Saturday, September 03, 2022

Stories Old & New

I first published a version of this essay a year ago in September 2021.

One of the main problems with the news business in America starts with its definition. 

We believe that the news is what is *new*. That is obvious and hardly worth comment until you think of the implications.

Naturally, we all want to know what's new. What's new in the world, what's new down at the corner, what's new with those we care about. 

But by focusing our journalistic talent almost exclusively on the latest developments, our media industry largely ignores the far bigger stories, which are mainly about what is old.

Poverty is old. Racism is old. Sexism is old. The awful and endless disparity in opportunity is old. Access to education, health care, safety, security, even access to food is an old, old story.

Human rights abuses are old stories.

In addition, much of our standard news coverage focuses on the way things do not work. Whenever there is a breakdown of one system or another, that becomes news. Fires, accidents, losses, disasters and any kind of other anomaly is considered to be news.

To counter this problem at the Center for Investigative Reporting we used to have a saying that we weren't so interested in how things *don't* work. Rather, we were more interested in how things *do* work (*). 

What we meant by that was our focus on was how power is actually exercised in the world day to day -- politically, economically, socially, culturally.

Our mission largely rested on the idea that the worst forms of corruption are those so entrenched systemically as to be virtually impossible to root out.

These are problems like internalized racism or structural inequality, historical sexism or unconscious bias of any kind.

These are not anomalies, these are the norm.

So that is why we need investigative reporters -- people who not only think outside of the box, but who can remain far enough outside of the box to see it for what it is:

A system of entrenched, corrupt power exercised by the few over the many. A system that is rigged. A system so completely at odds with the Constitution of the United States of America that except for little glimmers of hope now and then, it systematically ruins millions of lives in order to enrich the tiniest of elites at the top.

Luckily for those who benefit the most, we have religious leaders and entertainment executives and dope dealers and propagandists of all stripes who work overtime to keep all of the rest of us hooked on "what's new." 

And anybody who is so comfortable with their circumstances that they don't understand what I am talking about is very much a part of the problem, and therefore not of the solution.

(*) NOTE: My memory is that it was our colleague Mark Dowie who coined that phrase.

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Friday, September 02, 2022

No Silver Lining

There hasn’t been much Covid-19 news lately, beyond the arrival of a new booster against sub-variants that will probably not be adopted by very many people and reports that very low numbers of young children are getting vaccinated.

But even as the pandemic has faded from the headlines, the aftermath of this public health disaster is just beginning to become clear.

Test scores are significantly down for students, to an extent that educators fear an entire generation of youngsters have been set back in ways that will prove difficult to address. Anecdotally, my grandchildren confirm that a number of their peers remain far behind where they should be, especially at the second and third grade level.

The social development of infants growing up during the worst of the pandemic, when masks were almost ubiquitous, may have been affected in ways we don’t really have accurate means to measure. Again, I have seen anecdotal evidence of this among my youngest grandchildren’s peers in nursery school.

At least two entire classes of high school and college upperclassmen were cheated out of the normal rituals of graduation, social networking, and emotional development that normally occurs at those times. My youngest three kids and their peers all suffered greatly from what they missed during the Covid years and are dealing with the consequences to this day.

College debt is only the first in a long list of problems for this age cohort.

U.S. life expectancy fell due to the pandemic; more elderly people died prematurely, removing disproportionately part of the older generation from the productive roles they might have played in families and communities had they survived longer.

One consequence is that too many elderly people continue to cower in fear from living openly. They are isolated, suspicious of strangers, and unwilling to engage socially in ways that would improve their lives and those around them.

Probably worst of all the effects is the severe exacerbation of a political divide that is so deep and wide there is little hope that we will ever be able to repair it. And this has happened when we have the most conciliatory president imaginable. Joe Biden is not a divider. 

But instead of bipartisan progress, we are witnessing the rise of a dangerous authoritarian impulse that appears to now have contaminated nearly the entire leadership of the Republican Party. Conspiratorial thinking has replaced factual analysis, threatening the stability of our society going forward.

There is no plan to deal with any of this that I’m aware of and I’m sorry to report that therefore there is absolutely no silver lining.

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Thursday, September 01, 2022

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Wednesday, August 31, 2022

New Old Book



 One of the oddly satisfying things about a long writing career is when one of your old pieces of work gets rediscovered. Thirty-six years ago, I first published the book, “The Bhopal Syndrome,” with the International Organization of Consumers Union in Penang, Malaysia.

The following year, I published an American edition with Sierra Club Books in San Francisco. When The New York Timesreviewed the book, it noted that it was based on “the long-term ecological notion that we’re borrowing this planet from our grandchildren.”

I didn’t have any grandchildren at the time, but I was proud of the book when it appeared. Many people and groups helped me produce it, so many that it took two-and-a-half pages to list all of them. I traveled to a number of countries, including Indonesia, Taiwan, Mexico and Japan, with additional reporting with associates in India, South America and Europe.

Anyway, it was an enormous project while I was also executive director at the Center for Investigative Reporting, teaching journalism at the Graduate School of Journalism at U-C, Berkeley, and working on screenplays in Hollywood.

The book was well received but went out of print in the 90s. Although I’ve gotten queries about it over the years, usually around the anniversary of the horrendous industrial accident at Bhopal in December 1984, for a long time the book has been mainly just a memory.

But then Tuesday, after more than quarter century out of print, “The Bhopal Syndrome” came back into circulation thanks to an imprint known was Routledge Revivals.

Remembering that review in the Times, at that time the concept of borrowing the planet from my grandchildren was strictly theoretical for me. Now I have eight and I know that concept was right. Maybe some day one of them will pick up this new book and give it a read.

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Tuesday, August 30, 2022

On the Political Winds

To figure out how major news events, policy initiatives and unexpected disruptions are going to shake out politically usually takes months. At this point, we can say with some confidence that the Republican Party’s embrace of new abortion restrictions in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v. Wade is not going over very well. While these moves may be popular with the party’s base, including evangelical Christians and social extremists, they are not sitting well with moderates, Independents and liberals. In fact, they are not playing well at all with the great majority of voters, as we’ve recently seen in the deep-red state of Kansas. So politically speaking, this issue seems to be a harbinger of bad news for Republicans. Abortion bans probably stoke many non-partisan Americans’ fears that the party has simply grown too extreme and too Trump-like to be trusted at this point. This view is moderated by the fact that each race is an individual contest in specific Congressional districts more than a national referendum, so Republicans will probably still do well enough to regain control of the House this fall, though probably not the Senate — both according to the latest assessments from 538. The much more recent policy controversy around Biden’s proposal to provide relief for college loan debts, with up to $10,000 forgiveness for people earning under $125,000 a year, and up to $20,000 of relief for recipients of Pell grants, who are usually among the neediest of students. It’s simply too soon to speculate how this will play out in November. Ted Cruz thinks it will help Democrats and I would have agreed had Biden taken action earlier in his term, when younger voters might have gotten energized in support of Democratic candidates as a result. But at this point, young voters largely seem to have retreated to their normal state in midyear elections, which is checked-out apathy. We’ll see over the coming months whether that changes. Also, concerns over inflation are widespread and that is never a good thing for incumbents, so that is a strike against Democrats. Gas prices have come down substantially but food and other supplies still are increasing in cost at a rate that alarms many families. Finally, Trump’s legal troubles may be coming to a head in several different jurisdictions and that presents a political wild card no one knows how to evaluate. If he is indicted, as seems probable now, how will voters react? Will there be more January 6th-type riots and/or will Trump finally start to lose his hold on the GOP base? There’s a lot on the line this November, including what some of the most thoughtful political analysts believe is the future of our democracy. That is because election deniers are now in office or soon may be in a number of swing states. Since they are by definition believers in conspiracy theories instead of facts, election deniers are the worst possible people to be in charge of counting votes. That is, if you care about democracy. LATEST LINKS: UN agency to inspect Ukraine nuclear plant amid safety fears (AP) A team from the U.N. nuclear watchdog headed to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, as Russia and Ukraine traded accusations of shelling in its vicinity, fueling fears of a radiation disaster. Captured by Russian troops in March but run by Ukrainian staff, Zaporizhzhia has been a hotspot in a conflict that has settled into a war of attrition. (Reuters) Ukrainian forces begin 'shaping' battlefield for counteroffensive, senior US officials say (CNN) Ukraine On Edge As Shelling Near Europe’s Largest Nuclear Power Plant Continues (NBC) 'Slower burn.' Russia dodges economic collapse but the decline has started (CNN) Inside Trump’s war on the National Archives (WP) Trump’s Legal Team Scrambles to Find an Argument (NYT) There will be ‘riots in the street’ if Trump is prosecuted, Graham says (WP) When an election denier becomes an election chief (Politico) Judge Recommends Rejecting Bid by Sept. 11 Families to Seize Frozen Afghan Funds (NYT) In the Taliban's Afghanistan, the near-broke central bank somehow still functions (NPR) Death Valley recorded the most extreme U.S. heat of the past decade. A new analysis of more than a decade of data shows the highest and lowest temperatures recorded at reliable weather stations in the U.S. each day. (WP) More Than 1000 People Killed In Catastrophic Floods In Pakistan (NBC) A southwestern part of China that has suffered scorching temperatures this month is now on alert for flooding amid days of torrential rain. Downpours in the sprawling manufacturing hub of Chongqing and nearby areas of Sichuan province follow severe power shortages in the same localities caused by heavy use of air conditioning and falling reservoir levels. (Reuters) Millions in need of aid as ‘unprecedented’ floods hit Pakistan (Al Jazeera) Secret Data, Tiny Islands and a Quest for Treasure on the Ocean Floor (NYT) A melting glacier, an imperiled city and one farmer’s fight for climate justice (WP) A swath of Canada better known for maple syrup is being tested to mass produce berries normally grown in warmer locales, making it the unexpected beneficiary of extreme weather, local demand and rising costs in traditional growing areas like California. (Reuters) Bitcoin drops below $20,000 to lowest level since mid-July as investors dump risk assets (CNBC) Greenland ice sheet set to raise sea levels by nearly a foot, study finds (WP) Could Earth ever leave our solar system? (LiveScience) An Alzheimer’s-Proof Brain: Ground-Breaking Case Provides Clues to Treatment and Prevention of Dementia (SciTechDaily) 'Man of the Hole': Last of his tribe dies in Brazil (BBC) College’s New CareerLink Program Connects Students With Thousands Of Annoyed Alums (The Onion)
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Monday, August 29, 2022

Headline New(s)

LATEST LINKS: White House faces legal questions with student loan forgiveness plan (The Hill) The Toll of Student Debt in the U.S. The amount of student loan debt held in America has grown to roughly the size of the economy of Brazil or Australia as the cost of higher education has skyrocketed over the last half-century. (NYT) Classified Documents Seized at Trump’s Home Undergoing Security-Risk Assessment (WSJ) Judge signals intent for special master to review Mar-a-Lago documents (WP) Possibility of Obstruction Looms Over Trump After Thwarted Efforts to Recover Documents (NYT) National Archives hit with threats after Trump search (Axios) Republicans, Once Outraged by Mar-a-Lago Search, Become Quieter as Details Emerge (NYT) Once unthinkable, Democrats now see narrow path to keeping the House (WP) GOP seat lead shrinks as Biden approval ticks up — CBS News Battleground Tracker poll (CBS) Justice Alito’s Crusade Against a Secular America Isn’t Over (New Yorker) Ukraine on edge as Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, region's towns shelled (Reuters) Russia, Ukraine trade claims of nuclear plant attacks (AP) With Disaster Looming, Inspectors Set to Visit Ukraine Nuclear Plant (NYT) Russian Force Won't Return From Mission Fearing Ukraine Deployment: Report (Newsweek) US sends two warships through Taiwan Strait, in first transit since Pelosi trip (CNN) Fears over Afghanistan threat simmer, despite White House assurances (The Hill) 'Get out now': Mayor urges residents to flee ahead of rising river waters in Mississippi (CNN) Pakistan floods: Sindh province awaits more deluges and devastation (BBC) Glory Days: In Michigan, Nostalgia For A Romanticized Past Outstrips The Reality of An Economic Rebirth (Politico) The coming storm: America is not ready for a future pandemic (Edit Bd/WP) How many meteorites hit Earth every year? (LiveScience) Back to the Moon (Reuters) They were some of the last journalists at their papers. Then came the layoffs. (WP) Come for the Golden Gate Bridge and Cable Cars. Stay for the Summer Shivers. (NYT) Mickey Mantle card breaks record, as sports memorabilia soar (AP) Aging Mother Knows Any Wrong Move Could Be Taken For Telltale Sign Of Dementia (The Onion)
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Sunday, August 28, 2022

Another Summer's End

This essay is a reprint from the end of August 2011.

The day after tomorrow, my seventh-grader sees the end of her summer as school finally starts. 

Today, in anticipation of all that, we decided to harvest the onions we've been growing in the flower boxes out front. She pulled them out of the soil, clipped the roots, cleaned off the dirt and washed them.

Then we sliced them and sauteed them in olive oil with canola spray, dusted them with salt and garlic powder, and served them over white rice with seaweed, butter and soy sauce.

Such tiny domestic tasks, for her and me, cement our days when we are alone together. The rest of the time, I am interviewing startup CEOs, blogging, and communicating with clients, while she is devouring one of the books on her summer reading list.

This afternoon, we walked the dogs around Bernal Hill. On the southeast side there is a large blackberry patch, so we took the dogs there today and picked a bunch of the berries.

With the city laid out below us like a giant Lego construction, and the sky its bluest of blues, and with a breeze from the west cooling what otherwise was a layer of warm air, both of us picked and ate and offered some to the dogs.

One dog likes the blackberries and gulps them happily. The other likes to smell them but refuses to eat them.

Afterward, as we descended the hill, we compared fingers. Both hers and mine were red with juice from the berries, but mine were darker because the berry-loving dog had licked hers.

We passed a mail truck on the way down. I explained to her the difference between UPS, USPS and FedEx.

She told me that until recently, she had never noticed the arrow in the FedEx logo. That gave me an excuse to go into one of my talks about her future.

She wants to study art and to become an artist. Her portfolio of drawings is growing; I often proudly publish bits of her work and show them to friends.

But, of course I worry about what choices she may make. Being an artist does not strike me as a particularly sustainable future in an ever-more difficult economy.

And I don't think 12 is too young an age to discuss practicalities, particularly when she is one of the most practical of all of my children. Evidence of that includes her bank account, which due to her many small jobs like dog-walking is more robust than anyone else in the family.

In fact, she often extends loans to the rest of us and charges no interest. (Note to self: I should explain the concept of interest to her.)

But what I chose today to talk about when she mentioned the FedEx arrow was the role artists play in branding for companies. I explained how designers come up with concepts like colors and symbols and branding icons, such as arrows or the Nike swoosh.

"Maybe that's how you can pay your bills while you pursue your passion for art," I suggested.

That might sink in, who knows. Each of our conversations of this type is loaded by my awareness of our extreme age differential (51 years). My ability to exert influence over her choices has to be expedited just in case I am not around long enough to be her consultant into her 20s or 30s.

Although that prospect sometimes makes me sad, it also adds some determination and purpose to each and every conversation of this sort.

Maybe later on she will remember.

(Update: The girl in this story is now 23 and a college graduate. Her latest painting is on display in a San Francisco art gallery. The author of this essay is still giving her advice.)

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LYRICS:

“The Older I Get”

Alan Jackson

The older I get
The more I think
You only get a minute, better live while you're in it
'Cause it's gone in a blink
And the older I get
The truer it is
It's the people you love, not the money and stuff
That makes you rich

And if they found a fountain of youth
I wouldn't drink a drop and that's the truth
Funny how it feels I'm just getting to my best years yet

The older I get
The fewer friends I have
But you don't need a lot when the ones that you got
Have always got your back
And the older I get
The better I am
At knowing when to give
And when to just not give a damn

And if they found a fountain of youth
I wouldn't drink a drop and that's the truth
Funny how it feels I'm just getting to my best years yet
The older I get

And I don't mind all the lines
From all the times I've laughed and cried
Souvenirs and little signs of the life I've lived

The older I get
The longer I pray
I don't know why, I guess that I've
Got more to say
And the older I get
The more thankful I feel
For the life I've had and all the life I'm living still

Songwriters: Adam Wright / Hailey Whitters / Sarah Turner 

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