Categories
NotClimate

January 2, 1893 – The Financial Times becomes a pinko rag

On January 2nd 1893 

“the FT began printing on light pink paper to distinguish it from the similarly named Financial News: at the time, it was also cheaper to print on unbleached paper (several other more general newspapers, such as The Sporting Times, had the same policy), but nowadays it is more expensive as the paper has to be dyed specially.”

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were at 295 parts per million. As of 2026 they are 428 ppm at and rising rapidly.  Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think. 

Btw, the point(s) of this project is ….  the how, the who the hell am I and the what do I currently believe?

The context was

Lots of newspapers – how are you going to distinguish yourself?

Why care?

No reason –  I love the Financial Times because it, more or less is unashamed celebration of capitalism. It’s intelligent. It’s what you try to read occasionally to make sense of the world. 

(How) does it connect to climate change?

It doesn’t, but the FT’s coverage, with caveats, is worth your time.

What happened next

It has stayed salmon pink

How does it help us understand the world?

It doesn’t, but if you read the FT, the Morning Star, Private Eye, the London Review of Books and listen to some well-chosen podcasts, then a tolerably accurate picture emerges. Having a lot of background knowledge of history, sociology, political and economic theory helps too?

How does it help us act in the world?

Grotius’ last words, innit?

The other things that you could read about this or watch 

The Herman and Chomsky propaganda model

What do you think?

If you have opinions or info about this, or other things that happened on this day that are worth knowing, let me know!

Also on this day

Wikipedia

Working Class History

What Happened on January 2 | HISTORY

Bonus –

“On 2 January 1950, the 300 meat porters at Smithfield’s market in London launched a “lightning” strike completely shutting down London’s meat supply in protest at bosses’ refusal to employ one man who did not have the required references. The workers claimed the man had excellent character and should be employed pending the arrival of references. 1,200 t of meat was held up, at a time when many shops had run low due to the holiday period. This is a video about the dispute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig4pmulS5uU More info about class struggle in this period in this account of workers struggles under the post-war Labour government”: https://libcom.org/history/how-labour-governed-1945-1951

Also, this

El Vaquita fake march – WCH | Stories

Categories
Scientists

December 4, 1893 – John Tyndall dies

One hundred and thirty two years ago, on this day, December 4th, 1893,

In his last years Tyndall often took chloral hydrate to treat his insomnia. When bedridden and ailing, he died from an accidental overdose[79] of this drug in 1893 at the age of 73, and was buried at Haslemere.[80] The overdose was administered by his wife Louisa. “My darling,” said Tyndall when he realized what had happened, “you have killed your John.”[81]

: 1893 John Tyndall dies http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tyndall

The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 294ppm. As of 2025, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, it’s not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.

The broader context was that Tyndall had, in the 1860s, proved that carbon dioxide was a greenhouse gas (did he rip off Eunice Foote? Possibly. Probably say some. I am less convinced, fwiw).

What I think we can learn from this – be super careful with potentially lethal cures for insomnia? Er, that’s all I got…

Also, I listened to a podcast where they interviewed the climate scientist Kate Marvel – in her new book she speculates (and she admits this is speculation) that it may not have been an accident…

What happened next? They named a climate centre after him.

What do you think? Does this pass the ‘so what?’ threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.

Also on this day: 

December 4, 1969 – Black Panther Fred Hampton assassinated by FBI, Chicago cops – All Our Yesterdays

December 4, 1989 – first anti-climate action economic “modelling” released in Australia

December 4, 1989 – Greenhouse tax urged…