-11:41 a.m. | James B. Elsner, an atmospheric scientist at Florida State University studying extreme storms, sent this thought by e-mail to @revkin  for inclusion in his article supposedly “debunking” any link between Climate Change and the OK EF5 tornado. I also will point out that this quote now concludes the @nytimes science blog on the subject.

   @Skilling of @WGNNews has been staying abreast of the severity monitoring for that same supercell as it passes through Chicago with NOAA’s “Extreme Weather Center.” If its good enough for both the nytimes AND NOAA experts to talk about the links between climate and tornado severity, then it is good enough for me to speculate a little.

   Climate Science reporters go on unnecessary censorship binges every once in a while. It seems that @drgrist has triggered a similar conservatardism @grist blog, @NationalJournal with @AmyAHarder and @CoralMDavenport as well as w/ @nytimes @revkin. ICYMI I don’t consider myself an “environmental extremist” simply because I won’t wait for their approval on every natural disaster press release. IMAO they are being forced to sterilize social media commentary for climate deniers like Senator Jim Inhofe in order for him to bring up Keystone XL in the US Senate for a vote. It makes sense that Energy & Environment reporters would be completely dependent on the good graces of conservatard politicians appointed by the fossil fuel industry.

aiwwenglish:

On Sunday, 19th of May Ai Weiwei was among those who congratulated Tsering Woeser for receiving the ‘International Women of Courage Award’ she was presented at the American Embassy in Bejijng .

An award she was not able to accept in Washington a few months ago since she like Ai Weiwei is not permitted to leave China.

This pic was published by her on her twitter account on May, 20th 2013.

https://twitter.com/degewa/status/336358628657352704/photo/1

thepoliticalnotebook:

My piece for this issue of Somersault:

somersaultmag:

By Torie Rose DeGhett, who writes freelance about politics and music, and is a contributing arts writer at Aslan Media. (And is also one of Somersault’s two editors.)

This is from Somersault’s spring music issue. You can read…

azspot:

Steve Benson

govtoversight:

Hard to think of anything today other than the devastation in Oklahoma. This photo from the Goddard Space Center shows the storm system that created yesterday’s F-4 tornado. Notice how tight and compact it is.

oldParasiteSingle:

   It was EF5. The doppler radar watchers are still calling it F-4 so they dont get forever ignored for inaccuracy. It takes several NWS science teams working days to redesignate it as EF5. Nevertheless, that is what it was.

   A lot of conservative folks have claimed that it would be impossible to get an EF5 that is 2 miles wide. @BBCWorld is still claiming that the Moore tornado was only 1 km wide while the OK governor just claimed in press conference that only 21 are ‘officially dead.’ Once you’re dead who gives a shit if you are ‘officially’ dead or not? The OK governor, that’s who. That’s because it was probably her administrative decision not to put storm shelters in those elementary schools. In press conference the crisis mitigator just stated that, “We already have 100 storm shelters in schools across the state. We just didn’t put them in the 2 schools (that were destroyed.)” I immediately turned to my mom and I asked her, “Do you know why they didn’t put storm shelters in those elementary schools after Moore OK was hit 3 times by tornadoes since 1998?” She replied, “No…” I then answered my own question sarcastically, “Because they are from Oklahoma, that’s why.”

   Already, it looks like Obama may not visit the site of devastation. Essentially, Obama already spoke after Granbury,Texas tornado fatalities last week and said “These storms are affecting the entire Midwest…I understand (tornadoes) from Oklahoma to Texas.” ‘Nuff said. Last night on the @Newshour Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin sounded more concerned about disaster insurance fraud than child fatalities in Moore, OK.

motherjones:

But will entertainment industry giants block it?

nrdc:

Senator Vitter of Louisiana is one of eight extremist Republicans who have decided to play politics with the health of our children and families. Demand that they give Gina McCarthy the swift confirmation vote she deserves: http://bit.ly/10miI5A

opensecretsdc:

Today’s NY Times features an op-ed from CRP Executive Director Sheila Krumholz and Board Chairman Bob Weinberger: “The Real I.R.S. Scandal.”

(Photo credit: The New York Times, Hieronymus).

redplebeian:

Wither Derrick Jensen: The Transphobia of Deep Green Resistance

There are times where what may seems like small, bad theoretical idiosyncrasies can lead to huge…

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