The Digital Conversationalist

Arctic anomaly

#148 Weekend reads – the show or the planet?

The Donald Trump show is in full swing, and the media are lapping it up as it always does, giving Trump a boost in ratings and potentially helping him secure the GOP nomination for the 2024 elections. Will it happen? Who knows, and as you’ll see in the politics section, a lot is going on there.

However, there’s even more going on with our planet. The record ocean temperatures have been getting actual mainstream media attention this week, and while no one seems to know what this means and how it will impact us, it’s great to finally see this wider coverage. See the chart below for the North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly.

But there’s another event, not getting mainstream media attention, and that is the Antarctic Sea Ice Extent Anomaly, which you can see in the graph below. This is even more concerning, as the South is firmly into winter now.

Both images are from Prof. Eliot Jacobson, who shared them on Twitter, he is one of the climate commentators I follow.

This is all extremely concerning for sure, and while many of us feel useless right now, we must rapidly prepare for what is to come or is already here. The risks are wide and varied, including heat extremes, droughts, floods, fire, landslides, hurricanes, typhoons, crop losses and more. We need to prepare our homes, understand what risks we face and work out what we can do about it, support our fire fighters, plant gardens, and we also need to help those who can not afford to do what they need to do to get ready.

I don’t understand why we are still in this space of denial, especially with our leaders and the media, but if they are not going to do what is needed to keep their citizens prepare and be as safe as possible, then we must act ourselves.

Please understand the risks you face and start preparing. Then bring your community together and get to work. The next two years are expected to see heat extremes we have never seen before, which is why I wrote this long article on preparing for wet bulb temperatures. I encourage you to read it and implement some of these ideas as quickly as you can.

Right into the reads. Lots and lots going on as always.

Friend’s content and mine

Big shout out to my sister, Phillipa Edwards OAM, who was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her services to music through brass bands, in the King’s Birthday Honours List. But she also received the Janice Valma Davey OAM Memorial Award too. One the citation for the award said Phillipa demonstrated, “…a passion that speaks volumes about her dedication and love of the brass band movement and the many individuals she has introduced, taught and nurtured throughout the brass band world, specifically within Victoria.” Congratulations Mam, proud of you! Double honour for Phillipa Edwards

Shout out to my friend, Andy Milroy for joining me on Climate Courage, with the focus – propaganda, misinformation, lies.

Donation time

If everyone gave #just10percent of their time, talent, money or voice, we’ll change the world. Can you donate? Make it a regular donation to the World Food Programme. Or donate to the UN Refugee Program, Medicine Sans Frontier, PowerOf , Kiva.org , Soi Dog Foundation.  It’s a time for giving and taking care of each other.

Content to read

And here’s the content I’ve been reading or watching this last week. Scan the headlines, read the ones that jump out at you, read or watch them all. Knowledge is power, and global knowledge is even more powerful.

Climate crisis

‘The fire equivalent of an ice age’: Humanity enters a new era of fire

Oil Change International responds to UN Secretary General António Guterres speech

World breaks average temperature record for early June

Welcome to the Great Unravelling: Navigating the Polycrisis of Environmental and Social Breakdown

US weather: Texas braces for heatwave after deadly tornado

Bonn climate talks stall over money, ramping up pressure on COP28

‘We know how to kill it’: Irish national park battles slow-motion ecological calamity

Siberia swelters in record-breaking temperatures amid its ‘worst heat wave in history’

Heat Index Temps Near 120° in Texas

Brutal Southeast Asia heat wave shatters all-time records across multiple countries

Mumbai Records Hottest Day In 10 Years in June, No Relief From Heat in Coming Days

Spike in ocean heat has scientists questioning; Have we breached a climate tipping point?

With apocalyptic orange skies come fresh thoughts of the climate crisis. Let’s take a moment to consider a climate-related food system collapse.

Siberia is suffocating with 40°C and records its worst heat wave in its recent history!

Antarctic tipping points: the irreversible changes to come if we fail to keep warming below 2℃

Climate scientists: concept of net zero is a dangerous trap

Unusual Ocean Anomalies are being detected in the North Atlantic, impacting the Atlantic storm systems as we head into the Summer season

Extremely dry spring leaves southern Albertan farmers on the road to ‘zero production’

None of the world’s top industries would be profitable if they paid for the natural capital they use

Never Forget: They Knew

Firefighters battle forest fire in Dumfries and Galloway

ECB flags stark economic risks from biodiversity loss

Coastal biomedical labs are bleeding more horseshoe crabs with little accountability tks David Ko

Montana kids’ climate case set to make history

Why buying locally produced food is better for society

Media blames ‘climate change’ for Canadian wildfires despite arrest of multiple arsonists

The Ocean Is Becoming More Stable, And The Consequences May Be Dire, Scientists Warn

Canada’s Wildfires Expose the Climate Change ‘Spiral of Silence’

Army of fake social media accounts defend UAE presidency of climate summit

Love Letter to the Doomers

Greenhouse gas emissions are at an all-time high and Earth is warming faster than ever

We must set planetary boundaries wisely

Population Decline Will Change the World for the Better

Look out! Here come The Elders…

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant shuts down last reactor in face of flooding threat

In Blue Colorado, Oil and Gas Companies Try a New Approach to Woo Democrats

Planet of the Narcissists: Orbiting Towards Unconsciousness

More than 60 billion leaf litter invertebrates died in the Black Summer fires. Here’s what that did to ecosystems

Exhausted crews battle Canadian wildfires as experts issue climate warning

The Planet Can’t Sustain Rapid Growth Much Longer

‘Headed off the charts’: world’s ocean surface temperature hits record high

125-degree heat index: Puerto Rico faces ‘dangerous situation’ due to record-breaking conditions

I Spent My Life Saving the Whales. Now They Might Save Us

Physicists predict Earth will become a chaotic world, with dire consequences

Biparjoy: India state on alert over ‘extremely severe’ cyclone

UK heatwave prompts National Grid to fire up coal plant to meet aircon demand

Physicists predict Earth will become a chaotic world, with dire consequences

Queensland budgets $19bn for shift to renewables, in huge push away from coal

WTF is Happening? An Overview

Choking on climate denial

From the oceans to ‘net zero’ targets, we’re in denial about the climate crisis

Salford Quays: Hundreds of fish found dead after hot weather

‘Drought is on the verge of becoming the next pandemic’

Carbon dioxide in our atmosphere hits high not seen for millions of years, threatening accelerated global heating

Abrupt expansion of climate change risks for species globally

Fears of hottest year on record as global temperatures spike

Shell drops target to cut oil production as CEO aims for higher profits

Can We Mine the World’s Deep Ocean Without Destroying It?

Why recent water temperatures in the North Atlantic have scientists buzzing

Cyclone Biparjoy: India, Pakistan evacuate more than 170,000

IEA chief: Fossil fuel investment ‘may not be really profitable’ long term tks David Ko

What Happens If… We Actually Exceed 1.5°C In Global Warming?

‘Not a chance in heaven’ to save Great Barrier Reef, but botanic garden will keep corals

How the Environmental Movement Can Find Its Way Again

Return of the lions: Large protected areas in Africa attract apex predator

Overshoot: Why It’s Already Too Late To Save Civilization

Global politics

Russian regions: savings, personnel purge, and the old Beholder

Dmitry Mishov, Russian airman who defected, gives BBC interview Published

Valery Zaluzhny, the man behind Ukraine’s counter-offensive

Ukraine war: Putin confirms first nuclear weapons moved to Belarus

North Korea: Residents tell BBC of neighbours starving to death

Nicola Sturgeon arrested in SNP finances inquiry

Caroline Lucas: Why I am stepping down as an MP at the next election

Punishingly brutal report is devastating for Boris Johnson

Tories turning against angry version of Boris Johnson

Anger as Labour Refuses to Back Bid to Stop Government Quietly Changing Definition of Disruptive Protest

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi dies at 86

President Biden closes gun control speech with ‘God save the Queen’

The Conservative War on Everything

Trump’s Latest Indictment Is Also About the Future of the Country The Political Scene | The New Yorker Podcast

Three cheers for Christie’s takedown of Jared Kushner | Moran

Special Episode: A Second Trump Indictment The Daily Podcast

Trump Didn’t Break America, He Revealed Our Brokenness

Sweeping 37-count indictment alleges Trump hoarded national secrets, orchestrated obstruction of investigation

The Indictment of Donald Trump Is American Democracy’s Last and Final Chance

The Full Indictment Read by Ali Velshi Prosecuting Donald Trump Podcast

Fears that Republicans’ rhetoric after Trump indictment could spark violence

Trump Indictment Shows Critical Evidence Came From One of His Own Lawyers

Trump’s favourability rises in poll despite indictment

Trump’s court drama turbo-charges his campaign

The Psychiatrist Who Warned Us That Donald Trump Would Unleash Violence Was Absolutely Right

This County Chose an Election Denier, 9/11 Truther, and QAnon Conspiracist to Run Its Elections

Business and technology

Why millions of usable hard drives are being destroyed tks David Lim

Social issues

Sharp decline in appetite for news in recent years, Reuters Institute says

Heart and Soul: Swiss Christians and conversion therapy The Documentary Podcast

Ted Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber for years of attacks that killed 3, dies in prison at 81

Hunter Valley: Ten people killed in wedding bus crash in Australia

Congenital Syphilis Rates Up 900% Among Mississippi Babies, Expected to Grow

Nine out of 10 people are biased against women, says ‘alarming’ UN report                                                                                              

Jocelyn Chia: US comedian calls Malaysia’s reaction to MH370 joke ‘ridiculous’

Norovirus situation improves in Phuket, health chief confirms

Local residents mobilise to help survivors of deadly migrant shipwreck off Greek coast

Greece boat disaster: Capsized boat had 100 children in hold, BBC told

COVID-19 is a leading cause of death in children and young people in the US

Why Spotify’s big bet on Meghan fell flat

Passion, humour, history

Kylie Minogue – Padam Padam (Official Video)  

Kylie Minogue scores her first top 10 hit since 2010 – but what does Padam Padam mean?

Trombonist soldier tries to play on after fainting

How Saudi Arabia Took on Pro Golf — and Won The Daily Podcast

Let me know what jumped out at you? Or share with me what you’re reading? I love that!

Cheers

Andrea

Want to get in touch?

All of my contact information is here on Linktree.

Environment education

Four environment resources to help you navigate this challenging territory.

  1. Knowledge, constantly updating
  2. Individual action and awareness, so we do our part
  3. Resources for those struggling with eco-anxiety. Please share with your community.
  4. Finally, more than 100 mini-videos on many topics regarding the multiple crisis’ we face. Feel free to download and use as your own. No credit necessary.

Uncommon Courage: an invitation

Uncommon Courage is an invitation to be your courageous best self every day. It’s also an antidote to the overwhelm, fear, and rage rolling around the world. But it’s more than a book; it’s an invitation to join an inclusive community that wants to better understand humanities challenges – both global and personal – in order to take courageous action and create a better world for everyone. If Covid19 has given us the time and space to reflect, Uncommon Courage gives us the nudge we need to create lasting change.

You can buy it on AmazonApple BooksBarnes & Noble, Book DepositoryBooktopia, SmashwordsKobo, Gardners, Odilo, Indie Bound, BookShop by BookTrib and Scribd.

Better yet, order it from your local bookstore, so you can #SupportLocal.

You can read the reviews, including a new five-star review on Book Commentary, another five-star review on ReaderViews, a review on BookTrib, and three more on Booklife, another on Book Commentary and Blue Ink Reviews. I’m also collating reviews on my Website too. Have a look and grateful to everyone who has written or recorded one.

Come and join the conversation in my Facebook Group Uncommon Courage.

Listen in to the Uncommon Courage, the podcast on Apple, Spotify and everywhere podcasts are published.

The Know Show

Check out The Know Show. It’s a fortnightly wrap up of the news!

Climate Courage

A fortnightly conversation on issues that matter to you and I, focusing on the actions we can all take.

18 Steps to an All-Star LinkedIn Profile 

Listed by Book Authority in the 100 Best LinkedIn Books of All Time and 22 Best New LinkedIn eBooks To Read In 2021 and 2022 categories. Grab it today if you want to take your professional presence to the next level! When it comes to LinkedIn, it really is time to ask — can you really afford not to have this book in the hands of every employee?

Are you a Social CEO? The Social CEO: How Social Media Can Make You A Stronger Leader. 

Want to claim your stage? Unleash Your Voice – Powerful Public Speaking for Every Woman 

Feedback

Have I done a great job for you? Can you write a reference on my LinkedIn profile or on my Google Business page? If not for me, why not write one for someone else who inspires you or has helped you? Join the #GivingEconomy.

 

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