University of Georgia
Professor and director of the program in atmospheric sciences at the University of Georgia.
PROFILE
J. Marshall Shepherd
Guest
FROM J. Marshall Shepherd
To the Point
America's fourth-largest city is drowning Friday evening, Hurricane Harvey hit Rockport, Texas with 130 mile-an-hour winds, essentially destroying a city of 10,000 people. Since then, the storm was downgraded, but it moved East to the city of Houston, where it’s been hovering since — dropping more rain than Houston has ever seen before — creating 5500 refugees already. Thousands have been rescued with thousands more still at risk as first responders are being sent in from other parts of the country. As if record-breaking rainfall wasn’t enough, massive releases are needed from two giant reservoirs — even though they’ll make flooding worse. We update an unprecedented disaster due in part to the failure of long-term planning.
To the Point
Record Floods in Red States Record flooding this week in Houston killed eight people, devastated more than a thousand homes, and caused at least $5 billion in damage. And the storms aren't over. Forecasters predict that in coming days rains along the Gulf Coast could create flooding levels that haven't been seen for 500 years. While there's no definitive link between isolated extreme storms and global climate change, scientists agree that a warming planet increases the frequency of intense weather events, as well as rising seas. Some Red State mayors of cities affected by rising seas are now breaking ranks with party leadership and calling for policies to combat global warming. But are extreme weather events enough to budge top Republican leaders from their staunch denial of climate change science?
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To the Point
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
To the Point
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
To the Point
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.