Politics

Coal on the Ropes: Part Two

Submitted by Judith Siers-Poisson on February 27, 2008 - 3:15pm

David Roberts of Grist.org writes in the Nation, "So there you have it: just in the past week, elite opinion against coal has accelerated, two major coal projects have run into embarrassments, and an independent report has confirmed that things are only going to get worse." Power consulting firm Wood MacKensie says that "the rate of coal plant cancellations accelerated during 2007 to the point that more than 50% of the new coal capacity announced since 2000 has now been canceled." On to

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The Nation, February 21, 2008

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Coal on the Ropes: Part One

Submitted by Judith Siers-Poisson on February 27, 2008 - 2:49pm

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Los Angeles Times, February 27, 2008

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Jousting with the Lancet: More Data, More Debate over Iraqi Deaths

U.S. soldier carries a wounded Iraqi child (Marine Corps photo) It's one of the most controversial questions today: How many Iraqis have died since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion?

That there is no definitive answer should not come as a surprise, given the chaotic situation in Iraq. Still, it's an important question to ask, for obvious humanitarian, moral and political reasons.

Theoretically, the public health surveys and polls that have been conducted in Iraq -- at great risk to the people involved -- should help inform and further the debate. But the data is complicated by different research approaches and their attendant caveats. The matter has been further confused by anemic reporting, with news articles usually framed as a "he said / she said" story, instead of an exploration and interpretation of research findings.

These are the conditions under which spin thrives: complex issues, political interests and weak reporting. So it's not too surprising that last month saw a spate of what international health researcher Dr. Richard Garfield calls "Swift Boat editorials."

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Controversy Grows over Canadian Skeptics Ad Campaign

Submitted by Bob Burton on February 22, 2008 - 12:18am

The fallout from the SourceWatch profile on the Canadian global warming skeptics group, Friends of Science (FoS), continues to grow.

Main Source:

Canwest News Service, February 21, 2008

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Taking a Stand for Their Communities' Health

Submitted by Judith Siers-Poisson on February 20, 2008 - 2:32pm

Low-income California communities concerned with environmental justice have launched a 21-point "Environmental Justice Movement Declaration." Their position is a challenge to the policies of Gov.

Main Source:

Los Angeles Times, February 20, 2008

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Barn Raising Day for Superdelegate Transparency

Submitted by Sheldon Rampton on February 20, 2008 - 8:00am

Citizen journalism logo Since the Superdelegate Transparency Project launched on Congresspedia last week, dozens of people have helped flesh out the facts about the so-called "superdelegates" whose votes may determine whether Hillary Clinton or

Yes

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Congresspedia's Superdelegate Transparency Project

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Featured Participatory Project: Tracking the Superdelegates in the Democratic Primary

Submitted by Conor Kenny on February 12, 2008 - 11:03pm

Citizen journalism logo As Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama run neck-and-neck in the Democratic primary, a "brokered" convention is possible where the Democratic delegates cut deals and shift sides to give one candidate the threshold they need to gain the party's nomination.

Yes

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Congresspedia's Superdelegate Transparency Project

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AAEI - How Democrats Took Over and Betrayed the Peace Movement

Submitted by John Stauber on February 9, 2008 - 7:32pm

Matt Taibbi analyzes how "Democrats have surrendered to Bush on Iraq and betrayed the peace movement for their own political ends." He faults the MoveOn-led Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, "a political tool for the Democrats -- one operated from inside the Beltway and

Main Source:

Rolling Stone, February 21, 2008

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Rather than Surrender to Terror, Romney Quits

Submitted by Anne Landman on February 7, 2008 - 4:35pm

Mitt Romney has suspended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, saying that if he continued it would "be making it easier for Senator Clinton or Obama to win" and that he cannot

Main Source:

New York Times, February 7, 2008

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North American Governments Ponder How Best to Boost Their Wars

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on February 6, 2008 - 3:29pm

AmericaSupportsYou.mil logo "A key part of Ottawa's public relations campaign" in support of its controversial military mission in Afghanistan is frequent phone calls where "senior federal officials ...