Melting Ice, Millions without Voting Rights in the US, and Fast Food Organizing Goes Global

“Once all of this ice is melted the world’s oceans will be over 100 feet higher than they are today. So it will be a different world, different coastlines.”

– Richard Heinberg, senior fellow-in-residence and board secretary of the Post Carbon Institute

Melting of Antarctic Ice Sheet Unstoppable, Will Raise Sea Levels Worldwide

MP3 Interview with Richard Heinberg, senior fellow-in-residence and board secretary of the Post Carbon Institute, conducted by Scott Harris climatechange Two teams of scientists have reported that the Western Antarctic ice sheet is collapsing as a result of global climate change, and is already triggering a rise in sea-level at a faster rate than previously forecast. Researchers say that the melting of the entire western Antarctica ice sheet may eventually increase sea levels by as much as 13 feet. These conclusions were confirmed by several years of readings from the European Space Agency’s CryoSat 2 satellite. The data collected indicates that Antarctica’s ice sheets are losing nearly 160 billion tons of ice per year — which is twice as much as the estimates from previous surveys.  Story continues

Millions with Felony Convictions Have Lost Voting Rights Across the U.S.

MP3 Interview with Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project, conducted by Melinda Tuhus votingIn a move unusual among state election officials, Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill announced on May 6 that her office is collaborating with advocates for the homeless and those convicted of felonies to encourage those groups of people to register and vote. In 2001, Connecticut reformed the state’s election law, allowing individuals who have completed their parole supervision to vote, even if they are still on probation.  Story continues

Fast Food Workers Organize Global Strike for Higher Pay

MP3 Interview with Erika Eichelberger, staff reporter with Mother Jones Magazine, conducted by Scott Harris fastfoodstrikeAgitation for fair compensation by low-wage workers in the U.S. was first seen in a series of protests and strikes that began in November of 2012. Then, in the first action of its kind, over 200 fast food workers participated in a one-day strike at more than 20 chain restaurants in New York City. Now after a year-and-a-half of organizing, the movement gained visibility on the international stage, when on May 15, fast food workers conducted a one-day strike in 150 U.S. cities and 80 other cities in 30 nations around the world, such as Casablanca, London, Geneva, Sao Paulo, Seoul and San Salvador. The global action was coordinated by the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations.  Story continues

This week’s summary of under-reported news

MP3  MP3 Compiled by Bob Nixon


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