The Week in Editorial Cartoons - Republican Thuggery on Full Display, Part I

by JekyllnHyde

Rob Rogers, see reader comments in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Buy this cartoon This election season has brought out some real ghouls, some, but not all, as a result of the Tea Party.  These monsters are great for cartoonists, but not so great for the voters.  The saddest part is, none of these characters offers a message of hope.  It is all about tearing the other guy down.  I know this kind of negative campaigning happens with every election.  It just seems more frightening this year.

continued at Daily Kos....

Hurricane Tomas to Turn Towards Haiti: Tents & Cholera

by FishOutofWater

Wind shear has weakened Hurricane Thomas to a minimal 75mph storm, but new track models forecast Thomas is heading towards Haiti. Hundreds of thousands of Haitian earthquake survivors struggling to survive in tents now face an approaching hurricane. A cholera outbreak caused by sewage tainted water supplies could spread disastrously if the storm hits Haiti's  tent cities and impoverished rural villages.

The NHC forecasts hurricane Tomas to hit Haiti near Port au Prince Friday afternoon with winds over 100mph.

continued at Daily Kos....

A More Ancient World: The Forests of the Night, the Silence of the Sea (Warning - Many Photos)

by matching mole

I'm going to post-pone part II of the Great Barrier Reef for a week to take a bit of break for Hallowe'en.  Below the fold are a bunch of scary looking critters.  A lot of biologists and environmental types attempt to de-scarify snakes, spiders, etc.  This is a valuable thing to do - it saddens me to see people so cut off from the natural world that their response to any organism is (unjustified) fear, horror, or disgust.

And yet...

continued at Daily Kos....

Indiana, hotbed of climate zombies

by DWG

Last night, I had the privilege of seeing John Mellencamp perform in his hometown of Bloomington, Indiana. For those unfamiliar with Mellencamp, many of his songs focus on rural and urban decay and the people left in the wake. In the introduction to "Longest Days," he told the story of a friend that died last year because the health insurance company decided his condition was not severe enough to warrant the treatment recommended by his doctors. His story was interrupted several time by shouts from the Tea Party Klan about "Obamacare." Since Mellencamp's message was social ("we have to look out for each other") rather than political, it was a stark reminder of the callousness and belligerence of Tea Party Republicanism.

The Republican Tea in Indiana is heavily infused with religious fundamentalism. That mixture was recently profiled in the New York Times in a story about climate zombies.

continued at Daily Kos....

Gulf Watchers Sunday - NOAA, FDA Lower Standards So Gulf Seafood Will Pass - BP Catastrophe AUV #417

by Yasuragi

You are in the current BP Catastrophe Morning Edition - AUV #417. ROV #416 is here.

Bookmark this link to find the latest Gulf Watchers diaries.

Please RECOMMEND THIS DIARY, the motherships have been discontinued.

The digest of diaries is here.

Please be kind to kossacks with bandwidth issues. Please do not post images or videos. Again, many thanks for this.

PLEASE visit Pam LaPier's diary to find out how you can help the Gulf now and in the future. We don't have to be idle! And thanks to Crashing Vor and Pam LaPier for working on this!

continued at Daily Kos....

Slay some Vampires for Halloween ... and help defeat the Climate Zombie Invasion

by A Siegel

Vampires are among us. When you aren't looking (or, when you are looking but not seeing), when you are sleeping, when you aren't paying attention, Vampires are sucking up vital juices, threatening our very existence.  

For Halloween, kill some Vampires and contribute to defeating the invasion of Climate Zombies!

continued at Daily Kos....

Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Trick or Vote 2010 edition)

by Neon Vincent

Welcome to Science Saturday, where the Overnight News Digest crew informs and entertains you with this week's news about science, space, energy, and the environment.

This week's featured story comes Trick or Vote.

According to a 2001 Yale study, face-to-face interaction is the single best way to get someone to vote.  Knocking on doors increases voter turnout by a whopping 8-12%, more than any other method.

If knocking on doors is the best way to get out the vote, what is the one day each year people expect a knock on their door? Halloween.

And when does Halloween happen to fall on the calendar? Always a few days before the election.

So, while you may be too old to Trick or Treat, you’re never too old to Trick or Vote.

This week's science, space, energy, and environment stories after the jump.

continued at Daily Kos....