Spying Gone Awry

A covert surveillance operation in Maryland tramples on civil liberties.

The Washington Post carries a story today about police infiltration of activist organizations.  The infiltration and spying led to the state identifying 53 nonviolent activists as terrorists.  

A number of states are violating the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and are taking people off the election rolls within 90 days of the election and engaging in other actions that will limit the right to vote and have your vote counted.  The story is in the NY times, you can read it here:

States’ Actions to Block Voters Appear Illegal - NYTimes.com

In addition to the problems posed by dropping voters off the rolls, there is the problem of having your vote counted if you are allowed to vote.

Greenhouse gas emissions shock scientists - Los Angeles Times

This is not good news.  Despite the economic slowdown, greenhouse gas emissions have grown at a higher rate than anticipated.  Carbon dioxide output actually grew by 3% when it was expected to fall.

Our natural carbon sinks on the planet - the oceans and the forests - appear to be slowing in their capacity to capture carbon dioxide.

Exclusive: The methane time bomb - Climate Change, Environment - The Independent

Methane release from tundra and the Arctic seabed has the potential to speed up global warming.  This is a natural tipping point that comes from fossil fuel global warming. 

Here is an article on the Arctic methane release issue.

  Looks ok, but there is trouble bubbling up from below in the form of methane being released from the seabed as the Arctic warms.