Friday, May 31, 2019

China Threatens Sweeping Blacklist of Firms After Huawei Ban - Bloomberg

China Threatens Sweeping Blacklist of Firms After Huawei Ban - Bloomberg: China said it will establish a list of so-called “unreliable" entities it says damage the interests of domestic companies, a sweeping order that could potentially affect thousands of foreign firms as tensions escalate after the U.S. blacklisted Huawei Technologies Co.

Paying the Nationalist Piper in the U.K. and U.S. – LobeLog

Paying the Nationalist Piper in the U.K. and U.S. – LobeLog: by Paul R. Pillar Current political strife in the United Kingdom and the United States has been providing a study in political pathology, partly involving parallels between the two countries and pa…

The secret history of Catholic caregivers and the AIDS epidemic | America Magazine

The secret history of Catholic caregivers and the AIDS epidemic | America Magazine: Many stories of ordinary people responding to suffering in extraordinary fashion have not yet been captured in forms that will last.

The Death of the Two-State Solution - The American Interest

The Death of the Two-State Solution - The American Interest: The Israeli-Palestinian peace movement got momentum at the end of history. Now that history is back, peace seems further and further away.

The Diocese of Buffalo is Endangering the Faithful | Mary Pezzulo

The Diocese of Buffalo is Endangering the Faithful | Mary Pezzulo: I have, on and off, been following the case of the seminarians in the Diocese of Buffalo who were allegedly subjected to sexual harassment and faced a backlash when they went to the press. Now, another article has come to my attention, about that same seminary and the diocese of Buffalo. WKBW Buffalo is reporting

After Neoliberalism by Joseph E. Stiglitz - Project Syndicate

After Neoliberalism by Joseph E. Stiglitz - Project Syndicate: For the past 40 years, the United States and other advanced economies have been pursuing a free-market agenda of low taxes, deregulation, and cuts to social programs. There can no longer be any doubt that this approach has failed spectacularly; the only question is what will – and should – come next.

To save the African elephant, focus must turn to poverty and corruption

To save the African elephant, focus must turn to poverty and corruption: Poaching of African elephants has fallen, but the species is still at risk. Law enforcement and ivory bans help, but tackling poverty is key to stopping poaching at the source.

Midwestern U.S. floods and tornadoes are putting America’s farmers in deep trouble - The Washington Post

Midwestern U.S. floods and tornadoes are putting America’s farmers in deep trouble - The Washington Post: A historically delayed planting season is causing an amount of stress and angst in farm country that "cannot be overstated."

AOC Calls for Ban on Revolving Door as Study Shows 2/3 of Recently Departed Lawmakers Now Lobbyists | naked capitalism

AOC Calls for Ban on Revolving Door as Study Shows 2/3 of Recently Departed Lawmakers Now Lobbyists | naked capitalism: AOC outs an unlikely ally after tweet calling for a lifetime ban on former members of Congress becoming lobbyists: an attempt to stop the revolving door between "public service" and personal profit.

Huawei Ban Threatens Wireless Service in Rural Areas | Asharq AL-awsat

Huawei Ban Threatens Wireless Service in Rural Areas | Asharq AL-awsat: Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities

The increase in Everest deaths may have nothing to do with crowds or waiting

https://www.popsci.com/why-are-so-many-people-dying-on-everest?utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=73227565&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_7yU21LOAFwl0vA-YdWiamdallwqeZbQMGblihsAFUNA8dQuffqHFWsMeUzYpcoSK8Tvf_bl6y6vhnw9wJ0LKiIVIEz_MR5UvRZg06khSGOP5PxYY&_hsmi=73227565

How Korea was divided and why the aftershocks still haunt us today

How Korea was divided and why the aftershocks still haunt us today: The American decision that split a country and still affects how Koreans think about the United States

Text - H.Res.411 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): Defining Presidential wars not declared by Congress under article I, section 8, clause 11 (Declare War Clause) as impeachable "high crimes and misdemeanors" within the meaning of article II, section 4 of the Constitution and defining the meanings of war and cobelligerency for purposes of the Declare War Clause and Impeachment provisions. | Congress.gov | Library of Congress

Text - H.Res.411 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): Defining Presidential wars not declared by Congress under article I, section 8, clause 11 (Declare War Clause) as impeachable "high crimes and misdemeanors" within the meaning of article II, section 4 of the Constitution and defining the meanings of war and cobelligerency for purposes of the Declare War Clause and Impeachment provisions. | Congress.gov | Library of Congress: Text for H.Res.411 - 116th Congress (2019-2020): Defining Presidential wars not declared by Congress under article I, section 8, clause 11 (Declare War Clause) as impeachable "high crimes and misdemeanors" within the meaning of article II, section 4 of the Constitution and defining the meanings of war and cobelligerency for purposes of the Declare War Clause and Impeachment provisions.

Cardinal Parolin says Vatican will issue declaration on McCarrick investigation

Cardinal Parolin says Vatican will issue declaration on McCarrick investigation: Cardinal Pietro Parolin said Wednesday that the Vatican is still investigating the documentation concerning Theodore McCarrick and will issue a declaration upon the investigation’s completion.

Disney Threatens To Boycott Georgia But Partners With China, Which Puts Muslims In Internment Camps | The Daily Caller

Trump to hit Mexico with tariffs in anti-immigration measure - BBC News

Trump to hit Mexico with tariffs in anti-immigration measure - BBC News: The US president says he will impose rising tariffs until Mexico ends illegal immigration to the US.

What a Hash Mueller Made of It – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website

What a Hash Mueller Made of It – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website: Republicans should not let Mueller skate on this. For the James Comey-Mueller investigation is itself in need of investigation. What is it about special counsel Robert Mueller that he cannot say clearly and concisely what he means? His nine-minute summary of the findings of his office, after two years of investigation, was a mess. It…

Short of war, US can’t help but lose to China’s rise in Asia, says think tank Lowy Institute | South China Morning Post

PG&E Customers Facing Sustained Power Outages this Summer

PG&E Customers Facing Sustained Power Outages this Summer: Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) May 30, 2019 -- The state of California is all too familiar with the catastrophic effects of wildfires; the ecological devastation,

Wildfire Policy That Bankrupted PG&E Recommended for Overhaul

Wildfire Policy That Bankrupted PG&E Recommended for Overhaul: California should change the legal doctrine that forced its largest power company into bankruptcy and establish a fund to help utilities pay for the costs of increasingly catastrophic wildfires, a state-appointed commission said in a draft report.

California Public Utilities Commission President Michael Picker to step down - SFChronicle.com

California Public Utilities Commission President Michael Picker to step down - SFChronicle.com: The departure of Michael Picker, California’s top utility regulator, will create an opening in one of the state’s most crucial leadership roles on wildfires and climate change.

Calif. Panel Suggests Wildfire Rule Change After PG&E Ch. 11 - Law360

Calif. Panel Suggests Wildfire Rule Change After PG&E Ch. 11 - Law360: A California state-appointed commission on Wednesday recommended the state switch to a different standard for assessing whether utilities are responsible for wildfires, saying the change would reduce the chances of utilities going bankrupt, as PG&E Corp. recently did.

GEARING UP FOR LIGHTS OUT - Manteca Bulletin

GEARING UP FOR LIGHTS OUT - Manteca Bulletin: Manteca is putting together an emergency plan to help guide the city through what could be up to five days of being without electricity as California moves into uncharted territory with widespread power outages being deployed during severe wildfire conditions to try and avoid massive losses of lives and homes.

PG&E's wildfire mitigation plan OK'd by California regulator - Edison International (NYSE:EIX) | Seeking Alpha

PG&E's wildfire mitigation plan OK'd by California regulator - Edison International (NYSE:EIX) | Seeking Alpha: The California Public Utilities Commission approves the wildfire mitigation plan submitted by PG&E ([[PCG]] +3.6%) that will allow the utility to impose bl

California Utility Regulator OKs PG&E’s Wildfire Mitigation Plan

California Utility Regulator OKs PG&E’s Wildfire Mitigation Plan: A Wildfire Mitigation Plan submitted by Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday. The state

Regulators approve PG&E wildfire plan, statewide power shutoff rules - SFChronicle.com

PG&E warns of emergency shut-downs that could impact San Francisco, San Jose | abc7news.com

PG&E creditors to boost restructuring plan to $45B - Bloomberg - PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) | Seeking Alpha

PG&E creditors to boost restructuring plan to $45B - Bloomberg - PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG) | Seeking Alpha: PG&E (PCG) -2.3% pre-market following a Bloomberg report that a group of creditors could present a new restructuring plan to the bankruptcy court that coul

PG&E Creditors Said to Boost Restructuring Plan to $45 Billion - Bloomberg

PG&E Creditors Said to Boost Restructuring Plan to $45 Billion - Bloomberg: A group of PG&E Corp. creditors could preempt the embattled California utility’s own attempt to claw its way out of bankruptcy by presenting a restructuring plan that could be worth at least $45 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.

PG&E can use power blackouts to prevent CA wildfires | The Sacramento Bee

PG&E can use power blackouts to prevent CA wildfires | The Sacramento Bee: The California Public Utilities Commission approved a plan by PG&E to use large power blackouts to prevent the utility from being a cause for wildfires.

The Church of Il Gesù in Rome was the first built to glorify the Eucharist--Aleteia

The Church of Il Gesù in Rome was the first built to glorify the Eucharist--Aleteia: The Church of Il Gesù in Rome may not be quite the landmark that Notre-Dame de Paris is, but its influence has spread further. It was a radical innovation five centuries ago, and time has not reduced its ability to overwhelm.

ArabDigest.org: Deal of the [next] century

Greeenblatt visited the Western Wall and tweeted "Lots to pray for!!" The veteran Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat quipped "Now it is the deal of the next century".

Deal of the [next] century

Summary: Kushner briefly visits Morocco and Jordan to boost the deal of the century. Netanyahu's failure to form a government may have put the kibosh on the timing if not the deal itself.
Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jason Greenblatt, Middle East envoy, and Brian Hook, US special representative for Iran, visited Morocco, Jordan and Israel between 27 and 31 May. According to a White House official one reason for the trip was to bolster support for the 25/26 workshop in Manama at which Kushner is due to unveil the economic part of the "deal of the century". A State Department spokeswoman told reporters she wasn't sure what Hook's role is on the trip, but would get back to reporters with more details later. This rapid tour was presumably planned in the hope of harvesting some low hanging fruit, with the timing chosen to fit in with Kushner's attendance at the Bilderberg conference in Montreux which began yesterday 30 May (after which he will go to London for President Trump's state visit). The timing turned out to be unfortunate; the last days of Ramadan are not the best time for doing rapid business in a Muslim country, and the visit to Israel coincided with a major political crisis.

Nothing of substance has been published about the visit to Morocco and most reports of the trip have simply ignored it. Kushner, and presumably his companions, attended an Iftar with King Muhammad VI on 28 May, according to the Moroccan press agency following talks [presumably while the King and his team were still fasting] "on strengthening the long-standing, solid and multidimensional strategic partnership between Morocco and the United States, as well as on developments in the North African and Middle East region." Some reports referred to a call for a sit-in in front of Parliament to protest against the deal of the century.
According to the Jerusalem Post "Kushner and Greenblatt made a detour to Casablanca, where they visited the grave of Rabbi Haim Pinto, a noted 18th-century kabbalist. The US delegation was greeted by one of Pinto’s descendants, Rabbi David Chananya Pinto, with whom Kushner has reportedly had a relationship for a number of years. The Kushner family has reportedly financially backed Pinto’s Chevrat Pinto study center in Manhattan."
Next stop Jordan, where King Abdullah II "stressed the necessity of intensifying all efforts to achieve a comprehensive and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, and living in peace and security alongside Israel." Jordanian officials also referred to their worries the plan could jettison the two state solution and challenge King Abdullah's custodianship of the holy places in Jerusalem, and to their concern about the US drive to dismantle UNRWA (Jordan has the largest concentration of UN registered Palestinian refugees). A small crowd of demonstrators at the US Embassy chanted “The deal of the century will not pass. Down with the US.”
Neither Morocco nor Jordan has yet taken any public position on attendance or non-attendance at the Bahrain meeting, which according to the State Department is still planned for 25/26 June.
In Israel the team met Benjamin Netanyahu, still Prime Minister but now facing a snap election on 17 September having failed to form a coalition cabinet in the time stipulated in the constitution. In brief joint remarks with Kushner, Netanyahu according to Reuters sought to play down the setback, referring only to “a little event last night” (but a Foreign Policy morning brief today 31 May is headed "Will Netanyahu survive?").
Former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro told the Washington Post “I think the Trump peace plan is on ice indefinitely now. They already understood that they couldn’t roll out a peace plan during an Israeli election or government formation, so now the same logic is going to apply. Anything in the plan that has the slightest hint of a concession or a hard ask to Israel will be political dynamite during a campaign.” In a Bloomberg opinion article Husain Ibish asks “What could be more pointless than a 'Palestinian investment conference' without Palestinians? One without Israelis, as well.”
Greeenblatt visited the Western Wall and tweeted "Lots to pray for!!" The veteran Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat quipped "Now it is the deal of the next century".

Little Britain? The U.K. loses its mojo in Washington - POLITICO

Little Britain? The U.K. loses its mojo in Washington - POLITICO: Close observers say Britain’s influence in Washington is at a low point, suffering from a long-term decline accelerated by Brexit and Trump's election.

California initiative aims to transform care for dying | National Catholic Reporter

California initiative aims to transform care for dying | National Catholic Reporter: Sr. Eileen McNerney, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 at 70 years old. A few years later, she got another illness that left her in the hospital...

A Common Defense Could Make the European Union Great Again | The American Conservative

Over a Year on, Why Haven’t the Gaza Protests Succeeded? – LobeLog

Over a Year on, Why Haven’t the Gaza Protests Succeeded? – LobeLog: by Colter Louwerse It is no modest feat that Gaza’s Great March of Return and the End of the Blockade now arguably claims the mantle of being the longest ongoing mass protest movement on the planet…

Catholic Teaching on IVF and Contraception Explained

https://media.ascensionpress.com/video/catholic-teaching-on-ivf-and-contraception-explained/?utm_source=Ascension+Press&utm_campaign=ad810fd907-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_05_07_07_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e09e12a778-ad810fd907-351387457&mc_cid=ad810fd907&mc_eid=2bb902f84a

Pope Francis to Romanian Orthodox: ‘The bonds of faith that unite us go back to the Apostles’

https://zenit.org/articles/pope-francis-to-romanian-orthodox-the-bonds-of-faith-that-unite-us-go-back-to-the-apostles/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Romania%20Pope%20Speaks%20of%20Mary%20Mary%20Journeys%20Mary%20Encounters%20Mary%20Rejoices%201559323621%20ZNP&utm_content=Romania%20Pope%20Speaks%20of%20Mary%20Mary%20Journeys%20Mary%20Encounters%20Mary%20Rejoices%201559323621%20ZNP+CID_da288e74f059c88fb04af950b877173f&utm_source=Editions&utm_term=Pope%20Francis%20to%20Romanian%20Orthodox%20The%20bonds%20of%20faith%20that%20unite%20us%20go%20back%20to%20the%20Apostles

Do I Think Popes Can Never be Criticized for Any Reason? Nope. | Dave Armstrong

Do I Think Popes Can Never be Criticized for Any Reason? Nope. | Dave Armstrong: Acting as a loyal adviser or friend would act, I criticized Pope Francis for lack of "PR savvy" or for imprudence: not for any theology. I believe he has acted unwisely in some respects.

Reactionary Infiltration of Taylor Marshall’s Book, “Infiltration” | Dave Armstrong

Reactionary Infiltration of Taylor Marshall’s Book, “Infiltration” | Dave Armstrong: Taylor Marshall's book, "Infiltration" exhibits reactionary thought, which has four hallmarks: 1) pope-bashing, 2) VCII-bashing, 3) Pauline Mass-bashing, 4) Ecumenism-bashing.

Anti-Vatican II Hysteria in Taylor Marshall’s Book Fan Club | Dave Armstrong

Anti-Vatican II Hysteria in Taylor Marshall’s Book Fan Club | Dave Armstrong: One of the prominent hallmarks of radical reactionary Catholic thinking is a deluded, self-contradictory opposition to Vatican II. Dr. Taylor Marshall sadly promotes this.

Confederate Statues Controversies: Hypocrisy & Idiocy | Dave Armstrong

Confederate Statues Controversies: Hypocrisy & Idiocy | Dave Armstrong: Why stop with confederate statues? Why not get rid of everything associated with anyone who sinned at all?! Raze every monument to human beings excepting Jesus & Mary . . .

Georgia and Abortion: ‘Since When Do Hollywood Studios Have Such Strong Views on Women’s Rights?’ | Deacon Greg Kandra

Georgia and Abortion: ‘Since When Do Hollywood Studios Have Such Strong Views on Women’s Rights?’ | Deacon Greg Kandra: CNN's Brian Stelter offered a good wrap-up of the growing controversy this morning, with some links that help put the headlines in context. From Deadline: A day after Disney CEO Bob Iger said it would be “difficult” for the media giant to produce TV shows and films in Georgia given its strict new abortion law, a

OHCHR | UN expert says "collective persecution" of Julian Assange must end now

Can We Build Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs?

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/426389/can-we-build-tomorrows-breakthroughs/?utm_campaign=fwd_economy.unpaid.engagement&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=73234541&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8H5NR0_VW8fAZdahQMAZhkn1an_HKg0Dg_sdaybZhaif_hQYKZXldZ6lraivVGPzy5cVxf3Bvq3LoHPpIF-QkjAL055VxPpyevgmuhc0P3JLPUMFU&_hsmi=73234541

A new look at the declining labor share of income in the United States

McKinsey Global Institute

A new look at the declining labor share of income in the United States

https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/employment-and-growth/a-new-look-at-the-declining-labor-share-of-income-in-the-united-states?utm_campaign=fwd_economy.unpaid.engagement&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=73234541&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8H5NR0_VW8fAZdahQMAZhkn1an_HKg0Dg_sdaybZhaif_hQYKZXldZ6lraivVGPzy5cVxf3Bvq3LoHPpIF-QkjAL055VxPpyevgmuhc0P3JLPUMFU&_hsmi=73234541

Born to Be Eaten

Born to Be Eaten: What’s at stake in the fight over development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? A caribou herd, and a culture that relies on it.

Correspondence confirms Benedict XVI placed restrictions on McCarrick in 2008 – Catholic World Report

Society of Catholic Scientists conference to focus on what it means to be human – Catholic World Report

“Uncle Ted” and Me… – Catholic World Report

When it comes to Viganò, Pope Francis continues to deflect and distract – Catholic World Report

The Equality Act

https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2019/05/31/the-equality-act/?utm_source=The+Catholic+Thing+Daily&utm_campaign=8d2827a272-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_12_07_01_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_769a14e16a-8d2827a272-244213773

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Israel Might Have as Many as 300 Nuclear Weapons. And Some Are in the 'Ocean.' | The National Interest

Israel Might Have as Many as 300 Nuclear Weapons. And Some Are in the 'Ocean.' | The National Interest: Thanks to Germany.

St. Luke got the greatest interview of all time

St. Luke got the greatest interview of all time: There’s a school of thought in biblical studies that each of the four Gospels was written for a particular audience: Matthew for the Jews, Mark for Roman Christians, Luke for Gentiles (especially G…

Ascension paradox: Why we needed Jesus to leave, and why He needed to stay

Ascension paradox: Why we needed Jesus to leave, and why He needed to stay: Whether the Ascension comes on Sunday or Thursday (as it still does in the Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha, and Philadelphia areas), this Sunday’s readings have a direct application to re…

Bishop Barron's Gospel Reflection May 30, 2019

Thursday, May 30, 2019

The Ascension of the Lord

Luke 24:46-53

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus is taken up to his Father in heaven. We tend to read the Ascension along essentially Enlightenment lines, rather than biblical lines—and that causes a good deal of mischief. Enlightenment thinkers introduced a two-tier understanding of heaven and earth. They held that God exists, but that he lives in a distant realm called heaven, where he looks at the human project moving along, pretty much on its own steam, on earth.

On this Enlightenment reading, the Ascension means that Jesus goes up, up, and away, off to a distant and finally irrelevant place. But the biblical point is this: Jesus has gone to heaven so as to direct operations more fully here on earth. That’s why we pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Jesus has not gone up, up, and away, but rather—if I can put it this way—more deeply into our world. He has gone to a dimension that transcends but impinges upon our universe.

The Ascension of the Lord
Lectionary: 58

Reading 1 Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus,
I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught
until the day he was taken up,
after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit
to the apostles whom he had chosen.
He presented himself alive to them
by many proofs after he had suffered,
appearing to them during forty days
and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While meeting with them,
he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to wait for "the promise of the Father
about which you have heard me speak;
for John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

When they had gathered together they asked him,
"Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He answered them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons
that the Father has established by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth."
When he had said this, as they were looking on,
he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,
suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.
They said, "Men of Galilee,
why are you standing there looking at the sky?
This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven
will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven."

Reading 2 Eph 1:17-23

Brothers and sisters:
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might:
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the church,
which is his body,
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

Gospel Lk 24:46-53

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
And behold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you;
but stay in the city
until you are clothed with power from on high."

Then he led them out as far as Bethany,
raised his hands, and blessed them.
As he blessed them he parted from them
and was taken up to heaven.
They did him homage
and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
and they were continually in the temple praising God.

How greed and corruption blew up South Korea’s nuclear industry - MIT Technology Review

How greed and corruption blew up South Korea’s nuclear industry - MIT Technology Review: Seoul had a solution to the world’s energy problems. Then everything went wrong.

Climate change has already made poor countries poorer and rich countries richer - MIT Technology Review

Climate change has already made poor countries poorer and rich countries richer - MIT Technology Review: But few nations will be spared as temperatures rise further.

The desperate race to cool the ocean before it’s too late

Holly Jean Buck is a fellow at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. This is an adapted excerpt from her upcoming book After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair, and Restoration (September 2019, Verso Books).

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/613327/the-desperate-race-to-cool-the-ocean-before-its-too-late/

ALJ Endorses California PUC ‘Stress Test’ on 2017 Wildfire Costs

ALJ Endorses California PUC ‘Stress Test’ on 2017 Wildfire Costs: The California PUC released a judge’s proposed ruling approving “stress test” methodology to determine rate recovery for 2017 wildfire costs.

Newsom and legislative leaders decline to embrace changes to California's wildfire liability law - Los Angeles Times

Newsom and legislative leaders decline to embrace changes to California's wildfire liability law - Los Angeles Times: Gov. Gavin Newsom, Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins said they would move forward with a fund to pay utility wildfire damages.

Latest PG&E shakedown will cost typical residential victim $126.84 more in 2020 - Manteca Bulletin

Latest PG&E shakedown will cost typical residential victim $126.84 more in 2020 - Manteca Bulletin: If you are a typical PG&E residential customer as opposed to the ones they’ve killed by blowing them up or burning them to death, the for-profit utility is now coming after you.

PG&E Seeks $2B More From Customers in Wake of Wildfires - May 29, 2019 - SF Weekly

PG&E Seeks $2B More From Customers in Wake of Wildfires - May 29, 2019 - SF Weekly: PG&E is under pressure to prevent increasingly destructive wildfires in San Francisco and has come up with a plan to do it amid bankruptcy: collect another $2 billion from customers in the next three years. In December, the utility put in a request to boost revenues by $1 billion in 2020, $454 million in 2021, …

Judge Denies Ratepayers’ Bid for Representation in PG&E Bankruptcy - WSJ

Judge Denies Ratepayers’ Bid for Representation in PG&E Bankruptcy - WSJ: The bankruptcy court presiding over PG&E Corp.’s chapter 11 case denied California ratepayers’ attempt to gain a seat at the negotiating table as an official committee.

Federal judge sets September deadline for PG&E reorganization plan | Calaveras County's Most Trusted News Source | calaverasenterprise.com

Federal judge sets September deadline for PG&E reorganization plan | Calaveras County's Most Trusted News Source | calaverasenterprise.com: In a federal bankruptcy hearing on May 22, the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. was given an extension to propose a plan to emerge from its bankruptcy by Sept. 29,

Judge Rejects Call For Ratepayer Committee In PG&E Ch. 11 - Law360

Judge Rejects Call For Ratepayer Committee In PG&E Ch. 11 - Law360: A California bankruptcy judge has rejected a consumer group's request to appoint a committee to represent PG&E Corp. ratepayers in the utility's Chapter 11 case, saying they don't have claims against the company that need protecting.

Ratepayers won’t get committee to rep them in PG&E bankruptcy - SFChronicle.com

Ratepayers won’t get committee to rep them in PG&E bankruptcy - SFChronicle.com: A consumer group’s proposal for a ratepayers’ committee in the PG&E bankruptcy case was rejected by the bankruptcy judge on Tuesday.

PATRICK LAWRENCE: The US-China Decoupling – Consortiumnews

PATRICK LAWRENCE: The US-China Decoupling – Consortiumnews: The long, dense economic relationship appears to have passed its peak, writes Patrick Lawrence.
By Patrick Lawrence
Special to Consortium News
President Donald Trump’s trade war with China is swiftly taking a decisive turn for the worse.
Step by step, each measure prompting retaliation, a spat

‘Most People Don’t Know What a Tariff Is’ – Foreign Policy

‘Most People Don’t Know What a Tariff Is’ – Foreign Policy: The University of Chicago trade expert Robert Gulotty says the global trading system will likely survive, though it has never before had to fend off…

Letter to a Suffering Church: A Bishop Speaks on the Sexual Abuse Crisis

Tulsi Gabbard: Trump's "Shoot From The Hip" Unpredictable Foreign Policy Makes America Less Safe | Video | RealClearPolitics

To avoid war with Iran, US needs to deal — starting with a concession (The Hill | Geneive Abdo) - Arabia FoundationArabia Foundation

To avoid war with Iran, US needs to deal — starting with a concession (The Hill | Geneive Abdo) - Arabia FoundationArabia Foundation: It is time to negotiate with Iran. There is no other way out, in the long term, to avoid either an “accidental” confrontation in Gulf waters or a return to the status quo on Iran’s nuclear program that existed before the deal was signed in 2015.

Mueller’s report is done and so is Mueller - The Boston Globe

Mueller’s report is done and so is Mueller - The Boston Globe: He has investigated the facts, finished his report, and had his say. Mueller’s not going to declare that the president’s a crook, and he’s not going to declare that he’s not.

Nepal says Everest rules might change after traffic jams and deaths - The Boston Globe

Nepal says Everest rules might change after traffic jams and deaths - The Boston Globe: After human traffic jams at the top of Mount Everest and an aggressive, unruly atmosphere that has been likened to “a zoo,” Nepalese officials said Wednesday that they were considering changing the rules about who was allowed up the world’s highest mountain.

They Do Death Well Here - The Catholic Thing

They Do Death Well Here - The Catholic Thing: Randall Smith: If churches can re-learn how to do burials well, they will earn the deepest gratitude and admiration of their members and even unbelievers.

Monday’s storms damage churches in Dayton – Catholic Telegraph

Monday’s storms damage churches in Dayton – Catholic Telegraph: The site of the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Towards a Pro-Worker, Pro-Family Conservatism | The American Conservative

Towards a Pro-Worker, Pro-Family Conservatism | The American Conservative: Republicans should care about struggling communities, regardless of how they vote.

Planned Parenthood’s false stat: ‘Thousands’ of women died every year before Roe - The Washington Post

Planned Parenthood’s false stat: ‘Thousands’ of women died every year before Roe - The Washington Post: Planned Parenthood's president claims thousands of women died from unsafe abortions before Roe v. Wade. That was out of date decades ago.

Democratic presidential hopeful: 'Church is wrong on abortion, priests, LGBT'

Democratic presidential hopeful: 'Church is wrong on abortion, priests, LGBT': Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has said that she disputes Church teaching on the priesthood, sexuality, and abortion.

Tomgram: Danny Sjursen, With Friends Like These... | TomDispatch

Tomgram: Danny Sjursen, With Friends Like These... | TomDispatch: null

Exclusion of migrants is red flag of society in moral decline, pope says | National Catholic Reporter

Exclusion of migrants is red flag of society in moral decline, pope says | National Catholic Reporter: Being indifferent to or excluding migrants is a sign of a deteriorating morality that will soon spread and risk marginalizing everyone who fails to fit in, Pope Francis said.

In fact, the Christian r...

Diplomatic Ballet Precedes Arab, Gulf and Islamic Summits

https://www.voanews.com/a/diplomatic-ballet-just-hours-before-arab-gulf-and-islamic-summits-in-mecca/4937338.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=qatars_prime_minister_travels_to_saudi_arabia_during_boycott_will_attend_summit&utm_term=2019-05-30

Keynote address by State Secretary Andreas Michaelis at the opening of the D10 Strategy Forum in Berlin - Federal Foreign Office

Keynote address by State Secretary Andreas Michaelis at the opening of the D10 Strategy Forum in Berlin - Federal Foreign Office: Welcome to the Federal Foreign Office! And especially to our guests from abroad: a very warm welcome to Berlin.

We are very honoured to host this year’s Meeting of the D-10 Strategy Forum. We do so…

What Trade War? Africa Sidesteps Tariffs, Starts Free-Trade Pact - Bloomberg

What Trade War? Africa Sidesteps Tariffs, Starts Free-Trade Pact - Bloomberg: Africa, largely ignored in a U.S.-China trade war that could roil economies worldwide, is quietly piecing together the world’s largest free-trade zone.

Does Iran’s Economic Fate Depend on a Lifeline From China?

https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2019/05/does-irans-economic-fate-depend-on-a-lifeline-from-china.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NakedCapitalism+%28naked+capitalism%29

Is the Liberal Hour Ending in the West? – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website

Is the Liberal Hour Ending in the West? – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website: "The first Brexit, after all, was in 1776, when the 13 colonies of North America severed all ties to the British crown and set out alone on the path to independence. It did not turn out all that badly." Hillary Clinton called them "the deplorables." Barack Obama called them losers who "cling" to their Bibles,…

Protect PG&E, utilities from CA wildfire costs, panel says | The Sacramento Bee

Protect PG&E, utilities from CA wildfire costs, panel says | The Sacramento Bee: California leaders ask for legal changes to give PG&E, which announced bankruptcy after Camp Fire, and other utilities more protection against wildfire liabilities — similar to proposals by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

US Cuba Policy Is an Embarrassment - The Globalist

US Cuba Policy Is an Embarrassment - The Globalist: The Trump administration’s policy toward Cuba will only increase the antagonism between the Cuban and US governments.

There are things much worse than Netanyahu - for example, Lieberman - Opinion - Israel News | Haaretz.com

There are things much worse than Netanyahu - for example, Lieberman - Opinion - Israel News | Haaretz.com: The primeval hatred for Benjamin Netanyahu blinds even the eyes of the wise. Suddenly, Avigdor Lieberman has become the hope of the liberal secular public. Half of Israel

Russia Calls for Lifting Sanctions on Syrian Regime | Asharq AL-awsat

Russia Calls for Lifting Sanctions on Syrian Regime | Asharq AL-awsat: Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities

Trump Is Driving Iran into Russia’s Arms – Foreign Policy

Trump Is Driving Iran into Russia’s Arms – Foreign Policy: U.S. sanctions won’t necessarily isolate Tehran. They could spur new strategic alliances.

The Left Needs to Stop Crushing on the Generals | The American Conservative

Singapore topples US to become world's most competitive economy: IMD

Why does Facebook recommend friends I've never even met?

Facebook's People You May Know algorithm is shrouded in mystery – even within the company itself. But its suggestions have often led to dark consequences

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/facebook-people-you-may-know-friend-suggestions?utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=73187520&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8_TmQP_eIJSa_Gf6rLx8LDQ3j9f7KvgG9wfr9MkxPVEIixfJWyB8l3XqOKgSGs0aQ1mPeDyjnb6tWGncP4uhFXPlkPg2k87VDCnKW62T-rAhIyaME&_hsmi=73187520

Twitter Has Started Researching Whether White Supremacists Belong on Twitter

"Is it the right approach to deplatform these individuals? Is the right approach to try and engage with these individuals? How should we be thinking about this? What actually works?"

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/ywy5nx/twitter-researching-white-supremacism-nationalism-ban-deplatform?utm_source=vicenewstwitter&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8_TmQP_eIJSa_Gf6rLx8LDQ3j9f7KvgG9wfr9MkxPVEIixfJWyB8l3XqOKgSGs0aQ1mPeDyjnb6tWGncP4uhFXPlkPg2k87VDCnKW62T-rAhIyaME&_hsmi=73187520

Cancer? This researcher says he can see it in your blood - MIT Technology Review

Cancer? This researcher says he can see it in your blood - MIT Technology Review: Another large-scale effort is under way to develop a doctor’s-office test to find cancer in people with no symptoms.

Trump tax cuts did little to boost economic growth in 2018, study says

My Science Has No Nationality: Chinese scientists in the age of Trump - SupChina

My Science Has No Nationality: Chinese scientists in the age of Trump - SupChina: For Chinese scientists who immigrated to the U.S., where do their hearts and bodies belong? In their home country, where an authoritarian government is increasing its hold on society, aided by technology for surveillance and censorship? Or in a country whose president actively rejects them, where they are painted as spies? Yangyang Cheng, in this personal essay, explores the relationship between science, geopolitics, and its implications for our shared future.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

The intelligence community needs a house-cleaning

John Brennan and the CIA claim lives will be endangered if their work is declassified. That excuse only works so many times

2 hr

Public post

https://taibbi.substack.com/p/the-intelligence-community-needs?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR2jK5OelPDiYWEJCbHjzz6-MDGZjCYfhhZr-PuOsRztTDNpJYTo16oMJa4

End Monopoly Protections to Fix PG&E and Other Utilities | Adam B. Summers

End Monopoly Protections to Fix PG&E and Other Utilities | Adam B. Summers: Powered by the Independent Institute

Judge Denies Ratepayers’ Bid for Representation in PG&E Bankruptcy - WSJ

CPUC Announces Public Meetings On PG&E $2 Billion Rate Increase Request – CBS San Francisco

Cpuc Announces Public Meetings On Pg&E $2B Rate Increase Request - SFGate

Ratepayers won’t get committee to rep them in PG&E bankruptcy - SFChronicle.com

Robert Mueller leaves DOJ after Trump, Russia investigation | The Sacramento Bee

Robert Mueller leaves DOJ after Trump, Russia investigation | The Sacramento Bee: Special Counsel Robert Mueller is stepping down from the Justice Department after completing the investigation & report into President Donald Trump, obstruction of justice and collusion during the 2016 election. K

Drug Makers' Opioid Liability Tied to Untested Legal Theory - Bloomberg

Drug Makers' Opioid Liability Tied to Untested Legal Theory - Bloomberg: Determining who foots the bill for America’s growing opioid epidemic may depend on how well the state of Oklahoma deploys a high-risk legal strategy next week against Johnson & Johnson and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

The Economic Effects of the 2017 Tax Revision: Preliminary Observations - EveryCRSReport.com

The Economic Effects of the 2017 Tax Revision: Preliminary Observations - EveryCRSReport.com: The 2017 tax revision, P.L. 115-97, often referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and referred to subsequently as the Act,...

Reflections on the President’s Delegation of Declassification Authority to the Attorney General - Lawfare

Reflections on the President’s Delegation of Declassification Authority to the Attorney General - Lawfare: President Trump has conferred on Attorney General Bill Barr an unprecedented power over the intelligence community. The delegation will only increase public mistrust toward the Justice Department.

Trump administration underestimates China, experts warn, United States News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Trump administration underestimates China, experts warn, United States News & Top Stories - The Straits Times: The Trump administration underestimated the willingness of the Chinese to stand up for themselves, said one expert.. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Aporkalypse now - Farming in China

Historic Flooding on the Arkansas River in Oklahoma and Arkansas by Dr. Jeff Masters | Category 6 | Weather Underground

High radiation levels found in giant clams near U.S. nuclear dump in Marshall Islands - Los Angeles Times

Bishop Barron's Gospel Reflection May 29, 2019

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

John 16:12-15

Friends, today’s Gospel declares that when the Spirit comes, he will guide us into all truth. There is a story I’ve heard about Jean-Luc Marion that, if it isn’t true, should be. In the midst of a lively lecture on Descartes, a student asked a pointed question about God. Marion looked at her and said, "Go to Sunday Mass for a year and then return and ask me that question again."

Marion’s response was not just a clever one-liner. If true knowledge of God depends upon immersion in the Holy Spirit, then that knowledge is a function of an entire form of life, involving prayer, self-denial, the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and the forgiveness of one’s enemies. We don’t think our way to an understanding of God so much as we live our way to it.

Thomas Aquinas always said that he owed his theology far more to the persistence of his prayer than to the acuity of his mind. His penetration of the divine mystery flowed from his life in the Holy Spirit. And so today we pray, "Come, Holy Spirit, come!"

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 293

Reading 1 Acts 17:15, 22—18:1

After Paul's escorts had taken him to Athens,
they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothy
to join him as soon as possible.

Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said:
"You Athenians, I see that in every respect
you are very religious.
For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines,
I even discovered an altar inscribed, 'To an Unknown God.'
What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you.
The God who made the world and all that is in it,
the Lord of heaven and earth,
does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands,
nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything.
Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything.
He made from one the whole human race
to dwell on the entire surface of the earth,
and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions,
so that people might seek God,
even perhaps grope for him and find him,
though indeed he is not far from any one of us.
For 'In him we live and move and have our being,'
as even some of your poets have said,
'For we too are his offspring.'
Since therefore we are the offspring of God,
we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image
fashioned from gold, silver, or stone by human art and imagination.
God has overlooked the times of ignorance,
but now he demands that all people everywhere repent
because he has established a day on which he will 'judge the world
with justice' through a man he has appointed,
and he has provided confirmation for all
by raising him from the dead."

When they heard about resurrection of the dead,
some began to scoff, but others said,
"We should like to hear you on this some other time."
And so Paul left them.
But some did join him, and became believers.
Among them were Dionysius,
a member of the Court of the Areopagus,
a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.

Gospel Jn 16:12-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine
and declare it to you."

Pages

Subscribe To

Search This Blog

Friday, May 31, 2019

The increase in Everest deaths may have nothing to do with crowds or waiting

Deal of the [next] century

Catholic Teaching on IVF and Contraception Explained

Pope Francis to Romanian Orthodox: ‘The bonds of faith that unite us go back to the Apostles’

Can We Build Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs?

A new look at the declining labor share of income in the United States

The Equality Act

Thursday, May 30, 2019

The Ascension of the LordLectionary: 58

Reading 1 Acts 1:1-11

Reading 2 Eph 1:17-23

Gospel Lk 24:46-53

The desperate race to cool the ocean before it’s too late

Holly Jean Buck is a fellow at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. This is an adapted excerpt from her upcoming book After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair, and Restoration (September 2019, Verso Books).

Diplomatic Ballet Precedes Arab, Gulf and Islamic Summits

Why does Facebook recommend friends I've never even met?

Twitter Has Started Researching Whether White Supremacists Belong on Twitter

"Is it the right approach to deplatform these individuals? Is the right approach to try and engage with these individuals? How should we be thinking about this? What actually works?"

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

John Brennan and the CIA claim lives will be endangered if their work is declassified. That excuse only works so many times

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of EasterLectionary: 293

Reading 1 Acts 17:15, 22—18:1

Gospel Jn 16:12-15

The Ascension of the Lord
Lectionary: 58

Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Lectionary: 293