Skip to main content

West Lake story: An Underground Fire, Radioactive Waste, and Governmental Failure

Robert Alvarez Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
The wastes sent to West Lake have most of the uranium removed from them, but they include concentrated radioactive decay products, some of which are tens of thousands of times more radioactive than the parent uranium. Because they are so highly radioactive, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health found that the West Lake landfill holds the “worst” of the Mallinckrodt wastes.

Climate Confusion Among U.S. Teachers

Eric Plutzer, Mark McCaffrey, A. Lee Hannah, Joshua Rose Science
Whereas, most U.S. science teachers include climate science in their courses, their insufficient grasp of the science may hinder effective teaching. Mirroring some actors in the societal debate over climate change, many teachers repeat scientifically unsupported claims in class.

Untold Story: How Scalia's Death Blew Up an Anti-union Group's Grand Legal Strategy

Michael Hiltzik Los Angeles Times
The implications of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's death for the anti-union case known as Friedrichs are a bit uncertain. Some experts say the appellate ruling in favor of the union would be effectively affirmed by an evenly divided court. Others believe the court will ask for re-argument of the same case next term, presumably after it gets back up to full nine-member strength by the appointment and confirmation of successor to Scalia.

A Real ‘Political Revolution’ Would End the Wars

Peter Certo Foreign Policy in Focus
The good news is Bernie Sanders sent promising signals about his judgment when he opposed the invasion of Iraq; the bad news is his statements on the latest iteration of the conflict have shown none of the acumen that distinguished him over 13 years ago. Without a plan to resolve the ISIS war responsibly, the U.S. war in Iraq could reverberate through yet another generation. If Sanders were elected, that would add a grim asterisk to his “political revolution” indeed.

Seven Steps to Opening Up Bargaining

Merrie Najimy Labor Notes
Rather than a problem, we wanted to start with a vision. We asked members three questions: What brings you joy in the work you do with students? What sucks the life and joy out of working with students? What can we propose through bargaining that could increase the joy and reduce the stress in your work?

DNC Rolls Back Restrictions on Lobbyists

Megan R. Wilson The Hill
With the DNC now accepting all lobbyist and PAC donations, it has reversed the policies that were adopted in 2008, when Obama vowed to curb the influence of special interests in Washington.