The Koch Brothers’ New Brand by Bill McKibben | The New York Review of Books

Bill McKibben
March 10, 2016 Issue

Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right

by Jane Mayer
Doubleday, 449 pp., $29.95

In 2011, a blogger impersonating billionaire David Koch got through the switchboard at the Wisconsin State Capitol and was connected to Governor Scott Walker, who took time out from battling with the union protesters besieging Madison to truckle before what he thought was the great man. The recording of their conversation is a hard-to-listen-to blend of obsequiousness and braggadocio; at one point the faux Koch urges Walker to “bring a baseball bat” to negotiations with the state’s lawmakers.

“I have one in my office; you’d be happy with that,” Walker says. “I got a Slugger with my name on it.”

“I tell you what, Scott: once you crush these bastards I’ll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time,” “Koch” says.

…(read more).

See also: further Koch Brothers documentation

 

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What Are The Biggest Companies In The World?

TestTube News

Published on Feb 20, 2016

The Strength Of Companies http://bit.ly/1PRuBqS

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What Happens When Wal-Mart Leaves a Small Town?

Bloomberg Business

Published on Jan 25, 2016

Jan. 25 — Bloomberg’s Shannon Pettypiece reports on the impact Wal-Mart has on small communities when it comes in, opens shop, and then leaves. Bloomberg’s Shannon Pettypiece reports on “Bloomberg Markets.”

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When Wal-Mart leaves Small Town USA behind

PBS NewsHour

Published on Feb 20, 2016

The Winnsboro, South Carolina, Wal-Mart Super Center was one of three in the state to shutter its doors last month, joining more than 150 stores nationwide. For 18 years it had served as the town’s center of commercial operations and employed over 160 people. NewsHour’s Christopher Booker reports on the impact of Wal-Mart leaving town.

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South Africa Drought: Community initiative helps provide grass to farmers

CCTV Africa

Published on Feb 20, 2016

South Africa also continues to experience its worst drought in three decades. Farmers are struggling to provide proper feed and water for cattle and other farm animals, resulting in the death of many. But there is one organisation trying to change that. CCTV’s Julie Scheier with that story

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Project Overview | Yale Carbon Charge Project

About

The Yale Carbon Charge Project is testing the effectiveness and feasibility of carbon pricing on Yale’s campus.

Using the university as a living laboratory for applied research, the project aims to inform energy policy, climate change mitigation, and environmental economics by testing multiple models of carbon pricing.

A 6-month pilot involving 20 university buildings will take place during the 2015-2016 academic year. Check out our experimental design to learn more.

Why Apple is Rejecting The FBI’s Request for Universal Access to iPhones

Big Think

Published on Feb 21, 2016

Read more at BigThink.com: http://bigthink.com/videos/michael-sc…

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Hawking Finds ‘Kindred Spirit’ Branson In Space

VideoFromSpace

Published on Feb 20, 2016

“I have had ALS for over 50 years,” spoke Professor Hawking in this recorded dedication of Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship Unity, a craft he is now slated to ride thanks to an offer by Founder Richard Branson. Hawking’s message – here in its entirety – was played at the roll-out ceremony on 19 February 2016. — Read more about it on Space.com: http://goo.gl/deha8m

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Fiji hit by strongest storm recorded there

Al Jazeera English

Published on Feb 20, 2016

Cyclone Winston is the equivalent of a category five hurricane, with wind speeds of 325 kilometres an hour.Al Jazeera’s Caroline Malone reports on the state of emergency.

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A Theme Park for Democracy

TheRealNews

Published on Feb 20, 2016

The first states to caucus in the U.S. primaries are supposed to spearhead a proud American tradition of democratic rule. The Real News went out to Iowa to see how much of that was true.

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