Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

Little-known liberals reshape Democratic policy
Axios | Sam Baker, Ben Geman | 02/12/19

Democrats' shift to the left with big ideas like Medicare for All, along with the rise of progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), is changing the balance of power in the party's unofficial policy establishment.

Why it matters: Think tanks, policy analysts and advocacy groups are vitally important -- they help shape the party's policy platforms and channel the base's enthusiasm. And a new set of players are gaining power in that world just as Democrats seize the reins in the House and wade into a policy-heavy primary for 2020. ... Read more

Trump holds campaign rally in El Paso, Texas | PBS | 02/11/19 | 1:55:44

Massive starfish die-off tied to warming seas
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 01/31/19

The predatory sunflower sea star, whose limbs can stretch 4 feet across, is rapidly disappearing due to infectious disease outbreaks worsened by marine heat waves, a comprehensive new study found.

Why it matters: The sea star, Pycnopodia helianthoides, is a vital component in marine ecosystems. In its absence, scientists documented a large increase in many types of urchins and a subsequent decline in kelp populations, to the potential detriment of many other species. The study warns of the potential for a "trophic cascade" to occur, "causing urchin populations to explode and kelp to rapidly diminish." ... Read more

Massive insect decline could have 'catastrophic' environmental impact, study says
CNN | Euan McKirdy | 02/11/19

Insect populations are declining precipitously worldwide due to pesticide use and other factors, with a potentially "catastrophic" effect on the planet, a study has warned. More than 40% of insect species could become extinct in the next few decades, according to the "Worldwide decline of the entomofauna: A review of its drivers" report, published in the journal Biological Conservation.

Insect biomass is declining by a staggering 2.5% a year, a rate that indicates widespread extinctions within a century, the report found. In addition to the 40% at risk of dying out, a third of species are endangered -- numbers that could cause the collapse of the planet's ecosystems with a devastating impact on life on Earth. ... Read more
Insects Vanish All over the World | WP & Climate State | 02/11/19 | 11:15

Billionaires Flooded Republicans' Coffers Just Before the Tax Cuts Passed
MotherJones | Allan Holmes | 02/07/19

In late June 2017, Texas political mega-donor Doug Deason had a stern message for Republicans seeking campaign donations: The "Dallas piggy bank" was closed until they repealed Obamacare and passed major tax cuts. Deason said he had urged about two dozen of his wealthy Texas friends to do the same. The billionaire Koch brothers Charles and David also hinted at withholding money.

Just weeks later, the GOP effort to repeal Obamacare collapsed. Tax reform, which one Republican senator said would make repealing Obamacare look like a piece of cake, ominously loomed as the next item on the GOP agenda, and time was running out. Panic set in. By November, as Congress struggled to push a massive tax cut bill forward, Rep. Chris Collins from New York summed up the stakes: "My donors are basically saying: 'Get it done or don't ever call me again.'"

Lawmakers got it done. Just days before the holiday break, relieved Republicans delivered those wealthy donors what they wanted: one of the biggest tax cuts in history, one that would almost exclusively benefit the wealthy. ... Read more

The Human Element (trailer) | 01/28/19 | 2:17

During his four-decade career as a photographer and explorer, James Balog has focused his lens on the complex relationship between humans and nature. Human activity has now surpassed all other forces shaping our world. Balog's work has challenged us to contemplate our place in, and responsibility to, the natural world. Balog investigates how altering the elements is in turn affecting everyday Americans right now. The Human Element features subjects who are often overlooked victims of climate change. Balog visits Tangier Island, a fishing community facing the imminent reality of sea level rise threatening their future. We meet Yadira Sanchez and her three children in Denver, Colorado, all of whom suffer from asthma, and attend a special school for children struggling with air. Balog embeds with a Cal Fire strike team on the frontlines of the most expensive wildfire in California history. And he ventures deep into Kentucky coal country, meeting unemployed miners finding hope from a new source. Balog argues that humans are part of the whole system of nature and not apart from it. Knowing this, he finds great hope that the fifth element, the human element, can bring the whole system back into balance.

TED Talk James Balog Time-lapse Proof Of Extreme Ice Loss | TED Talk | 12/31/11 | 21:55

'Chasing Ice' documentary by James Balog (full) | extreme ice | 09/30/11 | 47:31