Informative assessment by @jo44atWID of the problem of soil erosion/degradation and its impact on food supplies. We don't think much about soil, but it makes food (hence us) possible, so it behooves us to take good care of it.

Finished. Detailed & scholarly answer to an important question. On one level it explains alot - how so many 'ordinary' Germans willingly and in fact eagerly participated in the Holocaust - but on another level the main question - how could people do this? - remained unanswered.

Little to add to Trump's Endangerment Finding move that hasn't already been said, but here's the key bit: Framing matters. This isn't "economics" vs climate, or some kind of noble "cost-cutting" crusade. It's a handout to narrow fossil interests, counter to economic forces.

Representing the American people in the Senate is an honor. Anyone who was convicted of massive fraud against the United States government should be removed from that office.

Finished. Convincing series of arguments for society limiting extreme wealth (not that I needed much convincing).

I went on al-Jazeera English today to discuss possible US-Iran negotiations reaching any sort of viable agreement. mediaview.aljazeera.com/video/ucJLAr...

I spoke with @=TRTWorldNow about the impending crisis in the Middle East w/the U.S. military build-up & the lack of a clear, articulated USG strategy. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUJm...

Highlights a problem for Mexico & other countries who might be willing (albeit under pressure) to quietly cooperate w/ US military, intelligence, or law enforcement. This administration won't keep such cooperation quiet because they need to boast about every "win." newrepublic.com/post/205848/...

Finished. Excellent introduction to the theory and history of social revolutions, from one of the preeminent experts in the field.

in case you're curious about how angry Minnesota is about ICE, it was -20 today

Trump approval, per The Economist — Georgia: -18.6% Maine: -18.4% Texas: -17.2% Michigan: -15.8% North Carolina: -13.6% Ohio: -9.2% Iowa: -8.7% Florida: -7.5% South Carolina: -7.3% Mississippi: -6.9% Alaska: -6.6% Louisiana: -5.1% Nebraska: -1.8% These states all have Senate elections this year

Finished....seemed like a good time to read this classic examination of non-violent ways to topple a dictatorship and establish a democracy. Lots of insights & good ideas.

I spoke with Al-Jazeera tonight about President Trump’s recent comments on Iran and a possible US military strike. mediaview.aljazeera.com/video/VRUxA1...

I spoke with Arash Azizi about what is different between US policy on Venezuela and Iran. www.theatlantic.com/internationa...

Excellent book! Gives a cyclical model of societal change predicated on both popular immiseration and too many elites vying for limited power, driven by a 'wealth pump' moving wealth upwards. Also makes a strong argument the US is more plutocracy than democracy. Fascinating reading.

I gave my two cents to this Al-Hurra end-of-year roundup: alhurra.com/en/10012

This poem by Gwendolyn Brooks continues to be an anchor on hard days.

Interesting look at the "Rights of Nature" legal movement through the lense of the author's interactions w/3 rivers in Ecuador, India and Canada. As much travel narrative as exegesis, the author does a good job of highlighting the increasingly legal visibility of indigenous ways of looking at nature

I went on Iran International's 'Eye for Iran' yesterday w/ Negar Mojtahedi to talk about the protests in Iran. BLUF: Significant, but this regime is far better at suppressing revolt than running a country. youtube.com/watch?si=vCKvOlmNQUPjAtWD&v=KguzYFTuKk4&feature=youtu.be

Finished. Well-written, and a strong argument that made good sense to me.

I was honored to share a screen w/former Ass't Secretary of State David Schenker on Shams TV's Washington 360, to talk recent developments in Iran and Lebanon. www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPdi...

An excellent, much-needed book by @JohnMMacgregor stressing the need to update our democracy constitutionally vice various ad hoc reforms. Key: big money out of politics, big corporations out of media, increasing civic participation in, & awareness of, policy. A blueprint for essential change.

I went on Al-Qahera news today, talking about Israel's desire to attack Iran again. youtube.com/watch?si=NnHYX4EHaOVa9bQP&v=gho_a2QzqHs&feature=youtu.be

Fascinating examination of how hard (and rare) it is to run a farm successfully in today's America.

Explains our current economic system's unsustainability & suggests ways f/avoiding the worst effects of business as usual, suggestions unpalatable to the economic elites running much of the developed world. The book also tries (IMHO unsucessfully) to salvage economic growth w/ 'green growth.'

the vice president is a klansman

Finished. Essay on the consequences of our unsustainable industrial civilization. His reach sometimes exceeds his grasp, but lots of good bits.

A look at existential risks to humanity and how to prevent them. Good emphasis on long-term thinking, but his techno-optimism and his valorizing of homo sapiens was surprising. The book seems to ignore both the implications of evolution & the unsustainable singularities of the fossil fuel age.

Finished. Representative sampling of Chomsky's largely plausible analysis of current events, focused mainly on the Ukraine war and climate change. The title should read "A Livable Future is Very Hard, But Possible."

Finished. Nice introduction to the increasing infrastructure and physical/environmental consequences of Information and Communications Technology.

Vehemently opposes data centers could be added here

Excellent book. A comprehensive, readable look at (USG-centric) crisis decision-making, with an emphasis on fusing practice& theory. It still ignores some key aspects of decision-making (elite capture, slow crises), but on the whole a really useful and engaging book.

A new report on civic freedoms concludes that "the US is no longer a functional democracy." Congrats everyone. And a *special* congrats to the Harpers letter signatories, free-speech warriors, and "anti-woke" crusaders. You saved us from woke! Great work.

U.S. EPA: Waren’t us: bsky.app/profile/luck...

SCOTUS is literally in a hearing rn where the likely outcome is that they will tell us that it is illegal for Congress to appoint independent and non-partisan figures to oversee public decisions in areas where there are obvious conflicts of interest for politicians

Passionate, detailed account of how America has slid into an oligarchy dominated by networks of economic elites using corrupt practices to advance (only) their own interests. To quote Howard Beale in 'Network': "First, you've got to get mad."

I discussed the possibility of future Israeli attacks on Iran, on @AlGhadTV today. BLUF: Likely, as Iran seeks to reconstitute its strategic deterrence. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNdz...

This one is accessible. I have a three-season heat pump, heat pump water heater and an induction stove in NE Ohio. They’ve cut my emissions by 87% and are comparable in cost to operate. homes.rewiringamerica.org/articles/hea...

An absorbing, detailed examination of how Congress bgot broken and how to fix it. It also gives a detailed account of the rise of political violence and its destructive effects on our polity. An essential read for those who are looking to fix our legislature.

Finished - great book! Sweeping history of societal collapse from the start of Homo Sapiens to the present. I wasn't thrilled with his 'Goliath-based idiosyncratic nomenclature ('Goliath curse,' (Goliath fuel'...) but the author has a complex, nuanced theory of history that invites reflection.

With all the talk about the massive electricity demand of new data centers, let’s see what it would look like to power one of the world’s largest continuously by using only 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙧, 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨!

I went on SharqBloomberg yesterday to discuss the MBS visit. BLUF: Reflectst the strengthened bilat relationship, but results could well be less than meets the eye. now.asharq.com/clips/178867...

Noteworthy.

An introduction to our runaway military spending and its adverse consequences, with a focus on the institutions that perpetuate this decidedly suboptimal status quo (like Eisenhower's 'Military-Industrial Complex,' but much more pervasive.). Lots of good bits, some areas overlooked.

“They’re trying to make the loss of life invisible, they’re trying to deny the reality" @agawande.bsky.social on the Trump administration's devastating, heartbreaking cuts to global aid www.thebulwark.com/p/this-may-b...

"The scale of the damage is unprecedented. Start with housing. The UN estimated in August that over 320,000 homes had been destroyed or damaged....Around 1.2m people—60% of Gaza’s population—are homeless. Even tents are hard to find." www.economist.com/middle-east-...

Good portrait of SCOTUS personalities and dynamics during the Rehnquist & early Roberts eras. Confirms that like the Executive and Legislative branches, this institution is also intrinsically political, and deeply dependent on the collective virtues and flaws of the nine justices serving.

Scholarly yet engrossing look at comparativism in U.S. foreign policy, using Turkiye and Iran. Eminently readable, this book heightened my awareness of the subjective, political nature of comparison in foreign affairs.