Sep 20, 2024 | Blog, Journalism, Bias & Censored News, Partisanship, Elections and the Energy Transition
Of all the political communication pathologies worsened by modern media technology, one of the lesser-known is “rage-farming.” It’s an old idea in new clothes. Their biographers detail the pettiness of the extended feud between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas...
Sep 15, 2024 | Blog, Framing and the Energy Transition Debate
The line in the title of this post comes from the 1987 romantic comedy “Moonstruck,” and the truth at issue in the film’s plot concerns infidelity. But the idea applies to politics as well, and is reflected in the adage that “the cover up is...
Sep 10, 2024 | Blog, Democracy and Transitions to Authoritarianism
The most recent version of the World Values Survey (WVS) came out a little more than a year ago. The Economist had a particularly lucid and useful explanation of its conclusions, including some excellent graphics to illustrate their points. The survey is the creation...
Sep 5, 2024 | Blog, Framing and the Energy Transition Debate, Journalism, Bias & Censored News
I noted in a previous post that popular understanding of the energy transition is harmed as much by constant minor exaggerations and omissions as by outright lies. Many of the misrepresentations of the MAGA right are characteristically obvious, often parroting Donald...
Aug 30, 2024 | Blog, Energy Transition Policy & Policymaking
We have known for some time that climate change can increase the intensity and frequency of wildfires. And in recent years wildfires sparked by electric utility infrastructure have become more common. California, Hawaii and Texas have experienced particularly...
Aug 25, 2024 | Blog, Energy Transition Policy & Policymaking
Dangerous heat, more frequent and intense flooding and wildfires, and more violent hurricanes are constantly in the news cycle. What we know about the relationship between climate change and severe weather is worrying enough. We need not embellish reality with the...