John Atcheson – Empire in Decline: When the Oligarchy Inherits the Wind

The unthinkable may well happen. The US may elect as President a racist, xenophobic, narcissistic, con man with no knowledge of policy or governance. As of now, Trump holds a slight lead over Clinton in the latest poll. Real progressives could be forgiven for feeling a healthy dose of schadenfreude, but then, schadenfreude is a bitter banquet if you’re all in the …

christian schwägerl – Vanishing Act: Why Insects Are Declining and Why It Matters

Every spring since 1989, entomologists have set up tents in the meadows and woodlands of the Orbroicher Bruch nature reserve and 87 other areas in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The tents act as insect traps and enable the scientists to calculate how many bugs live in an area over a full summer period. Recently, researchers presented the …

Lauren McCauley – Greece for Sale: First Wave of Privatization Begins with Airport Buyout

Germany’s approval of Greece’s third bailout of €86 billion on Wednesday marked what critics of austerity warn is a new phase in the ongoing economic crisis: the privatization of the country’s most valuable assets. Under the terms of this latest agreement, Greece’s Syriza government—backtracking on some of its key campaign promises—agreed to sell-off €50 billion in state property. In a …

Greens warn: German breast milk unsafe

The Green party made their warning after testing the breast milk of 16 women from a variety of German regions. Traces of glyphosate, a chemical used in weed-killers, amounting to between 0.210 and 0.432 nanograms per mililitre were recorded. In drinking water a quantity of no more than 0.100 nanograms of the substance is allowed. Irene Witte, professor of toxicology …

Greens warn: German breast milk unsafe

The Green Party warned on Friday about the health risks of breast-feeding after traces of a substance found in weed-killer were found in breast milk. The Green party made their warning after testing the breast milk of 16 women from a variety of German regions. Traces of glyphosate, a chemical used in weed-killers, amounting to between 0.210 and 0.432 nanograms …