The conceit of California-as-disaster-movie is ridiculous. But maybe watching our fires and mudslides helps other states consider both their own fragility and their underlying strength.

The latest five-year farm bill continues a pattern of subsidizing corporations while squeezing every last drop of use out of farm families and cropland.

"We really have to wake up and get serious about tackling this issue, particularly reducing our energy consumption and reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

The fossil fuel divestment movement, which started in the 2000s, has become a mainstay of activism on college campuses.

"Unfortunately, in many countries where people do not have normal access to safe drinking water," what is not lacking "is the supply of weapons and ammunition, which continue to deteriorate the situation," the pope said in a message published Nov. 8.

"It's a struggle. You feel frustrated because our local government seems to care more about the tourism industry than the hard-working people."