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Even With Carbon Emissions Cuts, a Key Part of Antarctica Is Doomed: Study (Maria)
The author writes, “No matter how much the world cuts back on carbon emissions, a key and sizable chunk of Antarctica is essentially doomed to an ’unavoidable’ melt, a new study found. Though the full melt will take hundreds of years, slowly adding nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters) to sea levels, it will be enough to reshape where and how people live in the future, the study’s lead author said. … The study in Monday’s journal Nature Climate Change found even if future warming was limited to just a few tenths of a degree more – an international goal that many scientists say is unlikely to be met – it would have ‘limited power to prevent ocean warming that could lead to the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.’”
Lawsuit to Block Trump From Colorado 2024 Ballot Survives More Legal Challenges (Reader Jim)
The author writes, “A judge has rejected three more attempts by former President Donald Trump and the Colorado GOP to shut down a lawsuit seeking to block him from the 2024 presidential ballot in the state based on the 14th Amendment’s ‘insurrectionist ban.’ The flurry of rulings late Friday from Colorado District Judge Sarah Wallace are a blow to Trump, who faces candidacy challenges in multiple states stemming from his role in the January 6, 2021, insurrection. He still has a pending motion to throw out the Colorado lawsuit, but the case now appears on track for an unprecedented trial this month.”
We 7 Former Florida College Presidents Say Enough Is Enough (DonkeyHotey)
The authors write, “There is a movement occurring in more than 30 states that seeks to prohibit discussion in higher education settings of topics deemed ‘divisive’ or ‘inappropriate’ by some often ill-defined metric. Nowhere has this movement had more traction than right here in Florida. In the past two years, Florida has adopted several legislative measures that restrict higher education in our state. … As seven former presidents of Florida public higher education institutions, we write to express our alarm at the impact these laws may have — are already having — at colleges and universities in our state.”
As Putin Leaves China Empty-Handed, Russian Propaganda Hails ‘Triumph Over the West’ (Sean)
From The Moscow Times: “Russian state media has painted President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China [last] week as a symbolic triumph over the West by the Russian leader who they say enjoys global prestige and respect despite attempts to isolate him. This coverage was a strategic effort to rally the Russian public behind him, independent experts, a political consultant and a Kremlin official told The Moscow Times. In reality, the Russian leader — increasingly reliant on Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping — returns from Beijing without the major energy or agriculture deals that he’d hoped for.”
Longer Commutes, Shorter Lives: The Costs of Not Investing in America (Dana)
From The New York Times: “For decades, spending on the future put the nation ahead of all others. What would it take to revive that spirit?”
Why New York’s Curbside Composting Program Will Yield Hardly Any Compost (Laura)
From Inside Climate News: “This [month], New York City’s curbside organics collection effort [debuted] in Brooklyn, where tons of food scraps will be processed to help deliver un-fracked natural gas to local residences. Is this the best use of the city’s food waste?”
300-Year-Old Painting Stolen by an American Soldier During World War II Returned to German Museum (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “After a stopover in the U.S. that lasted the better part of a century, a baroque landscape painting that went missing during World War II was returned to Germany on Thursday. The FBI handed over the artwork by 18th century Austrian artist Johann Franz Nepomuk Lauterer to a German museum representative in a brief ceremony at the German Consulate in Chicago, where the pastoral piece showing an Italian countryside was on display.”
