. In 2017, it went 300 days on clean energy alone.

(I believe Bhutan has already gone carbon negative)

Bernie and Yanis introduce the idea of an international alliance of progressives...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o33zTYk5YIc (24 min)

...and another clip from Bernie's summit a week or so ago w/ AOC and the Green New Deal...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL5ucB3AbUs (20 min)

The resolution says funding will come primarily from the federal government, “using a combination of the Federal Reserve, a new public bank or system of regional and specialized public banks, public venture funds and such other vehicles or structures that the select committee deems appropriate, in order to ensure that interest and other investment returns generated from public investments made in connection with the Plan will be returned to the treasury, reduce taxpayer burden and allow for more investment.”

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/this-radical-plan-to-fund-the-green-ne...

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Last Monday in DC over 140 were arrested in protests calling for Democratic leaders to create a plan to decarbonize the economy (video or text)
https://therealnews.com/stories/climate-activists-storm-capitol-hill-dem...

With support for a Green New Deal growing rapidly at the grassroots, in Congress, and among potential 2020 presidential candidates, over 300 local elected officials from 40 states threw their support behind the bold proposal in an open letter released on Friday, declaring that it is "time to end the era of fossil fuel production and build our clean energy future together."

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/12/14/grassroots-momentum-surges-...

The Yellow vest movement in France provides many important lessons.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/12/14/taking-french-lessons-powe...

On the last day of the COP, more than 150 representatives from movements across the globe came together in protest at the "corporate-captured U.N. climate talks"
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/12/14/stand-people-not-polluters-...

Greta Thunberg's TED talk from last month echos much of her COP speech.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAmmUIEsN9A (11 min)
She suggests we change the rules....

Graeme Maxton agrees we need radical change
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayr5qNDsHmo (8 min)

Chris Hedges explains how change is coming at the end of an empire ruled by idiots
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/reign-of-idiots/

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However we face blow back from our own governments. The Canadian Postal Workers want to go green, but face an uphill struggle with their own government. (video or text)
https://therealnews.com/stories/canadas-government-rejects-postal-unions...

It is always one step forward, two steps back.

A federal appeals court rebuked the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for allowing an energy corporation to move ahead with its plan to build a pipeline that would cut across two national forests and the Appalachian Trail—arguing that the agency put two energy companies' profits ahead of its own stated mission of protecting the nation's forests.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/12/14/quoting-dr-seuss-court-thro...

Will this week's ruling against Obamacare promote medicare for all? That's my hope.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/12/15/federal-courts-disastrous-a...

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Foreign Policy...

still presents many challenges in the US with our war machine generating massive profit for the 1%ers. Medea Benjamin discusses the US-Saudi war on Yemen and attempts by peace activists and Congress to stop the conflict. At least there is finally some discussion.
https://therealnews.com/stories/how-us-saudi-war-turned-yemen-into-the-b... (video or text)

Oliver Stone discusses the challenges telling the real story of US aggression
https://therealnews.com/stories/oliver-stone-american-war-state-has-the-... (video or text)
Oliver Stone speaks about the life and legacy of dissident journalist and historian William Blum, who documented US war crimes and CIA interventions across the planet
https://therealnews.com/stories/oliver-stone-remembers-anti-imperialist-...
The NYT smeared Blum in its obit.
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-new-york-times-shameful-obituary-o...

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Are we seeing a replay of the Cuban missile Crisis? Russian bombers come to Venezuela.
https://therealnews.com/stories/russian-bombers-landing-in-venezuela-a-r... (video or text)

BDS is here to stay despite Israel's efforts to suppress the movement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPe4nkSabIc (8.5 min)

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So I'm feeling hopeful and hope you have the same sense of things as well. No we're not going to see instant change like we need. Oil production isn't going to stop in the short term. In fact I bought gas for less than $2 per gallon yesterday. The planet is probably past the tipping point, but at least there is an effort...young people rising up, nations like France demanding less inequality. Venezuela standing up to the United Snakes aggression. Yes we must be aware of the horrors, but we should also take heart from the young folks fighting the systemic injustice and inequities in our world.

I look forward to your take on the weeks news in the comments below!

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Comments

Countries where many people can't afford electricity from the grid could be really helped by the free electricty a solar panel would provide. Solar tangibly helps poor people more than rich people.

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Beware the bullshit factories.

Lookout's picture

@Timmethy2.0

...and the solutions exist today. Countries like Costa Rica and Bhutan (as well as Switzerland) have excellent hydro potential to couple with solar, wind, and geothermal which makes their Carbon footprint easier to reduce. Alabama is second only to Washington State in hydroelectricity production.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Lookout's picture

Did you catch Caity's "Break free from the Corporate Prison"? (5 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfRhmvIHgmY]

Another great piece comes from Jimmy - a mash up of warnings of T-rump's demise (9 min)
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdHtAzFNwjE]

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

divineorder's picture

@Lookout @Lookout never heard her voice outloud, but often hear her 'voice' in print.

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A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

Lookout's picture

@divineorder

...at least to my Alabama ears. I like her podcasts too...seems she stopped recording those last April
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/?s=podcast

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

ggersh's picture

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

Lookout's picture

@ggersh

Always handy when corporate BS is overfed.

Thanks for the cartoon!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

look up, look alive!

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Lookout's picture

@QMS

That's always our joke when they are circling overhead...look alive!

Hope all is well your way.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Azazello's picture

@Lookout

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We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.

Azazello's picture

Here's something that just came up, Jimmy Dore and Aaron Mate on RUSSIARUSSIA, very good.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHQUQt0-IIQ width:500 height:300]

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We wanted decent healthcare, a living wage and free college.
The Democrats gave us Biden and war instead.

Lookout's picture

@Azazello

I enjoyed jimmy's other interviews with him last week -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf3Fx7ycrk0 (11.5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq_-mxHx1UA (18 min)

Evidently Aaron left TRNN. Jarmal tells about his tweets regarding his work there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrv8858aqio (8 min)

Have a good one!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

magiamma's picture

thanks for the good news lo, and for the ot.

They are building artificial islands in the Netherlands to host wild life...

https://www.greenoptimistic.com/artificial-islands-host-wildlife-middle-...

Boskalis Westminster, who undertook the construction, built corridors and islands (the Marker Wadden) using silt, a sedimentary formation halfway between clay and sand, which was dug out of the lake. The main island is intended to open to tourists, who can visit at safe distances from the birds. The rest of the islands are reserved for wildlife- birds like egrets and herons, and some 127 species of plants are reported to have settled on the area already.

Thanks also for the link you posted on Loudermilk's "Conquest of the land through 7000 years". Excellent! Much to read and re-read. Lol

Have a very good one...

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Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

Lookout's picture

@magiamma

https://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20181213/NEWS/181219947/startup-fir...

I caught this clip this week and thought of you...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIrnJwMPzY4 (20 min)
Climate unknowns include the rate of sea level rise, ozone loss, how the Gulf Stream will react and what it possibly means, the Earth's response, and the potential for extra methane release from methane clathrates, stored at continental margins. There are many more climate unknowns, for example elaborated in this article https://thinkprogress.org/what-are-the-unknown-unknowns-of-global-warmin... and
https://forum.arctic-sea-ice.net/index.php/topic,2360.0.html

Glad you dropped by!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

magiamma's picture

@Lookout
maybe (lol) but if not, will include it in the upcoming post.
Thank you for all the links. Lol

This video is a must see.......... !!!!!! (going at the top of mine)

[video:https://youtu.be/XntO9a-NpeM]

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Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

Lookout's picture

@magiamma

red queen.jpg

Keeps life interesting anyway.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Lookout's picture

Chris Hedges plus others discuss Julian and our current predicament. Interesting discussion... (28 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noizPcFyG6I

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

mhagle's picture

I will watch as much as I can!

Smile

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Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Lookout's picture

@mhagle

Lots to pick...just opt for the items of interest. Thanks for coming by!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

This past week our largest state utility stated it's intention to go to carbon zero, and so did our incoming governor, which is all great, but I'm extremely skeptical about what supposedly being carbon negative means. All carbon reduction is good, I'm far from convinced of any modern nation existing without burning carbon. Bhutan relies heavily on tourism. All that carbon spewing out of jets flying halfway around the world do produce carbon, as do the steel plants that make all the tools in Pakistan, China, and India that are used to plow fields and to make all the steel implements that even a place like Bhutan uses.

When people count carbon who gets counted for all of our items we buy from China and the third world? Is a Patagonia jacket from Vietnam carbon for Vietnam or for us? What about concrete production? Steel for light rail or bridges or rebar? Aluminum? Teslas? Everything is made somehow, and it seems most things are energy intensive. Shifting our footprint elsewhere doesn't get us off the hook. And what about China and India, whose footprint is set to be much larger than the US or Euro? True they build solar, but their coal outpaces it. What of the conference in Costa Rica? How are people to get there? Bikes?

I've seen villages with hundreds of inhabitants with less footprint than one American child, but those people don't wish to remain that way. They too want motorcycles and roads, they too want to buy manufactured items and a varied diet like the outside world.

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Lookout's picture

@ban nock

We still push for the consumption of fossil fuels in the US. Both Bhutan and Costa Rica have another approach trying to minimize their footprint. Greta and her Dad drove from Sweden to Poland in their electric car. Costa Rica hopes to have a full electric fleet in the near term.

Listen to past PM of Bhutan explain their efforts and approach using a happiness index rather than a domestic product to evaluate their countries progress.
https://www.ted.com/talks/tshering_tobgay_this_country_isn_t_just_carbon... (19 min)

We are carbon. Plants and animals trade Carbon in a fundamental cycle of life. Carbon can be budgeted and accounted for. The way Bhutan operates involves massive tree plantings. Both CR and Bhutan are largely forested countries which act as a carbon sink, and yes both are dependent on tourism. Once in their country you can use electric vehicles. In Switzerland last fall we used their trains - 80% of that energy is renewable. No not zero but a hell of a lot better than US gas guzzling, coal burning, and methane leaking. We need to try to join these countries in their attempt to save our ice caps and biosphere.

Hey you and I just took a breath and released CO2... but it is all about balance isn't it. Plant trees, garden, ride a bike, ...you get it. It isn't so much zero but reduction at this point.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Thank you.

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