Planet Warning two-minute MP3 series
The SEC: The Watchdog De-Fanged
(created in 2011)
Oceans in Distress
A report by leading international scientists concludes that human activities are causing a much more rapid deterioration of the ocean than previously thought. Very worrying is the new awareness that human-induced ocean stressors such as ocean acidification, water warming, over-fishing, etc. are combining synergistically to cause even greater harm to ocean life than would result from the individual causes alone.
Sources
- IPSO (JUne 20, 2011) International Earth system expert workshop on ocean stresses and impacts
- BBC (20 June 2011), Richard Black, World's oceans in "shocking" decline
- NY Times, Green Blogs (June 21, 2011), David Jolly, Oceans at Dire Risk, Team of Scientists Warns
- NOAA Ocean
- Reuters (June 29, 2011), Warming, Overfishing, Plastic Pollution Destroying Ocean Life: Scientists
- Telegraph (June 26, 2011), Richard Gray, Warming Oceans Cause Largest MOvement of Marine Species in Two Million Years
Organizations Addressing Ocean Health
China's Three Gorges Dam - From Miracle to Nightmare
(created in 2011)
The gargantuan Three Gorges Dam over the Yangtze River in China is the largest hydroelectric project in the world and is a poster child for China's spectacular economic boom. Unfortunately, it also showcases the downside of china's economic miracle - the environmental and human wreckage in its wake.
Sources
- NYTimes (JUne 14, 2011) Coco Liu of ClimateWise, China's Drought Threatens Farm Income, Drinking Water, Wildlife and Hydropower
- MSNBC (June 3, 2011) Elaine Kurtenback of AP, China drought renews debate over Three Gorges Dam
- Globe and Mail (June 10, 2011) Rod Mickleburgh, Three Gorges, and a myriad of doubts
- Aljazeera (May 31, 2011) Kevin Corriveau, Three Gorges Dam: drought maker or breaker?
- Globe and Mail (May 24, 2011), Leslie Hook-The financial Times, China faces worst drought in 50 years
- McClatchy (May 30, 2011), Tom Lasseter, Is Three Gorges Dam making China's worst drought in decades worse?
Whistleblowers Swaying in the Wind
(created in 2011)
Under the Obama Administration, government whistleblowers are prosecuted mercilessly, while the real wrongdoers get a free pass out of jail. Just in: the Justice Dep't pretty much is dropping the case against federal whistleblower Thomas Drake, letting him plead to a no-jail misdemeanor. This supports the audio's theme that the prosecution of this whistleblower was scandalous over-kill.
Sources
- New Yorker Magazine (May 23, 2011), Jane Mayer, The Secret Sharer
- NYTimes (April 15, 2010), Scott Shane, Former N.S.A. Official is Charged in Leaks Case
Organizations Addressing whistleblower Issues
- National Whistleblowers Center http://www.whistleblowers.org/
- Government ACcountability Project http://www.whistleblower.org/
Asthma Epidemic
(created in 2011)
For reasons yet unknown, more and more Americans each year have been contracting asthma. In spite of the fact that 17% of black children now have the disease, President Obama is proposing drastic cuts to the budget of the federal government's asthma control program.
Sources
- CDC Vital Signs - Asthma in the US (May 2011)
- CDC National Surveillance for Asthma (October 19, 2007), Jeanne E. Moorman, et al
- American Lung Association (May 3, 2011) Illinois Residents with Asthma Threatened by Potential federal Budget Cuts
- NYTimes (May 3, 2011) Roni Caryn Rabin, Asthma Rate Rises Sharply in U.S., Government Says
- US Medicine, CDC Reports Asthma Prevalence Remains at Historic High
Organizations Addressing Asthma
Malthus Unleashed
(created in 2011)
The UN has revised upwards its estimate of future population growth. The new medium variant for world population by the end of this century is projected to be 10.1 billion people - a huge number. But at the same time as world population is exploding, the US is cutting its international family planning aid.
Sources
- United Nations Press Release (May 3, 2011) World Population to reach 10 billion by 2100 if Fertility in all Countries Converges to Replacement Level
- NY Times (May 3, 2011) Justin Gillis and Celia W. Dugger, U.N. Forecasts 10.1 Billion People by Century's End
- Population Reference Bureau, Human Population: Women: Q and A
- Population Reference Bureau (April 28, 2011) Marissa Mommaerts, The Revolution we Need in Food Security and Population
Organizations Addressing Population Challenges
Pigs Feeding at the Trough
(created in 2011)
As more is revealed about the Federal Reserve's trillion dollar bailout of the financial system, the more scandalous it appears. Listen for some of the details.
Sources
- Rolling Stone (April 12, 2011) Matt Taibbi, The Real Housewives of Wall Street
- The Nation (December 2, 2010) John Nichols, Fed's "Backdoor Bailout" Provided $3.3 Trillion in Loans to Banks, Corporations
- Boing Boing (April 13, 2011) Cory Doctorow, Historical first look into the Fed's bailout payments reveals breathtaking multi-trilliong dollar corruption
Organizations Addressing Government Malfeasance
Drug Money Bankers
(created in 2011)
Large international and US banks are facilitating the drug killings in Mexico by laundering billions of dollars in illicit drug money. Some banks are making out like bandits - with drug money.
Sources
- The Guardian (3 April 2011) Ed Vulliamy, How a big US bank laundered billions from Mexico's murderous drug gangs
- Bloomberg (July 7, 2010) Michael Smith, Wachovia's Drug Habit
- MSNBC (3/17/2010) Curt Anderson, Wachovia to settle drug-money laundering case
Organizations Addressing Corporate Abuse
Warnings Ignored at the World's Peril
(created in 2011)
The tragic environmental and nuclear catastrophe in Japan is not the only example of world leaders ignoring obvious perils. The catastrophic impacts of global warming are waiting in the wings.
Sources
- Telegraph (15 March 2011) Steven Swinford, Japan earthquake: Japan warned over nuclear plants, WikiLeaks cables show
- IB Times (March 16, 2011) Jijo Jacob, Did Japan serially ignore warnings on security lapses in nuclear plants?
- Guardian (18 March 2011) Alister Scott and Jim Watson, Quiet voices must be heeded to avert a future Fukushima
- Japan Focus (August 11, 2007) Ishibashi Katsuhiko, Why Worry: Japan's Nuclear Plants at Grave Risk from Quake Damage
- Big Picture (March 21, 2011) Barry Ritholtz, Earthquake/Nuclear Accident Warnings Ignored by Japan
- The Global Warming Solution, Joseph Romm, 2007
- Pew Climate (February 2, 2007) Sea Level Rise - The State of the Science
- Organizations Addressing Global Warming and Climate Change
Physicians For Social Responsiblity - Worldwatch Institute
- Union of Concerned Scientists
President Obama's Forceclosure Prevention Plan - Going Nowhere
(created in 2011)
President Obama promised help for struggling homeowners, but his plan has failed to deliver.
Sources
- Pro Publica (March 8, 2011) Olga Pierce and Paul Kiel, By the Numbers: A Revealing Look at the Mortgage Mod Meltdown
- Pro Publica (February 17, 2011) Olga Pierce and Paul Kiel, Loan Mod Program Left Homeowners Fate in Hands of Dysfunctional Industry
- Pro Publica (February 4, 2011) Paul Kiel and Olga Pierce, Dems: Obama Broke Pledge to Force Banks to Help Homeowners
- Pro Publica (January 27, 2011) Paul Kiel and Olga Pierce, Govt's Loan Mod Program Crippled by Lax Oversight and Deference to Banks
- Pro Publica (December 27, 2010) Marian Wang, Where things Stand: Foreclosure Paperwork Scandal
- CBS News (January 27, 2011) Foreclosure Rates Rise on High Unemployment
Organizations Fighting Home Foreclosures
