Monday, April 04, 2022

The Social Justice/Injustice (and more) Wrangle


Let's begin with some of the events from the weekend just passed.


Kimberly Shappley also celebrated Transgender Day of Visibility, and The 19th reported on what TDoV meant for trans folks in Texas this year.


Counter-weighted unfortunately by the ongoing social injustices.


It's difficult to say whether Dr. Hotze's publicity stunts are a social injustice, the rantings of a lunatic, or just garden-variety demagoguery.  You decide.


One thing is clear, as Zach Despart points out ...


Here's another pathetic example of Houston Democrats' foibles playing right into the hands of the raging local conservatives.


Unforced error after error in a midterm cycle that will be dominated by Biden's and DC Dems' failures to accomplish significant relief for suffering Americans foreshadows an electoral shellacking in November.  No amount of demonizing the demons in the GOP will rescue them.


The latest IPCC report has dropped, so I'll have some tweets about that and the #SEJ2022 conference from over the weekend in a large environmental Wrangle tomorrow.  Right now I feel like I need a few calm-me-downs.

Thursday, March 31, 2022

The #SEJ2022 and #TDOV Wrangle


Since the Society of Environmental Journalists is convening locally this end-of-week, let's begin with some climate posts.


Now you know why I'm voting for Hunter Crow.


-- The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality awaits the results of its Sunset Commission performance review; in the meanwhile, it has denied a petition to create a rule against issuing wastewater discharge permits on pristine streams like Barton Creek in Austin.  And a story from earlier this month noted the agency's inability to communicate effectively en Espanol.

-- "Embattled Cuellar Distancing Himself From Koch Money":

(Koch Industries') move to stay in operation in Russia has added a new level of toxicity to Cuellar’s political career. A spokesperson for the representative told CNBC that “Congressman Cuellar has not received any money from the Koch Brothers this year and will not accept any future campaign contributions until they disassociate from Russia.”

Earlier this year, Cuellar’s office was raided by the FBI. Though law enforcement has been tight-lipped about what exactly they are investigating Cuellar for, experts speculate that it may be related to illegal actions by Azerbaijan oil companies. Cuellar has lobbied for the interests of the Azeri government and participated in trips to the country that included meetings with the heads of the state oil company.


-- Ku Klux Climate: Coal, Petro-Palingenesis, and the Historical Materialism of Fossil Fascism, by Paul Street

It's also a big week for social justice.


Here's some politics news.


Edwards is the epitome of the worst kind of Democrat IMO: a platitude-mouthed centrist.  She'll only draw votes from Chris Hollins and let John Whitmire ease in to the top of the Bagby horse shoe.


I need some calm-me-downs.