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Hot times, summer in the ... states: You don't need us to tell you that this weekend was hot, but do you know how hot? Chances are your local weather broke some records -- especially if you live in the South and Midwest. According to one weather historian, "There is no point in listing or even attempting to summarize all of the June monthly records set ... during the June 28-30 period." Perhaps no, but here are a few anyway: 108 degrees in St. Louis; 109 degrees in Cairo, IL; 105 in Raleigh. Especially disconcerting is that many all-time records were broken in June, even though July and August in the southeast are typically far hotter months. The silver lining to this sweltering cloud? Every sun-exposed surface in America will soon double as a frying pan for delicious, delicious bacon. Weather Underground
Can't make this stuff up: A recent linguistic analysis revealed that a petition sent to the White House by the coal industry contains hundreds of fake signatures. The petition, which opposes the regulation of toxic coal ash, is packed with invented Chinese names, many of which are both nonsensical and offensive at the same time. Supposed signatories include Steamed Bun Little Sister, Yellow Tiger, Handsome Dragon, and Come to China Donkey. The sordid episode marks the moment at which the failing coal industry's tactics cross the line from "terrifyingly devious" to "comically pathetic." Think Progress
Where the NIMBYs are zombies: Turns out, nothing is sacred. The fracking industry, already known for desecrating churches and playgrounds, now aims its drills at new plots of once-untouchable land: cemeteries. Gas companies are claiming the wells won’t disturb any graves, but you know how overly sensitive environmentalists are ... they're taking offense at the notion of exploitating their grandparents’ resting places for corporate gain. Centre Daily Times
Burn notice: And now your daily Western wildfire update: blazes in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming continue to devour forestland and property unabated. Together, these conflagrations have destroyed nearly 1,000 homes, left billions of dollars in property damage, and inspired countless climate change-denying diatribes about how individual weather events can’t be linked to global warming -- these from the same pundits who throw snowballs at Al Gore effigies with every blizzard. Los Angeles Times
Reactor reactivated: Officials at Japan's Ohi nuclear plant restarted a reactor on Sunday -- the first reactivation since the country shut down all of its plants after last year's Fukushima meltdowns. Until yesterday, public protest had prevented any plants from coming back online, but as energy shortages continue to loom, Japan will likely to turn on more reactors, no matter the public outcry. The New York Times
Uneasy riders: Remember when the transportation bill being batted around in Congress was going to ramp up mass transit, make streets safer for bikers, and repair the decrepit infrastructure that threatens to turn America back into a developing country? Neither do we. The version of the bill that Congress finally passed only cements our reliance on cars and highways. The Atlantic
But what about the cheese?: And yet another heat wave story: Wisconsin farmers are experiencing widespread crop failure, from industrial-scale corn producers to artisanal maple syrup makers. Corn prices are through the roof, and the state has requested federal disaster assistance to cope with the extraordinarily hot, dry weather. Of course, this is all making us wonder how the dairy cows are faring. Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel
Game on, Rufus!: Record heat waves, rampant wildfires, failing crops: sometimes environmental news is just one bummer after another. But fear not, those in need of a pick-me-up: Rufus the Hawk has returned, safe and sound, to the lawns of Wimbledon. The regal raptor, employed by the famed tennis grounds to scare off pigeons, was hawk-napped last week, prompting panic, grief, and presumably an epidemic of pigeon poop on the grass courts. Over the weekend, however, his handlers found Rufus reinstalled at his old haunts, where he will delight spectators and provide an exemplary model of biological pest control for the duration of the tournament. See, don’t you feel better? The Guardian
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Image: Tomasz Stasiuk
