We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Sunday, June 15, 2014

India’s Heat Wave Is Unbearable

Click here to access article by Eric Holthaus from Slate.
On Wednesday, New Delhi enters day 10 of a blistering heat wave that’s broken at least one long-standing record, with part of the city peaking at 118 degrees Fahrenheit (47.8 degrees Celsius) on Sunday. During that stretch, the average high temperature at the airport in New Delhi has been 109.9 Fahrenheit (43.2 Celsius), with the average low an astonishing 84 Fahrenheit (28.9 Celsius). Days upon days with nighttime low temperatures above 80 Fahrenheit can be deadly, especially for those without a way to keep cool.
I expect to be posting articles like this at an increasing rate over the next decade (should I last that long)--not that it will do any good. For every article posted like this, there will be ten thousand media pieces broadcast over ruling class media that will pretend that efforts are being made to deal with the developing catastrophe of climate destabilization. We will hear messages like this: "All will be well, just trust us, the authorities; meanwhile, go shopping for air conditioners."
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