80 Comments
User's avatar
Craig Rouskey's avatar

I wrote a paper on the effects of launches on atmospheric CO2 levels. May be time to pull that out.

Expand full comment
Kathy's avatar

Thanks,Craig !Your expertise/data is appreciated.A commenter in response to my post about this on HCR this morning said he’d been working on a contract that does environmental assessments of FAA commercial launches and the RFP had been tied up for months.He felt Musk was just running out the clock….argh.

Also much thanks to Jess for posting this today! Yesterday in response to my comment,a fellow commenter asked for some talking points so I’m reposting.I’m a just long-term local and literally view these launches from my backyard.

SpaceX is proposing to increase the number of launches from 50 to 120 from Complex 40,located in Cape Canaveral, Florida along the coast and adjacent to a national wildlife refuge and Port Canaveral.

Launches require a major disruption/suspension of any airplane/boating activity for miles around Complex 40.

This massive increase in launches will not only have detrimental effects for the surrounding environment but also have a direct economic impact for local fishing and shrimping industries, many of which are family-owned businesses.

An increase in launches also increases the possibility of another explosion similar to SpaceX’s Starship mega rocket in January that rained metal fragments across the Caribbean and most likely released significant amounts of air pollution.The explosion also caused a diversion of multiple flights.

Expand full comment
Clifford Fewel's avatar

I tell my sibs who worry that they email too much: I can always ignore or delete them. There's no wastebasket to empty. Write all you want. I'm glad to hear from you. Same goes, Jessica. You are in the fight, providing scripts, interviewing change-agents and being one yourself. Keep at it, don't doubt your power, and accept our thanks for being one so courageous and committed.

I only wish others with an even greater platform (talking to you President Obama, VP Harris) would do so with the same regularity and velocity since our very freedom is at stake.

Expand full comment
Sarah Apsey's avatar

I agree with everything you say here. 💯

Expand full comment
Cheryl Johnson's avatar

I would much rather get emails from you than begging fundraising emails from the DNC and other candidates who have my contact info because I donated to ActBlue.

You ALWAYS provide value!!

Expand full comment
Sadye Scott-Hainchek's avatar

OMG yes I kept reporting to my friends about all the out-of-state Senate race pleas I got last election cycle, and they kept going "... but you're in Iowa, not [insert state]," and I stew over whatever box I didn't unclick back in 2018 ... gah!

Expand full comment
Cheryl Johnson's avatar

I don't think ActBlue gives you an option to opt out of sharing your email. But each candidates email gives you an opt-out to get off their email list.

It is a lot of work, but I have been culling my email solicitations by doing this.

Expand full comment
Sadye Scott-Hainchek's avatar

I feel so much less dumb now. Thank you. I definitely opt out each time I'm solicited but it's kind of like not beating yourself up for being addicted to your smartphone when you learn they were designed to be addictive!

Expand full comment
Janet kawtence's avatar

I am very concerned about aviation safety especially with all the cuts in staffing , and with increased flights by Space X I am very concerned with more disasters

Expand full comment
K.McGuire's avatar

May I use some of your wording in my comment to them?

Expand full comment
Sandy Brown's avatar

Keep up with the emails, I'm not always available to watch the live streams.

Expand full comment
Lindsey's avatar

Yes! I much prefer written content to videos, so I don't watch the live streams for the most part.

Expand full comment
Louise Williams's avatar

I truly appreciate your emails. The sample dialogues are fabulous. If I didn't have your words to guide me, I might not write that letter. You are invaluable and I tell everyone who will listen what a boon you are to democracy. Thank you.

Expand full comment
Jennifer Thomson's avatar

I just left a comment on the FAA website. When I started writing there were 51 comments, now there are 193! Good job. Props to commenter "Joe Blow"!

Expand full comment
Kay Chandler's avatar

I commented about voting no on the reconciliation bill to my Senators (Schiff and Padilla) and talked to someone at my Congressman’s office (Scott Peters), who confirmed that Peters is a no vote. Although my representatives will clearly vote no, it feels good to give them support and cheer them on in doing so by highlighting the particulars (I mentioned cutting Medicaid and cutting renewable energy incentives as well as the provision restricting AI regulation for 10 years. I also left a comment to the FAA. Being an active citizen is sure a full time job!

Expand full comment
Kyrielle's avatar

I said yes, but more to the point I'm getting too many 100% irrelevant emails from you. I don't watch videos or listen to podcasts, so these are just clutter. I'm not going to vanish if you keep doing them; I'll just keep deleting the excess emails, which are at least pretty easy to identify. But I'd really rather not get them, all else being equal. (I could filter them, but I'm too afraid that would take out one of your regular emails that had as *part* of its content a reference to a video or podcast or call. Not worth that risk.)

Expand full comment
Nancy Anderson's avatar

Is it possible for some of us to sign up just for emails, bowing out of the videos? I absorb information visually, not so much aurally.

Expand full comment
Angie's avatar

Never enough emails from you, Jess! We need them! 🙏🏻

Expand full comment
Jan M. Flynn's avatar

I'm haranguing my reps daily about the reconciliation bill being a handout to billionaires IN BLUE STATES ('cuz I'm in Idaho) — and now the notion of ditching state regulations over AI for ten years has me screaming inside. And since my son's a pilot for one of the majors, you bet I submitted a comment to the FAA (but man, that website does not make it simple)!

Expand full comment
Megan Rothery's avatar

Extra resource to contact reps -

Use this spreadsheet to call/email/write any of our representatives as often as possible. Not just your own state reps, reach out to those in other states. Be as loud as you can and share this. Use your voice and make some “good trouble.”

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13lYafj0P-6owAJcH-5_xcpcRvMUZI7rkBPW-Ma9e7hw/edit

Expand full comment
Jennifer Thomson's avatar

Fabulous, Megan! Thank you.

Expand full comment
Lisa Clarke's avatar

I'd rather swipe away an email or two that I don't want to read, than potentially miss one that I do. Keep up the good work! This newsletter gives me things to do and keeps me from feeling so helpless.

Expand full comment
Evelyn Mitsunaga's avatar

I appreciate the extra post to point out the short comment time for SpaceX launches.

Expand full comment
Stephanie's Vision's avatar

Here’s what I wrote about SpaceX and Cape Canaveral: “This is a major concern for the shrimping, fishing industries and environmental groups as the launch site is on the coast and adjacent to a national wildlife preserve. The airline pilots union is also fighting the request as SpaceX launches are major disruptors to flight plans. ***SpaceX is owned by Elon Musk who is an unelected BFF of the U.S. President and former illegal immigrant. I don’t understand why HE should get what he wants AND destroy the wildlife refuge that is part of Cape Canaveral. I was recently at that wildlife refuge; see attached photos.*** “

… I wish I could share the photos with you all — it is a glorious place with many different bird species. I saw alligators too, sunning themselves. And a bald eagle. I just shared Jess’s post with some of my photos if you want to see ‘em.

Expand full comment
Teal Chimblo Fyrberg's avatar

Another good action to take… The Author’s Guild has started this petition to reinstate Shira Perlmutter as Register of Copyrights

Tell Congress it must act to reverse this unlawful power grab.

https://authorsguild.org/petition-to-reinstate-register-of-copyrights/

Expand full comment