Johnny Wilk Originally from Palmerton, Johnny has been aLehigh Valley resident for most of his life. … [Read more...] about Misinformation Pandemic
pandemic
A Runaway Inequality Problem
One of the great unexamined questions of our times is why there is so much suffering, despair, misery and rage in the midst of unimaginable wealth. Naturally, pundits and politicians wish to avoid this question because an open public discussion of the widening wealth gap can impart critical insights into the nature and logic of the capitalist system they’ve worked so hard to … [Read more...] about A Runaway Inequality Problem
Connecting the Dots (1)
The shutdown of many businesses and activities during the coronavirus lockdown resulted in a significant reduction in fossil-fuel use, and the low oil prices make it cheaper to make plastic from fossil fuels instead of recycling plastic. And this leads to lower demand and lower prices for recyclables — in many cases, they now go straight from your recycling bin to the … [Read more...] about Connecting the Dots (1)
A Free People Strike to Let Our People Go
by Beth Taylor, Karen Ali, and Aaron Appel Turn on the news. Listen to the radio. Check your social media. Without a doubt, you will find numerous Covid-19 stories – from the infection spikes across the country to the debate about opening schools this fall. But amidst all of this, there is stunning silence on one fact: COVID-19 is worsening in prisons and it is because of … [Read more...] about A Free People Strike to Let Our People Go
Homelessness in the Covid-19 Era
by Rajan Menon The novel SARS-CoV-2 has roared through the American landscape leaving physical, emotional, and economic devastation in its wake. By early July, known infections in this country exceeded three million, while deaths topped 135,000. Home to just over 4% of the global population, the United States accounts for more than a quarter of all fatalities from Covid-19, … [Read more...] about Homelessness in the Covid-19 Era
Notes from the Editor
“Everything Hurts” “I’m claustrophobic, my stomach hurts, my neck hurts, everything hurts, some water or something, please, please, I can’t breathe officer, don’t kill me.” These were some of the last words uttered in desperation by George Perry Floyd Jr before he was pronounced dead as officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly eight minutes. Since then millions of … [Read more...] about Notes from the Editor
CDC’s real recommendations for ‘reopening’ from coronavirus
The U.S. disease-control experts at the CDC prepared detailed guidelines on how to safely reopen businesses and institutions, but the White House shelved the experts' recommendations and released a far less restrictive plan. CDC guidance more restrictive than White House School Superintendents Dismiss White House, Will Follow Leaked CDC Guidance on Reopening Actual … [Read more...] about CDC’s real recommendations for ‘reopening’ from coronavirus
What will it take?
Excellent New Yorker article by Bill McKibben, titled 'What will it take to cool the planet'. Covers the Climate Interactive website that let's you see the effects of playing with different variables, a dive into the Gwich’in fight against plans for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the need for more descriptive visioning for the future. (All in all, a … [Read more...] about What will it take?
“No. It’s Capitalism, Stupid.”
by Gary Olson The title is a riff on James Carville’s disingenuous (and stupid) phrase from 1992 when he was Bill Clinton’s campaign director. Carville’s pithy quip, “It’s the economy, stupid,” became the campaign’s de facto slogan. It functioned as a clever ruse to help Clinton beat Bush by pandering to workers and creating the impression that his policies would actually … [Read more...] about “No. It’s Capitalism, Stupid.”
US exceptionalism?
The U.S. really is #1 — In coronavirus deaths, anyway. Out of about 228,000 deaths worldwide, the US — with less than 5% of world population — has about 27% of the deaths.* * It's amazing how often those percentages seem to be repeated — (GHG emissions, energy use, and resource consumption, for example). That puts the US at … [Read more...] about US exceptionalism?