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1. Hottest year ever
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2014 was the hottest year since record-keeping began in 1880, according to NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[Vox / Brad Plumer]
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The Japanese Meterological Agency has reached the same conclusion. The fourth major global temperature tracking group, the Met Office Hadley Centre in the UK, hasn't reported yet.
[Vox / Brad Plumer]
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All four datasets rely on a mixture of measurements taken on land and sea, and with satellites.
[Carbon Brief / Roz Pidcock]
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Temperatures have risen a little more slowly over the past 16 years than the 20 before that; we're not really sure why, but the trend is still upward, and concerning.
[Vox / Brad Plumer]
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2014 was much hotter than average on the West Coast, but colder than normal in the South and Midwest.
[Washington Post / Philip Bump]
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That West Coast spike contributed to California's serious ongoing drought.
[Vox / Brad Plumer]
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In other global warming news, Pope Francis has forcefully endorsed the scientific consensus that human activity is the main cause of global warming and urged world leaders to make a final deal at this December's Paris climate change summit.
[Vox / Brad Plumer]
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Senate Democrats are planning to offer an amendment stating that global warming is real and human-caused, to get Republicans on the record on the issue.
[Mashable / Andy Freedman]
2. Misc.
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Batteries are getting much cheaper — and we can expect electric cars to follow suit.
[Bloomberg View / Noah Smith]
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One simple way to lower the sexual assault rate: increase the alcohol tax.
[ NY Mag / Annie Lowrey]
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If we get rich enough to work way less, will that mean more creativity and progress outside of work — or just more TV watching?
[The Atlantic / Greg Ferenstein]
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Thomas Piketty: the European left's only hope is a Eurozone parliament with real power.
[Potemkin Review / Antoine Dolcerocca and Gokhan Terzioglu]
3. Verbatim
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"I obviously try to build as many cities as I can, that’s two points."
[Green Bay Packers tight end Justin Perillo on Settlers of Catan, to WSJ / Kevin Clark]
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"If you read the article, you’ll note there’s a big 'if' before my not giving of said shit."
[Medium / Evan Williams]
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"It’s hard for an ape to drive something in the ocean extinct."
[Douglas McCauley to NYT / Carl Zimmer]
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"How far are you willing to push the Pareto principle?"
[Marginal Revolution / Tyler Cowen]
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"'I love everything about Chinese culture,' Li ardently says. 'Everything?' I ask. 'Everything,' he responds in a sure voice. 'Even the Great Leap Forward? Even the Cultural Revolution?' Li closes his notebook without saying a word and leaves the room. I think he’s mad."
[Die Zeit / Angela Köckritz]
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